Cotton County occupies the southern edge of Oklahoma, where a broad rural landscape meets the Red River and the Texas line. Walters is the county seat and the easiest reference point for reading the map, while Temple lies to the southeast and Randlett and Devol sit farther southwest. The county is bordered by Comanche County to the north, Tillman County to the west, and Stephens and Jefferson counties to the east. Its southern boundary follows the bends of the Red River rather than a simple straight line, giving the county a noticeably irregular lower edge.
The original maps shown on this page are available as high-resolution JPG files for download. The general county map combines the boundary, major roads, nearby places, and local settlement names. The city-connections map makes it easier to compare Walters with Temple, Randlett, and Devol. The water map emphasizes East Cache Creek, West Cache Creek, Cache Creek, Beaver Creek, and smaller tributaries, while the elevation map shows the contrast between higher rolling ground in the north and west and lower terrain toward the Red River and major creek valleys.
Table of Contents
Using Walters as the Reference Point for Cotton County
Walters is positioned in the north-central part of Cotton County and provides a practical starting point for understanding the road network. State Highway 5 runs east-west through the Walters area, while Interstate 44 passes just to the west on a north-south course. State Highway 53 continues eastward across the northeastern part of the county. Farther south, U.S. 70 forms a major east-west route through the lower portion of the county, and U.S. 277 and U.S. 281 appear near Randlett and the Interstate 44 corridor.
The map also shows that the county’s communities are spread across a fairly large rural area rather than clustered into one continuous urban zone. Temple is southeast of Walters and is reached through a different part of the road network, including State Highway 65 and nearby U.S. 70. Randlett occupies the south-central to southwestern section near several major highways, while Devol is farther west and closer to Tillman County. Reading these towns together with the road lines makes the county’s internal geography much clearer than looking at settlement names alone.
The southern county line deserves special attention because it follows the Red River. Instead of forming a straight state-line segment, the boundary curves around the river channel and creates several noticeable bends. The southwestern portion extends downward before turning back toward the east, and the southeastern edge also follows a broad river-shaped arc. This makes the bold county outline important when using a printed version of the map. The map is intended for general geographic reference, not for determining legal property boundaries or exact jurisdictional lines.
Straight-Line Distances from Walters to Temple, Randlett, and Devol
The city-connections map uses Walters as its hub and compares three other communities by direct distance. Temple is shown about 10 miles from Walters, Randlett about 14 miles away, and Devol about 17 miles away. These are straight-line distances between mapped points, not driving distances measured along highways. Curves in the road network, interchange locations, local streets, and route choices can make an actual trip longer. For travel planning, a current navigation service or official highway map should therefore be used in addition to this reference map.
The directional pattern is useful even without treating the mileage as a route estimate. Temple is southeast of Walters, while Randlett and Devol are southwest. Randlett sits close to the U.S. 70 and U.S. 277/281 corridor and not far from Interstate 44. Devol is farther west, near the Tillman County side of the map. Temple is separated from the southwestern pair and lies closer to the eastern part of Cotton County. The map makes these relationships easy to compare without the visual detail of every smaller road and stream.
The Oklahoma Historical Society identifies Walters as the county seat and describes Randlett as the only incorporated town remaining from the five original townsites established in connection with the 1906 Big Pasture opening. That historical context helps explain why relatively small communities remain important geographic markers across this rural county. The city-connections map is not an administrative ranking or a complete population table; its purpose is to show where selected communities sit in relation to the county seat.
I-44 and U.S. 70 as the Main Orientation Lines
Two routes make the county particularly easy to orient on a road map. Interstate 44 creates the strongest north-south line, passing west of Walters and continuing toward the Red River near the Randlett area. U.S. 70 crosses the southern part of the county from west to east and passes through the same general southern travel zone. Once those two routes are located, State Highways 5, 53, 65, and 36 provide additional local references for Walters, Temple, the northeastern extension, and the Devol-Randlett side of the county.
State Highway 5 is especially useful near Walters because it runs across the county seat area and intersects the Interstate 44 corridor. State Highway 53 extends eastward and helps explain the long northeastern projection of the county boundary. State Highway 65 provides a north-south reference near Temple, and State Highway 36 appears in the southwest near the route network serving Devol and Randlett. These roads make the general map useful for understanding orientation, but it should not replace live information about construction, closures, restrictions, or current travel conditions.
Cache Creek Tributaries and Drainage toward the Red River
The terrain-and-water map reveals a dense network of streams that is easy to miss on a standard road map. East Cache Creek descends through the north-central and eastern interior, while West Cache Creek crosses the western and central part of the county. Cache Creek continues through the central-southern area after receiving tributaries from several directions. Beaver Creek and Little Beaver Creek form prominent north-south water features in the eastern section, and Gooden Creek is labeled in the northeastern extension. Numerous smaller unnamed branches fill the spaces between the larger channels.
The Oklahoma Historical Society describes the county’s creeks and streams as generally draining southeast toward the Red River. The map supports that broad pattern: larger channels progressively gather smaller tributaries as they move toward the southern and southeastern side of the county. Walters Lake appears just south of Walters and provides an easy local landmark for matching the water map with the general county map. Farther south, Rabbit Creek and other smaller tributaries enter lower terrain near the state boundary, while Whiskey Creek is visible in the southeastern sector.
This water map is a geographic reference rather than a flood-hazard product. A blue line shows the mapped location of a stream or water feature, but it does not indicate current water depth, flood probability, water quality, navigability, or public access. Anyone evaluating flood exposure should consult FEMA and local emergency-management information. Fishing, boating, or shoreline access also requires separate confirmation of current rules and land ownership. The map is most useful for seeing how the named creeks relate to roads, towns, and the surrounding terrain.
