West Yellowstone

I did a little research about what lay eastward when we left Boise and found in one of my guide books a reference to Earthquake Lake in West Yellowstone, Montana (the town, not the National Park).  That sounded interesting.  Let’s roll!

Mesa Falls

First we had to traverse the rest of Idaho.  Quoting from my Scenic Byways book, “In Idaho, there remain just two undisturbed waterfalls of any real consequence.” Mesa Falls. Our route to West Yellowstone would lead us past Mesa Falls.  Since it was not much of a detour, we decided to visit. 

The scenic byways of eastern Idaho.

Lower Mesa Falls

Upper Mesa Falls

Upper Mesa Falls viewed from above.

To those of us who have lived near Niagara Falls, these falls seem small.  But still, it was a beautiful day, there were mountains, and the visits gave us a chance to stretch our legs.

Earthquake Lake

Onward.  Near West Yellowstone (just west of Yellowstone National Park) is the Madison River Canyon with the Madison river which flowing through it. On August 17, 1959, at 11:37 p.m., a 7.5 magnitude earthquake hit the West Yellowstone.  The results of this earthquake are still evident 59 years later.

This is the Madison River at the west end of the Canyon.  To the right of the river is the road that we entered the canyon by.

Just as you enter the canyon area, this strange sculpture awaits you.  The explanation of what it is will be forthcoming.

Then as you head into the canyon, you almost immediately come upon this.

This is a landslide that occurred immediately after the earthquake.  The rock wall on the south side of the road let loose and pushed 50 million cubic yards of rocks down the hillside, across the roadway, and up the other side of the canyon.  This huge rock in this picture was relocated from the far side of the canyon to where we were standing on the other side.

This is another view of the landslide, with the road obviously now cleared.  The Earthquake Lake Visitors Center (from which this picture was taken) sits on top of the landslide rubble.

Nineteen people who were in a campground just below the landslide were buried.  This large rock has a memorial plaque naming the nineteen killed, plus eleven others that were killed elsewhere that night.

Then you look further down the canyon and see a lake that wasn’t there before.

As you turn eastward to the left, you look further down the canyon where the Madison River was.  The landslide had created an earthen dam that stopped the flow of the river.  The dammed river water created Earthquake Lake in a matter of weeks.  The Army Corp of Engineers had to come in and dig a channel through the landslide rubble/earthen dam to allow the water to flow out of this newly formed lake. The lake is now 180 feet deep and 6 miles long.  

Remember the strange sculpture when we entered the canyon?  It represents the trees that were on the shores of the Madison River that are now part of Earthquake Lake.  The trees still stand, in the water, 59 years later.

As you drive further into the canyon and get past the end of Earthquake Lake, you see other sights.

These are what is left of vacation cabins that were along the river.  The cabins were washed away across a field and were surround by dirt.  All you see now are the roofs of the cabins in this mountain meadow.

This was the main highway through the canyon.  Parts of the road just fell away.  250 people were in the canyon that night.  Those trapped by roads that disappeared had to air lifted out.

It really was amazing to see what an earthquake can do to an area.  Some families had waterfront vacation homes on Hebgen Lake, just east of Earthquake Lake.  The day after the earthquake some of these home were yards back from the shore and other homes were just gone.  The bottom of Hebgen Lake tilted and a new shoreline appeared.

If you ever are in the Yellowstone area, Earthquake Lake is approximately 27 miles from Yellowstone National Park’s West Entrance.  It is definitely worth a visit.

6 thoughts on “West Yellowstone

  1. Jeanne & Dennis

    Am trembling now!
    Most amazing as we learn more
    About the world we think we know so well!
    Such a descriptive work you created
    We thank you for sharing all !
    Good To follow !

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