Jefferson County occupies a broad stretch of southern Oklahoma where Waurika provides the main road and administrative reference, while Ryan and Terral lead toward the Red River and the Texas line. Waurika Lake fills the northwestern corner, Beaver Creek drains south from the reservoir, and the Mud Creek system cuts through the eastern half of the county. U.S. 70 and U.S. 81 give the road map an easy starting frame. The maps can be viewed online, and the original high-resolution JPG files are also available together in a downloadable ZIP for printing or closer inspection.
The terrain is mostly prairie, but it is not uniformly flat. The Oklahoma Historical Society places Jefferson County in the Redbed Plains and notes that Beaver and Mud creeks and their tributaries drain toward the Red River. The elevation map shows higher rolling ground in the northwest and north-central area, narrow ridges between creek valleys, and lower terrain along the southern boundary and parts of the east. Comparing the settlement map with the water and elevation maps makes those differences much easier to recognize.
Table of Contents
Use Waurika and the U.S. 70–81 junction to orient the county
Waurika is the clearest place to begin on the general map. It is the Jefferson County seat and lies immediately northwest of the U.S. 70 and U.S. 81 intersection. U.S. 70 crosses the county from west to east toward Ringling and Cornish, while U.S. 81 runs south from the Waurika area through Ryan and toward Terral. Those two highways provide a simple set of directions before any smaller state roads are added.
Hastings appears northwest of Waurika near State Highway 5, and Addington lies just north of the county seat along the U.S. 81 corridor. Following U.S. 81 south brings Sugden and then Ryan into view before the route continues toward Terral near the Texas border. On the opposite side of the county, U.S. 70 reaches Ringling and Cornish, where State Highways 89 and 32 help define the eastern road network. Following the main routes one at a time is far easier than memorizing every road number on the map.
The southern county line has a very different shape from the straighter borders to the north and east. Jefferson County is bounded by the Red River and Texas on the south, producing broad curves and indentations on the map. Cotton County is to the west, Stephens County to the north, and Carter and Love counties lie to the east. Once the Red River edge is recognized, the positions of Ryan, Terral, Cornish, and the southeastern road junctions become much easier to understand.
Waurika, Ringling, and Ryan form useful settlement checkpoints
The city distribution map highlights Waurika, Ringling, Ryan, Terral, Hastings, and Cornish. Waurika anchors the northwest and is the most prominent settlement on the map, while Ringling provides an eastern reference in the upper half of the county. Ryan sits farther south along U.S. 81, and Terral extends the settlement pattern almost to the Red River. Together, those locations make a useful north-to-south frame for the western and central portions of Jefferson County.
Hastings is set farther west of Waurika, while Cornish lies close to Ringling in the east. Their positions are helpful when moving from the city map back to the county road map because both sit near important state routes and county edges. The six highlighted places are not clustered in one compact urban area; they are spread across a rural county where roads and creek valleys create separate local centers.
Population-style numbers printed beside the city labels are best treated as reference values from the supplied map rather than as live estimates. Current population figures should be checked through the U.S. Census Bureau when exact numbers matter. For geographic reading, the useful information is the arrangement: Waurika as the county-seat reference, Ringling on the east side, Ryan in the south-central area, and Terral close to the state boundary.
Waurika Lake feeds the Beaver Creek corridor in the northwest
Waurika Lake is the most conspicuous water feature in Jefferson County. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers places the Waurika Lake project on Beaver Creek about six miles northwest of Waurika. On the map, Beaver Creek leaves the reservoir area and continues south through the western half of the county, receiving smaller channels including Cow Creek. The reservoir and creek together give the northwest a recognizable water corridor that can be matched easily with the road and elevation maps.
The eastern half of the county is organized more strongly by the Mud Creek system. Mud Creek runs south through the northeast and receives West Mud Creek and East Mud Creek farther down. North Mud Creek follows another long valley close to the eastern side. Between these named channels, a dense network of unnamed tributaries cuts the rolling prairie into short ridges and shallow valleys.
Fleetwood Creek is one of the more visible named streams in the southern interior, and additional short tributaries continue toward the Red River. These southern waterways help explain why the county boundary contains broad river bends and why lower ground is common near the state line. The Oklahoma Historical Society’s emphasis on Beaver and Mud creeks fits the two broad drainage areas visible on the map: one stronger in the west and another across the east.
The water map is intended for geographic reference, not flood or navigation decisions. It does not show flood probability, water depth, streamflow, water quality, legal access, or safe boating conditions. Anyone planning construction, flood preparation, property use, or recreation near Waurika Lake, the Red River, or local creeks should consult current USACE, FEMA, USGS, state, and local information prepared for those purposes.
Elevation from about 218 to 338 meters separates uplands from river lowlands
The elevation map gives Jefferson County an actual range of about 218 to 338 meters, with a mean near 272 meters. The strongest brown colors appear in the northwest and north-central area, where broad uplands are interrupted by creek valleys. Lower green terrain becomes more common toward the south and along parts of the eastern drainage network. The Red River margin is among the lowest areas on the map.
The Waurika Lake area contains both high and low ground. Uplands rise around portions of the reservoir, while Beaver Creek follows a lower route southward. That difference helps explain why Waurika and Hastings can be geographically close yet appear in distinct terrain settings. Moving from the county road map to the elevation map adds information that a simple highway line cannot provide.
