An amazing geologic, as well as a tragic piece of history, lies just a half-hour drive northwest of West Yellowstone, Montana. Ghost Village came to be when the August 17, 1959 magnitude 7.1 earthquake hit this area, causing a massive landslide at the east end of the valley damming the Madison Riv...Read More
An amazing geologic, as well as a tragic piece of history, lies just a half-hour drive northwest of West Yellowstone, Montana. Ghost Village came to be when the August 17, 1959 magnitude 7.1 earthquake hit this area, causing a massive landslide at the east end of the valley damming the Madison River. The water levels rose, creating what is now Earthquake Lake, causing these cabins to float. They floated nearly a mile west and when the water receded, set these cabins down to where they rest today. For those camping in the area during this tragic event, there was no way out. Seventeen of which remain buried below the rubble. Those that survived fled to a nearby location which is now called "Refugee Point."
If you are looking for more information, the Earthquake Lake Visitor Center is 5.5 miles further west on Highway 287 and has fantastic photos, videos, and documentation of the event. The memorial for those that lost their lives is also along a scenic hiking path above the visitor center.
Trail Difficulty and Assessment
Recommended Vehicle:
Trail Guide Overview
7 Waypoints
23 Trail Photos
1 Trail Concerns
8 Community Reviews
1 Video
Trail Tools
Open in App
Upload to Gaia GPS
Download GPX
Directions to...
Share Trail
Print Trail
Start a 7-Day Free Trial and Unlock 5,000+ Trail Guides
By clicking "ACCEPT", you agree to be the terms and conditions of each policy linked to above. You also agree to the storing of cookies on your device to facilitate the operation and functionality of our site, enhance and customize your user experience, and to analyze how our site is used.