Quake Lake & West Yellowstone Montana Earthquake

If you enjoy geology and local history and are looking for unique day trip ideas to take from Big Sky, you'll enjoy the Quake Lake Visitors Center, located about 1 hour south of Big Sky.

QUAKE LAKE, MONTANA

Quake Lake in Montana is far and away one of the most impressive geographic phenomena of the west.

On 17 August 1959 at 11.37pm, the earthquake at Hebgen Lake, near West Yellowstone, became one of the largest quakes in Montana's history. Measuring 7.5 on the Richter Scale, the violent upheaval created Quake Lake in a most unique manner.

Montana's Quake Lake is one of the most impressive geographic phenomena of the west.

MADISON RIVER BLOCKED COMPLETELY

The Red Canyon fault and the Hebgen fault, both in the Madison River area, moved simultaneously triggering this massive earthquake. The earthquake forced a huge landslide on Sheep Mountain that hurtled down mountains and hills at about 100 miles per hour. It blocked the Madison River completely.

Massive earthquake forces a 100 mph landslide.

QUAKE LAKE FORMS

The north shore of Hebgen Lake, which lay just upstream, dropped an amazing 19 feet, cracking Hebgen Dam in four places and creating gigantic waves on the lake that spilled over the dam and raced downstream in a mighty flood.

The landslide also caused tornado force winds that fanned out in front of the landslide and flood, destroying almost everything in its path. Three different sections of Highway 287 slid into the newly formed lake and numerous cabins along the former Madison River were either damaged or completely destroyed.

When the landslide eventually stopped, it essentially dammed the Madison River and creating Quake Lake, a 190-foot deep, six mile long lake.

A 190-foot deep, six mile long Quake Lake is created.

EARTHQUAKE DAMAGE

Twenty-eight people died from the landslide and five more died from the resulting flood. About $11 million in damage to highways and timber was sustained. Many summer houses in the Hebgen Lake area were damaged; houses and cabins shifted off their foundations, chimneys fell, and pipelines broke.

In the northwest section of Yellowstone National Park, new geysers erupted and massive slumping caused large cracks in the ground from which steam emitted. A number of hot springs became muddy.

The quake was felt as far as Seattle, Washington, to the west; Banff, Canada, to the north; Dickinson, North Dakota, to the east; and Provo, Utah, to the south. This area includes nine Western States and three Canadian Provinces. Aftershocks continued for several months.

New geysers erupt in Yellowstone National Park.

QUAKE LAKE FISHING

Today, Quake Lake offers decent fly fishing for brown trout, which are stocked yearly, along with rainbow trout. The best fishing on Quake Lake occurs in late spring and early summer, and again later in the summer and fall.

As Quake Lake flooded much of the former Madison River canyon, thousands of dead trees poke up through the lake. These trees, combined with the countless trees that are completely submerged, provide excellent cover and habitat for large trout, although it can complicate the fishing. Fly fishing can be excellent using dry flies around all the dead standing timber.

Thousands of dead trees provide great cover for large trout.

QUAKE LAKE - A DIFFERENT KIND OF BEAUTY

Quake Lake is a place of wonder with a different kind of beauty. You won't find water skiers, speedboats or jet skis here. The dead trees dictate a calm peace unlike any other lake or river in the state of Montana.

Quake Lake exudes a calm peace unlike any other lake or river in the state of Montana.