Hebgen Lake

Lake in Gallatin County, Montana

44°46′56″N 111°14′01″W / 44.78222°N 111.23361°W / 44.78222; -111.23361^[1]TypeReservoirPrimary inflowsMadison RiverPrimary outflowsMadison RiverCatchment area905 square miles (2,340 km²)Basin countriesUnited StatesMax. length15 miles (24 km)Max. width4 miles (6.4 km)Surface area12,563 acres (5,084 ha)^[2]Max. depth70 feet (21 m)^[2]Water volume386,200 acre⋅ft (476,400,000 m³)^[2]Shore length¹65 miles (105 km)^[3]Surface elevation6,539 ft (1,993 m)^[1]¹ Shore length is not a well-defined measure.

Hebgen Lake is a reservoir created by the Hebgen Dam, located in Gallatin County in southwest Montana. 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, which is located immediately downstream.^[4]

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.^[5]

Images

Hebgen Lake, Montana with a mountain as a backdrop
Madison Arm, looking towards Cherry Creek Campground
Hebgen Lake, looking North from Rainbow Point Campground
Cabin partially submerged by 1959 earthquake

References

^ ^a ^b "Hebgen Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Hebgen Lake". Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
^ "Hebgen Lake Is 65 Miles Around". Montana Standard. August 19, 1959. Archived from the original on March 8, 2012. Retrieved July 11, 2010.
^ "Large Earthquakes in the United States". United States Geological Survey. Archived from the original on November 18, 2007.
^ "Hebgen Lake Basin Area". Custer Gallatin National Forest. USDA Forest Service. Retrieved July 13, 2020.