Howder Travel Adventures: Strange Geography USA

Continental Divides

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There are at least four "continental divides" described frequently in the United States, and they all involve lines where liquids will eventually flow to different bodies of water on one side of the line versus the other.

Great Divide: when the term "Continental Divide" is used by itself without any qualifiers, it generally refers to the Great Divide, and means that water on the western side of the line will flow to the Pacific Ocean and water on the eastern side will flow to the Atlantic Ocean (either directly or via the Gulf of Mexico).
Northern Divide: water on the northern side of the line will flow to the Arctic Ocean and water on the southern side will flow to either the Pacific or Atlantic Ocean.
Eastern Divide: water on the western side will flow to the Gulf of Mexico and water on the eastern side will flow to the Atlantic Ocean.
St. Lawrence Seaway Divide: water on the northern side of the line will flow to the Gulf of St. Lawrence and water south of the line will flow either to the Atlantic or Arctic Ocean.

This can get much more complicated. There are places where three divides come together. There are also places where a divide bifurcates to create a closed basin, where water either evaporates or is absorbed into the ground without a natural outlet to the sea. Since I have not personally visited these locations they are beyond the scope of my Strange Geography website, but if you have an interest in these oddities you can consult the Eastern Continental Divide GPS Maps (scroll down to the section titled More Divide Trivia), Wikipedia: Great Divide Basin, or Wikipedia: Great Basin

Milner Pass, Colorado

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The Great Divide

I took this photograph at Milner Pass in Rocky Mountain National Park. What is interesting about this sign is that it actually describes the path water will take on its drainage either to the Atlantic or the Pacific Ocean.

The Red River of the North at Lindenwood Park, Fargo, North Dakota.

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The Northern Divide

Very little of the United States drains to the Arctic Ocean even counting northern Alaska. What is remarkable is that there are places in the Lower 48 that are indeed part of the Arctic watershed. An excellent and easily accessible example can be found in Fargo, North Dakota. The Red River of the North passes through here on a long journey that will eventually take it up through Canada and to the Arctic.

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Resources for Planning your Visit

Rocky Mountains. My Travel Page with more about Rocky Mountain National Park and Milner Pass
Rocky Mountain National Park
Colorado – Fresh Air and Fond Memories Served Daily
Fargo. My Travel Page with more about Fargo, ND and Lindenwood Park
City of Fargo, ND
North Dakota Tourism