Quake Lake, Natural lake in Madison County, Montana, US
The Madison River fills this six-mile-long lake, reaching depths of 125 feet and covering 611 acres at an elevation of 1,948 meters.
A magnitude 7.5 earthquake in August 1959 triggered an 80-million-ton landslide that blocked the Madison River, resulting in the formation of this lake.
The Earthquake Lake Visitor Center educates 50,000 annual visitors about geological processes through interactive displays and a functioning seismograph monitoring current seismic activity.
The lake provides multiple access points for fishing and boating activities, with US Highway 287 offering direct entry to recreational areas.
The lake bed contains remnants of a forest and structures from before the 1959 earthquake, preserved beneath the water's surface.
Location: Madison County
Location: Gallatin County
Inception: 1959
Elevation above the sea: 1,948 m
GPS coordinates: 44.85278,-111.39167
Latest update: May 26, 2025 21:54
Montana offers a range of landscapes from the peaks of Glacier National Park to the central plains. The state has several mountain routes including the Going-to-the-Sun Road and the Beartooth Highway, both exceeding 3,000 meters in elevation. Glacial lakes such as Flathead Lake and Lake McDonald stretch over miles, with geological formations revealing millions of years of natural history. The Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman holds significant dinosaur fossil collections. Montana's mining history is evident in the streets of Virginia City, a former territorial capital founded in 1863, where over 200 buildings from the 19th century are preserved. The Little Bighorn Battlefield commemorates the 1876 conflicts between the U.S. Army and Native American nations. To observe local wildlife, the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center houses bears and wolves in protected habitats. Hikers can take the 18-kilometer Highline Trail along the continental divide or walk to the Grinnell Glacier through alpine lakes in Glacier National Park.
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