Essentially, Wyoming is one big plateau broken by many towering mountain ranges. Wyoming is a state where the Great Plains meets the Rocky Mountains.
The Continental Divide cuts through Wyoming from the northwest to the south central border. Rivers east of the Divide drain into the Missouri River Basin and eventually the Atlantic Ocean. The major rivers in the east are the Platte, Wind, Big Horn and the Yellowstone rivers. To the west of the Continental Divide, the rivers of Wyoming drain into the Columbia or Colorado River Basins into the Pacific Ocean. Wyoming's major western rivers are the Snake River in northwest and the Green River to the south.
The state of Wyoming can be divided into three geographical land areas; the Great Plains, the Rocky Mountains and the Intermontane Basins. Intermontane refers to the land between the mountains.