Visit Quake Lake in Montana

We humans too often think of nature in terms of its beauty, whether it's gorgeous fall colors, or majestic mountains, or a stunning sunset, or the wildlife-both plant and animals-that we encounter in our daily lives. Nature, however, as we all know, can be deadly. On a trip to the western United States a few years ago, my wife and I came to face to face with the "dark side" of nature when we visited Quake Lake (also known as Earthquake Lake) in southwestern Montana.

The West Yellowstone Earthquake area, which includes Quake Lake, is located northwest of the west entrance to Yellowstone National Park on U. S. Highway 287. There are signs and stops to help visitors understand what happened and where it happened.

Quake Lake was formed rapidly in 1959. On August 17th of that year, a massive earthquake struck an area within the Gallatin National Forest. Measuring 7.5 on the Richter Scale, it was the largest earthquake to strike Montana in recorded history. A huge chunk of the face of Sheep Mountain broke loose, sending 80 million tons of rock and other debris into the Madison River and killing 28 people who were camping in the area. It is estimated that the landslide traveled well over 100 miles an hour, giving campers less than a minute to run for safety. Compounding the problem was the time of the earthquake: 11:37 p.m., when most people were asleep.

Quake Lake itself is 190 feet deep and six miles long. U.S. 287 follows the lake and gives good access to the aftermath of the earthquake.

The National Forest Service built a visitor's center on top of the remains of the landslide. At the center, visitors can get a good overall view of the area and learn about the earthquake from the staff. As we drove through the area, we saw not only the lake with trees sticking out of it, but also the visible remains of cabins and other buildings buried in water when the landslide blocked the Madison River. The area is a vivid reminder of how quickly things can change.

A memorial boulder, located above the visitor's center, commemorates the people who died in the earthquake. Of the 28 who died, 19 were presumed to be buried beneath the rubble from the earthquake. Their bodies have never been recovered.

Even though the sights of the area are impressive and worth the trip, your understanding of the earthquake will be greatly enhanced if your first stop is the visitor's center.

Sources:

www.visitmt.com/history/Montana_the_Magazine_of_Western_History/Spring03/earthquake.htm
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quake_Lake

Another good source for information about Quake Lake and the area is:

geology.csusb.edu/VTRIPS/YNP/equake.htm