Clay County in North Texas stretches from the Red River along the Oklahoma border to much higher rolling ground in the south. Henrietta is the main settlement and road reference, but Byers, Petrolia, Dean, Jolly, and Bellevue are spread widely across the county rather than clustering around one continuous urban area. The road map shows the north-south route through Petrolia and Byers, US 287 toward Bellevue, and western connections around Dean and Jolly. The terrain-and-water map adds the Red River, Wichita River, Little Wichita River, Turkey Creek, Long Creek, several fork channels, and a group of lakes and reservoirs. The elevation surface ranges from about 239 to 366 meters with a mean near 293 meters, making the low northern river country and the higher southern hills easy to compare. The four matching high-resolution JPG files are available together in the ZIP download on this page.
Henrietta is the best place to establish orientation. It sits a little south of the county center, with Petrolia and Byers farther north and Bellevue to the southeast along the US 287 direction. Dean and Jolly lie to the west. Once those communities are located, the physical maps explain the broad spaces between them: the Red River forms the northern edge, the Little Wichita system crosses the middle, and branching creek valleys cut through higher terrain toward the south.
Table of Contents
Henrietta Connects the Byers–Petrolia Route with US 287 Toward Bellevue
Henrietta has the most visible road concentration on the general county map. US 287 passes through the city and continues southeast toward Bellevue, while Route 148 runs north through Petrolia and toward Byers. Western roads connect the Henrietta area with Jolly and Dean. The courthouse marker is also shown east of the city, making Henrietta both an administrative and transportation landmark that is easy to match across the map set.
Petrolia lies north of Henrietta near the meeting of Route 148 and Route 79. Byers is farther north, much closer to the Red River and Byers Lake. The road environment becomes more rural as the map moves away from Henrietta, and small drainage lines become more numerous near the northern border. Byers therefore sits in a noticeably different physical setting from the higher southern half of Clay County.
Dean and Jolly provide the best western references. Dean lies near Route 79, while Jolly is farther south near the 82 and 47 route corridor. Moving west from Henrietta, the built-up pattern fades quickly into open rural land crossed by many small streams. Bellevue, by contrast, is easiest to locate by following US 287 southeast, where the highway creates a strong diagonal line toward the Montague County side.
The northern boundary is highly irregular because it follows the Red River. Parts of the eastern side also bend around drainage and relief. The southern boundary contains longer straight segments, but the elevation map shows that the land immediately north of it is far from featureless. Creek-cut hills and ridges create a much more varied landscape than a simple boundary outline suggests.
Six Ranked Communities Show a Wide Rural Distribution
The ranked city map lists six communities: Henrietta at 3,167, Dean at 536, Petrolia at 416, Byers at 393, Bellevue at 359, and Jolly at 185. Henrietta is clearly the largest value printed on the supplied index, but the important geographic point is the spread. Petrolia and Byers occupy the north, Dean and Jolly are west of Henrietta, and Bellevue is far to the southeast.
The northern pair sits closest to the Red River environment. Byers is especially close to the county’s irregular river boundary, while Petrolia is positioned farther south along the main north-south road. Dean and Jolly help locate the Wichita and Archer county sides, and Bellevue marks the southeastern reach toward Montague County. These smaller communities make the county’s width and directional differences much easier to understand than a map containing Henrietta alone.
Neighboring county labels include Archer County, Wichita County, Jack County, and Montague County. The northern edge is different because the Red River separates Clay County from Oklahoma. Once the six community points are established, the outside labels make it easy to see which county edge each town is closest to and why the northern settlements have a different regional relationship from Bellevue or Jolly.
The city map does not include connector lines or mileage labels, so its numbers should not be treated as travel distances. They are the values printed in the supplied CITY INDEX. For route planning, the general county map is the better reference; for physical setting, the water and elevation layers show what occupies the wide spaces between the communities.
Red River in the North and Little Wichita River Across the Interior
The terrain-and-water map has two dominant drainage references. Red River follows the northern edge of Clay County in a broad series of bends, forming the state boundary with Oklahoma. Byers Lake is labeled immediately below that river country. Numerous small tributaries enter the northern system, giving the Byers area a very different water pattern from the higher southern uplands.
Wichita River appears along the northwestern side, while the central county is organized around the Little Wichita River system. Turkey Creek and Long Creek feed toward the larger channel, and Dry Fork Little Wichita River rises from the south. East Fork Little Wichita River forms another long tributary farther east. The supplied map makes these relationships much easier to follow because the principal channels are emphasized over the background network of minor streams.
Several lakes and reservoirs provide additional landmarks. Lake Arrowhead reaches the southwestern side near the county boundary, Henrietta Reservoir lies closer to the central-western area, and Windthorst Lake and Burns Lake are labeled farther south. Salt Creek occupies the southeastern drainage. Together, these features show that southern Clay County contains a dense mix of ridges, creeks, and small water bodies even though the general road map may initially look open.
This water map is intended for general geographic reference. It is not a flood-hazard map, parcel map, water-depth chart, water-quality record, or navigation product. Those questions require specialized official data. For ordinary map reading, the most useful task is to locate Red River and Little Wichita River first, then follow Turkey Creek, Long Creek, the fork channels, and the larger lakes relative to nearby communities.
