Hebgen Lake is a
reservoir
A reservoir (; from French ''réservoir'' ) is an enlarged lake behind a dam. Such a dam may be either artificial, built to store fresh water or it may be a natural formation.
Reservoirs can be created in a number of ways, including contro ...
created by the
Hebgen Dam
Hebgen Dam is a concrete-core earthen embankment dam in the western United States, located on the Madison River in southwestern Montana. The dam is tall and in length; its purpose is to store and regulate water for other downstream reservoirs an ...
, located in
Gallatin County in southwest
Montana
Montana () is a state in the Mountain West division of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota and South Dakota to the east, Wyoming to the south, and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbi ...
. It is well known for the
1959 Hebgen Lake earthquake (magnitude 7.1 to 7.5) which occurred nearby on August 17, 1959, forming
Quake Lake
Quake Lake (officially Earthquake Lake) is a lake in the
western United States, on the Madison River in southwestern Montana. It was created after an earthquake struck on August 17, 1959, with 28 fatalities. Northwest of West Yellowstone, Qu ...
, which is located immediately downstream.
[
]
Recreation
Hebgen Lake and the surrounding area offer many recreational activities: camping, fishing, boating, and hiking. Campgrounds include Rainbow Point and Cherry Creek. Rainbow Point is the largest campground on the lake, offering four "loops." Each loop contains approximately 20 campsites. Each campsite can accommodate a full-size camper and one or two vehicles.[
]
See also
* Firehole Ranch
Firehole Ranch is a private 640-acre guest ranch located on Hebgen Lake in Gallatin County, Montana.
Owned and operated by Lynda Caine since 1999, Firehole Ranch was founded in the late 1890s as Watkins Creek Ranch by George S. Watkins. Origina ...
* Quake Lake
Quake Lake (officially Earthquake Lake) is a lake in the
western United States, on the Madison River in southwestern Montana. It was created after an earthquake struck on August 17, 1959, with 28 fatalities. Northwest of West Yellowstone, Qu ...
* Yellowstone Caldera
The Yellowstone Caldera, sometimes referred to as the Yellowstone Supervolcano, is a volcanic caldera and supervolcano in Yellowstone National Park in the Western United States. The caldera and most of the park are located in the northwest corn ...
Images
File:JonMontanaTrip09 221.jpg, Hebgen Lake, Montana with a mountain as a backdrop
File:Madison Arm.jpg, Madison Arm, looking towards Cherry Creek Campground
File:Hebgen Lake Rainbow Point.JPG, Hebgen Lake, looking North from Rainbow Point Campground
File:Earthquake Lake Montana.jpg, Cabin partially submerged by 1959 earthquake
References
External links
Hebgen Lake Bathymetric Map
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks
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Bodies of water of Gallatin County, Montana
Reservoirs in Montana
Protected areas of Gallatin County, Montana
Gallatin National Forest