Higher Rolling Ground and Lower Red River Valleys
The elevation map uses locally scaled colors to show relative height within Cotton County. Its legend reports an actual mapped range of about 260 to 349 meters, with a mean near 307 meters. Brown and tan areas represent higher ground, while green areas represent lower elevations. Higher terrain is widespread in the northwestern and northern parts of the county and also appears in ridges across the northeast. The lowest colors are concentrated along major creek valleys and near the southern Red River boundary.
Rather than showing one isolated hill mass, the relief map displays a repeated pattern of rolling uplands separated by branching valleys. In the central part of the county, lower green corridors follow Cache Creek and related tributaries. West of those valleys, higher ground rises in bands before descending again toward other channels. The eastern side has a similar relationship around Beaver Creek and Little Beaver Creek. Comparing the elevation map with the water map makes it clear that many of the blue stream lines occupy the lower green corridors between higher ridges.
The colors should be interpreted only as elevation, not as land cover. Brown does not automatically mean exposed rock or forest, and green does not automatically represent cropland, wetlands, or vegetation. The map is also generalized for county-wide viewing rather than engineering work. It should not be used to determine the exact elevation of a building site, parcel slope, drainage design, or construction grade. Those tasks require survey-grade measurements or more detailed elevation data from appropriate official sources.
The Red River Edge and Cotton County’s Southern Setting
The Red River is the defining natural boundary along the south side of Cotton County. The Oklahoma Historical Society notes that the county is bordered by the river to the south, with Texas beyond it. On the general map, that relationship is visible in the winding lower county outline. On the elevation map, the same area is dominated by lower green tones. Looking at both maps together helps explain why the southern border is so different from the straighter county lines found farther north and west.
Randlett is particularly useful for understanding this southern setting. It lies near U.S. 70, U.S. 277/281, and Interstate 44, placing a small community close to several routes that connect southern Oklahoma with north Texas. The Oklahoma Historical Society records that the H. E. Bailey Turnpike reached Randlett in 1964, creating a stronger highway connection toward Oklahoma City. On a modern map this route is represented by Interstate 44, making Randlett a practical southern reference point even though it is much smaller than Walters.
Why Walters Became the County Seat
Cotton County was created in 1912 from the southern portion of Comanche County. According to the Oklahoma Historical Society, residents had attempted to organize a separate county earlier, but the successful vote came in 1912. The name Cotton reflected a crop that was important in the area. Randlett served temporarily as the county seat, and voters later selected Walters as the permanent seat of county government. That history gives additional meaning to Walters’ prominent role on the modern map.
Walters itself developed after the 1901 Kiowa-Comanche-Apache land opening. The community was originally associated with a site on Cache Creek and later moved after flooding in 1902. Railroad development also influenced early settlement patterns in the county, with lines serving Walters and Temple and another route helping establish Devol. The present map does not attempt to reconstruct those historical rail networks, but the locations of the surviving towns still provide a useful framework for understanding the county’s settlement geography.
Choosing the Best Cotton County Map for a Specific Task
Use the general county map when you need the broadest combination of information. It is best for locating Walters, Temple, Randlett, Devol, the county boundary, and major roads on one page. The city-connections map is better when the question is simply where the selected communities lie relative to Walters. Because its mileage values are straight-line distances, it works as a geographic comparison rather than a driving guide. For actual trips, current road information should always take priority.
Use the water and elevation maps together when the goal is to understand the physical landscape. Find East Cache Creek, West Cache Creek, Cache Creek, or Beaver Creek on the water map, then compare the same location on the elevation map. The lower green corridors often align with major drainage routes, while brown and tan ridges occupy higher ground between them. Reversing the process also works: start with a high ridge on the elevation map and then look for the tributaries cutting into its sides on the water map.
For classroom use, regional introductions, personal research, or printed reference material, selecting one map for one purpose usually produces the clearest result. Use the boundary-and-road map for administrative context, the city map for settlement relationships, the water map for streams and lakes, and the elevation map for relief. All four cover the county at a broad scale. Parcel boundaries, legal descriptions, emergency evacuation, navigation, engineering, and surveying require more specialized and current official information.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far are Temple, Randlett, and Devol from Walters on the city map?
The city-connections map shows Temple about 10 miles from Walters, Randlett about 14 miles away, and Devol about 17 miles away. Those numbers are straight-line distances between mapped points rather than road mileage. Actual driving distance depends on the route, intersections, and local road conditions.
Which map is best for seeing Cache Creek and the lower Red River terrain?
The water map is best for identifying East Cache Creek, West Cache Creek, Cache Creek, Beaver Creek, and smaller tributaries. The elevation map is better for comparing their valleys with surrounding higher ground. Used together, the two maps show how major watercourses generally occupy lower corridors leading toward the southern part of the county.
Can the elevation map be used for surveying or construction design?
No. It is a generalized county-wide relief map intended to show relative differences in elevation. Exact parcel elevations, slopes, drainage calculations, building grades, or engineering decisions require detailed official elevation data and, when appropriate, a professional field survey.
Map File Information
The original Cotton County maps shown on this page are packaged as high-resolution JPG files. The ZIP includes the general county map, city-connections map, terrain-and-water map, and elevation map.
- Printable Size: 2572 × 3638 px each
Related Maps
Sources and References
Historical and geographic context was checked against the Oklahoma Historical Society entry for Cotton County and its Walters entry. Boundary data can be referenced through the U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line program, hydrographic information through USGS National Hydrography, and elevation information through the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Current municipal information for the county seat is available from the City of Walters official website.
Green Map creates custom-edited map images using open geographic data sources such as geoBoundaries, Natural Earth, OpenStreetMap, and government open data. These maps are edited visual materials, not raw data files, and are provided for education, documents, presentations, and graphic reference.