Elevation from About 239 to 366 Meters Rises Strongly Toward the South
The supplied elevation map reports an actual range of approximately 239 to 366 meters and a mean near 293 meters. The strongest high brown terrain is concentrated across the south and southeast, with additional elevated ground in the southwest. The Red River edge is a continuous low green belt, and much of the northeastern side is also lower than the southern half. A difference of more than 120 meters across the county is enough to make the contrast between river lowland and rolling upland visually obvious.
The central county alternates between ridges and valleys rather than changing in one smooth slope. Little Wichita River and Turkey Creek occupy lower green corridors, while yellow and orange ridges rise between them. Matching the water map with the elevation surface shows that the major channels follow the low lines between the hills. The relationship is especially clear where several small tributaries branch toward the central river system.
The southern highlands are also deeply dissected. Brown ridges are cut by narrow drainage channels around Henrietta’s southern and southeastern countryside. Salt Creek and East Fork Little Wichita River occupy long lower valleys, while the Lake Arrowhead side contains another pronounced low-water corridor entering the higher western terrain. The broad pattern is higher south and lower north, but the local surface contains many smaller exceptions.
This elevation surface is suitable for county-scale comparison, not survey or engineering measurement. It should not be used to determine the exact elevation of a house, parcel corner, road grade, or construction site. The 239–366 meter range and 293 meter mean are best treated as broad reference values showing how Clay County rises from the Red River lowlands into a much more rugged southern landscape.
Henrietta’s Road Hub Sits Between Creek Valleys and Higher Southern Ridges
Henrietta is where the transportation and terrain layers become especially useful together. The county map shows several roads converging on the city, while the water map places Turkey Creek and the Little Wichita system around the broader area. The elevation layer then reveals a patchwork of low valleys and higher ridges. Henrietta is therefore not positioned on a perfectly flat open plain; it sits within rolling country cut by drainage.
Traveling north toward Petrolia and Byers moves toward lower elevations and the Red River. Route 148 remains a strong visual line, but the surrounding land becomes more heavily defined by northern tributaries and Byers Lake. Traveling southeast toward Bellevue does the opposite in several places, approaching higher rolling terrain. The same road map therefore represents quite different physical settings depending on direction from Henrietta.
The western side around Jolly and Dean has another character. Wichita River and the Lake Arrowhead drainage become more relevant, and numerous smaller streams divide the rural landscape. Comparing these directions makes it easier to understand why the six communities are spread across distinct local settings rather than evenly spaced along one simple corridor.
Choosing the Best Clay County File for Roads, Water, or Relief
The general county map is the most complete single reference for Henrietta, Byers, Petrolia, Dean, Jolly, Bellevue, and the major road network. The ranked city map is cleaner when the goal is to compare the six mapped communities and their distribution. The terrain-and-water map is the best choice for Red River, Little Wichita River, Turkey Creek, Lake Arrowhead, and other named water features. The elevation map most clearly shows the higher southern hills and the lower river and creek corridors.
Small creek labels and minor road numbers can be difficult to read in a reduced browser preview. The original JPG files are more convenient for enlargement and printing. They also work well for comparison with Wichita, Archer, Jack, Montague, or nearby Oklahoma-border counties when the same map type and similar display scale are used.
The ZIP below contains four high-resolution JPG files corresponding to the county, city, water, and elevation maps shown in the article. They can be enlarged for detailed label reading, printed for classroom or personal reference, or arranged with neighboring county maps for regional comparison.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which community ranks second after Henrietta on the supplied city map?
The CITY INDEX lists Henrietta first at 3,167 and Dean second at 536. Petrolia is shown at 416, Byers at 393, Bellevue at 359, and Jolly at 185. These are the values printed on the supplied ranked-city map and should not be interpreted as travel distances.
Where are Red River and Little Wichita River on the Clay County maps?
Red River follows the northern county boundary, while Little Wichita River crosses the central interior and continues east. Turkey Creek, Long Creek, Dry Fork and East Fork Little Wichita River connect with the central drainage, and Byers Lake appears near the northern settlement area.
Which part of Clay County is highest on the supplied elevation map?
The south and southeast contain much of the higher rolling terrain. The map reports an elevation range of about 239–366 meters with a mean near 293 meters, while Red River and the major creek valleys occupy lower ground. The image is intended for county-scale comparison rather than survey work.
Sources and Reference Data
- U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line Shapefiles — official geographic boundary, road, and place data.
- USGS National Hydrography — official information about rivers, creeks, lakes, and hydrography.
- USGS 3D Elevation Program — official elevation and terrain data information.
- USGS The National Map Viewer — interactive access to boundaries, transportation, hydrography, terrain, and other geographic layers.
Map File Information
Download the Clay County county, city, water, and elevation maps together as high-resolution JPG files.
- Included Files: 4 maps
- File Type: JPG
Related Maps
- Archer County Texas map
- Wichita County Texas map
- Palo Pinto County Texas map
- Parker County Texas map
- Wise County Texas map
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