A similar pattern appears around the Mud Creek system in the east. Narrow green valleys follow major channels between higher ridges, especially around the Ringling and Cornish side of the county. Farther south toward Ryan, Terral, and the Red River, lower colors spread across broader areas. Jefferson County is not mountainous, but the repeated creek-cut ridges prevent it from being a featureless plain.
This elevation surface is suitable for county-scale comparison only. It is not survey-grade data for a parcel, building site, road grade, drainage calculation, or legal boundary. More precise USGS source data and professional field measurements are necessary when exact elevation matters.
The 98th Meridian gives Waurika an unusual historical setting
Jefferson County was created at Oklahoma statehood in 1907 and named for President Thomas Jefferson. The Oklahoma Historical Society describes Waurika as the county seat and notes that the city was selected after a county-seat election in 1912. The surrounding towns developed during the same broad period of railroad construction and settlement that reshaped southern Oklahoma in the late territorial and early statehood years.
Waurika has a particularly distinctive relationship with the 98th Meridian. The Oklahoma Historical Society records that the town sits on that meridian and that, before statehood, land west of the line belonged to the Kiowa-Comanche reservation side of Oklahoma Territory while land east of it was in Pickens County of the Chickasaw Nation. The modern highway map cannot show that historical division by itself, but knowing the meridian’s role gives Waurika’s location more meaning than a simple road junction.
Waurika Lake represents a much newer layer of the county’s geography. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began construction of the Waurika Dam on Beaver Creek in 1971, and impoundment began later in the 1970s. The reservoir now dominates the northwestern water map. Keeping this modern project separate from the older settlement and boundary history helps explain how Jefferson County’s current landscape combines natural river drainage with later water-management infrastructure.
Follow U.S. 81 from Waurika to the Red River country
One of the easiest ways to compare the maps is to follow U.S. 81 south from Waurika. Around Waurika, the road sits near Beaver Creek but is still surrounded by rolling uplands. Passing Sugden and approaching Ryan brings the route closer to the lower southern part of the county. The elevation colors gradually become greener in many nearby areas, while local tributaries trend toward the Red River.
Ryan is a useful south-central checkpoint because U.S. 81 passes directly through the area and east-west roads connect it with the interior. On the water map, small creeks around Ryan drain generally toward the southern boundary. On the elevation map, the town occupies transitional ground between the higher interior and the lower river margin. Continuing to Terral makes the Red River setting much more obvious.
The eastern side offers a different comparison. Ringling and Cornish sit near U.S. 70 and the Mud Creek drainage, with State Highway 89 extending south toward the county boundary. Matching those towns with the water map shows how the eastern drainage differs from the Beaver Creek corridor near Waurika. Together, the two sides demonstrate why Jefferson County is best understood as several connected creek valleys rather than one uninterrupted plain.
Choose the Jefferson County map that matches the question
For towns, highways, and the county outline, begin with the general map. Waurika and the U.S. 70–81 junction provide the clearest first reference, followed by Ryan and Terral to the south and Ringling and Cornish to the east. If the goal is simply to compare the highlighted settlements, the city distribution map removes much of the smaller road detail and makes the county’s dispersed settlement pattern easier to see.
For water and terrain, start with Waurika Lake and Beaver Creek, then compare them with the Mud Creek system on the eastern side. Open the elevation map next and revisit the same locations. Higher northwestern ground appears in brown, creek valleys form lower green corridors, and the Red River edge is among the lowest parts of the county. That paired view is the fastest way to understand the local relief.
The web previews work well for quick reference. The downloadable ZIP contains high-resolution JPG versions of the county-and-road, city distribution, terrain-and-water, and elevation maps for printing, classroom materials, local-history displays, or presentations. They are general geographic resources rather than parcel maps, live navigation products, flood studies, engineering plans, or professional surveys.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the easiest place to start on a Jefferson County map?
Start with Waurika and the U.S. 70–81 junction. Waurika is the county seat, and those two highways make it easy to locate Ryan and Terral to the south, Ringling and Cornish to the east, and Waurika Lake to the northwest.
Which stream was dammed to create Waurika Lake?
Waurika Lake was created on Beaver Creek. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers places the project about six miles northwest of Waurika. Following Beaver Creek south from the reservoir is also a useful way to trace the western drainage on the terrain-and-water map.
Can the 218–338 meter elevation range be used for property surveying?
No. The range is a county-scale reference for comparing higher uplands with lower creek and Red River areas. Parcel elevation, construction, drainage design, road grades, and legal surveying require more precise data and professional measurements when appropriate.
Map File Information
Download Jefferson County road, city, water, and elevation maps together as high-resolution JPG files.
- Included Files: Use only the versions confirmed in the article and supplied images
- File Type: Use the confirmed download contents
- Intended Use: Printing, education, presentations, and map-based projects
Related Maps
Sources and References
- Oklahoma Historical Society – Jefferson County
- Oklahoma Historical Society – Waurika
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Waurika Lake
- U.S. Census Bureau – TIGER/Line Shapefiles
- USGS – National Hydrography
- USGS – 3D Elevation Program
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.
