The Hebgen Lake Earthquake Buried a Campground Under 80 Million Tons of Rock

Monday, August 17, marks the 67th anniversary of the Hebgen Earthquake in West Yellowstone, Montana. Also often called the Yellowstone Earthquake, this major seismic event triggered a landslide that killed 28 people. Here is a look back at this tragic natural disaster.

Rare Powerful Earthquake Kills 28 People in Montana in 1959

Yellowstone National Park was packed with summer visitors when a magnitude 7.3 earthquake rattled the popular vacation spot on August 17, 1959. The earthquake was distinguished as the largest quake ever recorded in the Rocky Mountains.

On the night of the deadly event, the area around the Madison River was filled with people camping and enjoying the region's natural beauty. It was a beautiful night with clear skies, perfect for stargazing and breathing in the fresh mountain air.

The peaceful night was shattered at about 11:30 pm when an earthquake rattled the Madison Canyon, causing a massive part of the southern mountainside to rumble down the canyon wall. The debris crashed into the river, sending boulders flying through the sky and creating a monumental rock slide.

All of this happened roughly seven miles from the Hebgen Lake Dam. The eighty million tons of rock plunged to the bottom of the canyon, creating a second dam as the soil settled. Over 300 campers and residents became trapped between the two dams, unable to escape the force of Mother Nature.