Latimer County sits in the mountainous country of southeastern Oklahoma, with Wilburton serving as the county seat and Red Oak as the other incorporated town. U.S. 270 follows the northern part of the county through Gowen, Wilburton, Panola, and Red Oak, while State Highway 2 drops south from Wilburton into much rougher terrain. The physical maps reveal why the road pattern looks so different from a plains county: the Sans Bois Mountains rise along the north, western ridges of the Winding Stair Mountains enter the south, and long creek valleys occupy the lower ground between them. The map set can be viewed online, and high-resolution JPG originals are available together in a downloadable ZIP for printing or closer study.
Latimer County is defined as much by relief as by roads. The Oklahoma Historical Society describes a hilly, forested county with the Sans Bois Mountains on the northern edge and Winding Stair ridges in the south. Fourche Maline and several large creeks use the lower corridors between those uplands. The elevation map shows a broad actual range from about 155 to 560 meters, making the contrast between valley floors and mountain ridges easy to see.
Table of Contents
Wilburton and U.S. 270 provide the simplest road orientation
Wilburton is the best starting point on the general road map. The Oklahoma Historical Society identifies it as the Latimer County seat and places the city at the junction of U.S. Highway 270 and State Highway 2. U.S. 270 crosses the northern part of the county, linking Gowen, Wilburton, Panola, Red Oak, and the Fanshawe side of the county. That east-west route follows one of the most accessible low corridors through otherwise rugged terrain.
State Highway 2 leaves Wilburton and turns south through the interior toward State Highway 63. State Highway 82 provides a north-south reference farther east near Red Oak, while State Highway 1 appears across the southwest. The difference between these routes is visible even before opening the elevation map: the northern U.S. 270 corridor is relatively direct, while several southern roads bend between long mountain ridges and creek valleys.
Latimer County borders Haskell County to the north, Pittsburg County to the west, Pushmataha County to the south and southwest, and Le Flore County to the east. The eastern boundary has a noticeable inward step before extending back toward Fanshawe. Talihina lies just outside the southeastern county line and provides a useful surrounding reference for State Highway 63 and the Choctaw Nation medical complex shown near the edge of the map.
Wilburton and Red Oak define the county’s two main incorporated towns
The city distribution map focuses on Wilburton and Red Oak. Wilburton lies in the northwestern interior, while Red Oak is farther east along the same U.S. 270 corridor. Both occupy lower ground compared with the mountain belts around them, but their surroundings are not identical. Wilburton lies in a broad valley south of the Sans Bois Mountains, whereas Red Oak is closer to the northeastern hills and the valleys of Red Oak Creek and nearby tributaries.
The Oklahoma Historical Society identifies Wilburton as the county seat and Red Oak as the county’s other incorporated town. That simple city pattern says something important about Latimer County: settlement is relatively small and dispersed compared with more urban Oklahoma counties. Places such as Gowen, Panola, and Fanshawe remain useful road references on the general map even though the city index emphasizes only the two largest incorporated communities.
The population figures printed beside the city labels are best treated as reference values from the supplied map rather than current estimates. Anyone needing current population totals should use the latest U.S. Census Bureau data. For geographic orientation, the important point is that both main towns sit in the northern half of the county along U.S. 270, leaving most of the mountainous southern area without a comparable urban center.
Fourche Maline follows the long central valley between mountain belts
Fourche Maline is the most prominent interior waterway on the map. It follows a long east-west low corridor south of the northern mountains, with Little Fourche Maline and numerous smaller tributaries feeding into it. The Oklahoma Historical Society notes that Fourche Maline, Brazil Creek, and related northern streams drain toward the Poteau River system. That drainage helps explain why the U.S. 270 settlement corridor occupies relatively accessible terrain between higher mountain blocks.
Brazil Creek and Rock Creek cut through the northeastern hills, while Red Oak Creek runs near the Red Oak side of the county. In the northwest, Lake Wayne Wallace and Lake Carlton provide recognizable water landmarks, and Lloyd Church Lake lies farther south. Long Creek Lake and Lake Talihina appear in the southeastern half. These smaller lakes and streams are especially helpful in a county where ridges can otherwise make nearby locations difficult to compare.
The southern drainage is different. North Gaines Creek crosses the south-central interior, while Buffalo Creek and Cedar Creek follow valleys closer to the southern edge. A portion of Sardis Lake reaches into the southwestern corner. The Oklahoma Historical Society explains that Buffalo and Gaines creeks drain the southern part of Latimer County toward the Kiamichi River system, so the county is divided between northern and southern drainage networks rather than being organized around one single river.
This map is intended for geographic reference, not flood, navigation, or property decisions. It does not show flood probability, water depth, streamflow, water quality, legal access, or safe boating conditions. Current USGS, FEMA, reservoir-management, state, and local information should be used for construction, flood planning, or recreation decisions near Sardis Lake and local streams.
