09/28/2026
Massive Wyoming Landslide Reportedly Shifts Continental Divide, Reverses Direction of River
PINEDALE, Wyo. - Geologists are investigating an enormous landslide in western Wyoming that reportedly shifted a section of the Continental Divide far enough to change which side of the divide a nearby river sits on, causing portions of the river to begin flowing in the opposite direction.
The slide, believed to have occurred early Saturday morning, displaced millions of tons of rock and soil and altered the elevation of an approximately 11-mile section of mountainous terrain. Researchers arriving Sunday initially believed their equipment was malfunctioning after water previously flowing west appeared to be moving east.
“We recalibrated everything twice,” geologist Mark Treadwell said. “Then somebody threw a stick in the river. The stick went east. That's when the meeting got significantly quieter.” Scientists say the change could eventually redirect water that would have drained toward the Pacific watershed into waterways leading toward the Atlantic.
Crews are now mapping the newly formed ridgeline to determine whether the Continental Divide will need to be officially redrawn on federal maps. Officials emphasized that residents downstream should not notice immediate changes. They also asked people to stop driving into the area to see which way the water is going.
