Hike to Earthquake Lake

The epicenter, known as the "Hebgen Lake Earthquake," was located in the Madison Valley near Hebgen Lake, about 15 miles north of Montana, West Yellowstone. The 1959 earthquake along the fault line here created a massive landslide along the Madison River damming up the river and flooding the valley in a matter of hours. Many campers were trapped and buried in the devastating landslide and are now memorialized here. It is such a beautiful, pristine lake yet gave me chills in its peacefulness knowing that so many lives were lost on that fateful night back in 1959. If you are in the area I would recommend taking a few hours to drive out and visit the visitors center and spend some time at the lake pondering its history, geology and beauty. It is just a short drive out of West Yellowstone. I liked the area so much that I went back a few months later. The weather had turned and there was snow on the ground, the skies were gray and the wind cold. It was still beautiful in it's cold, wintry dress and stirred my emotions even more. The photos attached are from the 2nd trip.