Elevation from about 155 to 560 meters separates valleys from mountain ridges
The elevation map gives Latimer County an actual range of about 155 to 560 meters, with a mean near 265 meters. High brown and dark-tan terrain dominates the northern Sans Bois Mountains and several southern and southeastern ridges. Between them, a broad green lowland extends across the county. The difference of more than 400 meters between the lowest and highest mapped areas makes Latimer one of the more topographically varied counties in this map series.
The northern mountain belt contains compact peaks and short ridges that drop rapidly toward the Fourche Maline corridor. Wilburton occupies the lower country just south of those heights. East toward Red Oak, the valley remains comparatively low before higher terrain returns in the northeast. U.S. 270 closely follows this more accessible northern corridor, which helps explain why the principal towns developed along the same general route.
The southern half has a different appearance. Long, nearly parallel ridges extend across the county, matching the western reach of the Winding Stair Mountains described by the Oklahoma Historical Society. Buffalo Creek and Cedar Creek follow lower gaps between those ridges, while the southeastern interior contains one of the strongest high-elevation areas on the map. The alternating ridges and valleys make the south much more rugged than the U.S. 270 corridor.
This generalized elevation surface is suitable for county-scale comparison only. It should not be used to establish exact parcel elevation, road grade, drainage design, building elevations, or legal survey boundaries. Those uses require more precise source data and professional field measurements when appropriate.
Choctaw history, coal mining, and railroads shaped Wilburton
The area that became Latimer County lay within the Choctaw Nation from the early nineteenth century. The Oklahoma Historical Society notes that portions of the modern county belonged to Gaines and other Choctaw counties. At Oklahoma statehood in 1907, Latimer County was organized and named for James S. Latimer, a Wilburton-area delegate to the 1906 Constitutional Convention. Wilburton became the county seat, while Red Oak remained another important settlement.
Coal and rail transportation were central to Wilburton’s early growth. The Oklahoma Historical Society’s Wilburton history describes the Choctaw Coal and Railway Company’s line from Wister to McAlester, completed through the area around 1890. Coal mines expanded rapidly in the nearby hills, and communities such as Wilburton, Gowen, and Red Oak became tied to that industry. The modern U.S. 270 corridor follows the same broad east-west zone where rail and mining towns once concentrated.
Wilburton also became an education center for the mining region. The state established the Oklahoma School of Mines and Metallurgy there in 1908, and the institution opened in 1909. It later became Eastern Oklahoma State College, which is still shown on the county road map. The college’s location gives a direct connection between the physical landscape, the county’s coal history, and the modern town.
Wilburton is a useful checkpoint for comparing the north and south
Wilburton connects several layers of the map set. U.S. 270 and State Highway 2 define the road location, Fourche Maline provides the nearby drainage reference, and the elevation map places the town in lower ground between mountain belts. Returning to Wilburton on each map makes it easy to see why the county seat developed in a corridor that is more accessible than the surrounding ridges.
Heading north from Wilburton quickly brings Lake Carlton, Lake Wayne Wallace, and the Sans Bois Mountains into view. Elevation rises sharply, and Rock Creek and other tributaries cut narrow valleys between the hills. Following U.S. 270 east toward Red Oak stays in lower terrain for much of the trip before the northeastern hills become more pronounced.
State Highway 2 provides the southern comparison. The road descends and rises through a series of creek valleys before reaching the State Highway 63 corridor. North Gaines Creek marks one of the lower areas, while the southern ridges grow more prominent toward Buffalo Creek and the Winding Stair country. The difference between compact northern mountains and long southern ridges is one of the most distinctive features of the county.
Choose the Latimer County map that fits the task
For roads, towns, and the county outline, start with the general map. Find Wilburton and U.S. 270, then follow the route through Gowen, Panola, Red Oak, and Fanshawe while using State Highways 2 and 82 as north-south references. The city map is cleaner when the goal is simply to compare Wilburton with Red Oak.
For rivers, creeks, and lakes, use the water map. Begin with Fourche Maline, then add Brazil Creek, Rock Creek, Buffalo Creek, and the Sardis Lake edge. The elevation map is the best companion for understanding why those waterways follow certain corridors: lower green valleys cut between the Sans Bois Mountains in the north and the Winding Stair ridges in the south.
The web previews are convenient 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 reference, local-history materials, 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 Latimer County map?
Wilburton is the best starting point because it is the county seat and sits where U.S. 270 and State Highway 2 meet. From there, Red Oak, Gowen, the Fourche Maline valley, and the southern State Highway 63 corridor are easy to place.
What are the main mountain areas in Latimer County?
The Sans Bois Mountains form the most prominent northern uplands, while western ridges of the Winding Stair Mountains extend into the southern part of the county. A lower central corridor separates much of those two mountain belts.
Can the 155–560 meter elevation range be used for surveying?
No. The range is a county-scale reference for comparing mountain ridges with lower valleys. Parcel elevations, drainage design, construction, road grades, and legal surveys require more precise data and professional measurements when appropriate.
Map File Information
Download Latimer 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 – Latimer County
- Oklahoma Historical Society – Wilburton
- 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.
