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Jan 05
Quake Lake Trees, from Overlook

Yellowstone Side Trip: Earthquake Lake Visitor Center

Bozeman newspaper article - Quake Hits HebgenThis August marks the 64th anniversary of the most famous earthquake in the greater Yellowstone area, the strongest ever recorded in the Rocky Mountains, which tragically took 28 lives.

On August 17, 1959, the Hebgen Lake Earthquake, measuring 7.5 on the Richter scale, triggered a massive landslide that moved at 100 miles per hour. In less than 1 minute, more than 80 million tons of rock crashed into a narrow canyon, blocking the Madison River and forming Earthquake Lake.

Quake Lake Visitor CenterThe U.S. Forest Service’s Earthquake Lake Visitor Center, located 27 miles northwest of Yellowstone’s West Entrance, tells the story of that infamous event. It not only features excellent exhibits, but visitors can also easily see the effects of the earthquake surrounding them: the visitor center itself sits atop the landslide debris and overlooks the lake formed by the quake.

The visitor center’s exhibits illustrate the magnitude of an earthquake’s power and the devastation it leaves behind. They include displays on earthquake science and a kid-friendly, interactive 3-D model of the Earthquake Lake area.

Be sure to check out the working seismograph that monitors earthquakes worldwide. If you’re lucky, you’ll even experience how an earthquake registers on the Richter scale, in real time, whether it is close by or far away. Greater Yellowstone is one of the most seismically active areas in the United States, with a combination of tectonic and volcanic activity resulting in 1,000 to 3,000 earthquakes each year. Most of these quakes are too small to be felt.

Seismograph at Quake Lake Visitor CenterAlso within the visitor center, a Yellowstone Forever Park Store, operated in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, offers a variety of educational items. Outside, a walking path leads to the Memorial Boulder that honors the 28 victims of the quake.

When you arrive, pick up a Visitor Guide to the Earthquake Lake Geologic Area and check the upcoming times for scheduled movies and talks.

The Earthquake Lake Visitor Center is open daily from late May through mid-September, and admission is free. Check the Custer Gallatin National Forest website for exact dates and hours of operation and directions.

Read more about earthquakes in Yellowstone