This Montana Glacier Is Packed With Ancient Grasshoppers

Bugs. They have been a part of our big blue planet for what scientists estimate to be more than 400 million years. Whether you love them or absolutely can’t stand them, one thing is certain. They have been here far longer than we have. Montana’s landscape is one of the most diverse in the lower 48, with rolling prairies, towering mountain ranges, dense forests, and ancient glaciers. With that kind of terrain, it is no surprise that some truly incredible discoveries have been made here over the years. One of the most fascinating might also be one of the strangest.

Tucked high in the Beartooth Mountains is a place called Grasshopper Glacier, and it is exactly what it sounds like. This glacier is famous for the thousands of ancient grasshoppers frozen inside its ice. The first recorded scientific discovery of the site dates back to 1898, when grasshopper remains were collected and sent to experts for study.

The theory is that massive swarms of these locusts were caught in a sudden mountain storm or extreme cold while flying over. At some point, they landed on the glacier, died, and were preserved. Since the glacier is slowly melting, grasshoppers continue to appear on the surface. Scientists think that this grasshopper species has been extinct for at least 200 years.

Grasshopper Glacier sits at around 11,000 feet in elevation and is located near Cooke City, just off the Beartooth Highway. Reaching it is no easy task. You need an off-road, high-clearance type vehicle during the short summer window and a multi-mile hike into designated wilderness. But if you’re up for the adventure, this is a must-see.