Regional Navigation

U.S. Highway 82 East - Guthrie to Mabelle


U.S. 82 Northwest Texas Map - Created by Justin Cozart

U.S. 82 between Lubbock and Wichita Falls, Texas.

U.S. 82 East
An eastbound US 82 reassurance marker in eastern King County. Photo taken 01/27/08.
A view of US 82 in King County, as the land gets lower in elevation, more evergreen and less mesquite trees are seen. Photo taken 01/27/08.
As US 82 nears the eastern end of King County, another "step" occurs and the land falls again. Towards the south the motorist can see a range of low hills, including this view which includes Buzzard Peak. Photo taken 01/27/08.
US 82 eastbound at the northwest end of SH 222. SH 222 runs southeastward to the farming country and southern Knox County, and Knox City. Photo taken 01/27/08.
A new lane is gained here, as the motorist has one last chance to take SH 222 to the south and east. Photo taken 01/27/08.
US 82 is a comfortable 4 lanes for the remainder of its time in King County. The land here is much more lush than just 30 miles west. Photo taken 01/27/08.
The extra lane does not last long, as this sign indicates as the county line is neared. Photo taken 01/27/08.

US 82 enters Knox County here, and goes back to being a 2-lane highway. One of the ubiquitous square counties of Texas, Knox was named for Henry Knox - George Washington's first secretary of war. Photo taken 01/27/08.
A US 82 eastbound reassurance marker in western Knox County. Photo taken 01/27/08.
The land gets ever lower in elevation through here, as the road enters the Upper Brazos River valley, and leaves the central plains. To the eastbound motorist, it is almost a constant downhill jaunt. This view looks eastbound in western Knox County. Photo taken 01/27/08.
The first and only town encountered in Knox County is the seat of Benjamin. It can be seen on the horizon for some miles distant. Photo taken 01/27/08.
In Benjamin, US 82 encounters one of the most important state highways in Texas, SH 6. Photo taken 01/27/08.
A rare gas station encounter is here as well, take SH 6 southbound to visit the Texas coast (it will take you a day of driving to get there, though!). Photo taken 01/27/08.
US 82 eastbound at SH 6 in Benjamin. There is no stop here for US highway travelers. The little downtown of sleepy Benjamin consists of a fragile handful of businesses and government offices. Photo taken 01/27/08.
US 82 eastbound reassurance marker in Benjamin. The town was founded by one Hilory Bedford in 1885. Bedford was the controlling stockholder of the Wichita and Brazos Stock Company, and he named the town for his son (who was killed by a lightning strike). Photo taken 01/27/08.
The land opens up again as US 82 leaves Benjamin and heads east. Photo taken 01/27/08.
Another "step" down as US 82 reaches the eastern side of Knox County. The road travels along a ridge between the Wichita and Brazos river valleys. Great views of more plains are to be had looking to each side out of the windows through the low brush along the road. Photo taken 01/27/08.
This reassurance marker looks east as US 82 continues its slow route down the mid-river ridge of eastern Knox County. Photo taken 01/27/08.
This view looks east towards the community of Vera in eastern Knox County. The first inklings of the high Palo Pinto hills can be seen on the horizon to the southeast. Photo taken 01/27/08.
There is still a near complete lack of human activity today as this view looks eastbound at FM 267. FM 267 runs north to US 70 and the town of Crowell. More farmland is present here and agriculture begins to replace oil and cattle as a predominant industry as one heads east. Photo taken 01/27/08.
After a brief overlap, FM 267 continues southward to the town of Munday in southern Knox County. Photo taken 01/27/08.
An eastbound reassurance marker just after FM 267. Photo taken 01/27/08.
A mileage sign indicates that it is 6 miles further down the road to the hamlet of Vera. Seymour, the regional center, is about 20 more minutes going the 70 mph speed limit. Photo taken 01/27/08.
Another eastbound reassurance marker for US 82 here in the agricultural country of eastern Knox County, Texas. Photo taken 01/27/08.
Vera is the last community in eastern Knox County. The speed limit reflects the higher population density and goes from 70 to 55. Vera was originally called White Flat, but when another town of that name sprung up the community was renamed. The postmaster, G.W. Ballard, renamed the community after Vera Kellogg, the daughter of a local settler. About 50 people reside there today. Photo taken 01/27/08.
US 82 eastbound at FM 266. Take the FM road south through cotton country to Goree and US 277. Photo taken 01/27/08.
This view looks east at the county line. Baylor County is another square county and was named for Henry W. Baylor, who was a front line surgeon for the Texans during their war for independence from Mexico. We are now passing into the Wichita Falls TxDot district from the Childress district, note the change in pavement. Photo taken 01/27/08.
The first town encountered in Baylor County is Red Springs. Red Springs was named for a local watering hole frequented by Comanche and Wichita indians. At one time, the community had a large cotton gin and 4 schools, but now it is a sleepy community of some 40 people. Photo taken 01/27/08.
US 82 / SH 114 have a pull-through sign here, rather than the normal directional banner. The Wichita Falls TxDot district signs many intersections in this manner, and is one example of different districts using different signage. FM 2069 is a short FM road that connects the US highway with cotton farming country to the north and east. Photo taken 01/27/08.
A US 82 eastbound reassurance marker just east of Red Springs. Photo taken 01/27/08.
US 82 eastbound at FM 1789, another short road that deserves its "Farm-to-Market" moniker, as it connects the cotton farming areas to the north with Seymour, where the market is. Photo taken 01/27/08.
Seymour is just a few minutes ahead, and Wichita Falls makes an appearance on the mileage sign as being only a short distance further. Photo taken 01/27/08.
US 82 eastbound enters Seymour. The town was settled only after the Texas Rangers had chased the local Comanche indians off to Indian Territory in the Red River War. Settlers from Oregon moved in and called it Oregon City, but changed the name to Seymour - after a local cowboy. Photo taken 01/27/08.
US 82 eastbound in Seymour. The west side of town has large trees and nice houses, and is a refreshing change from the rather lifeless scenery for the past few counties. Photo taken 01/27/08.
Seymour is blessed with many, many US highways for a small town. As such, it is a regional hub and has many types of businesses. This view looks eastbound before the intersection with US highways 183, 283, and 277. Photo taken 01/27/08.
Turn right here to go to the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex and downtown Seymour. The town is in the process of getting a bypass, and by late 2008 these signs should all be replaced to read business routes - or perhaps a loop state highway will replace them all as they're routed around Seymour. Photo taken 01/27/08.
US 82 eastbound at US 183/283/277 in Seymour. SH 114 breaks away here and continues south and east into Dallas - eventually becoming a major freeway terminating at IH 35E just west of that city's downtown. This is the first traffic light encountered in the 157 miles since Lubbock along US 82, and incidentally the first sign of other traffic at all. Photo taken 01/27/08.
Headed north out of Seymour, an impressive array of US highways leads the way to Wichita Falls. Seymour has the distinction of being the place where, in 1936, Texas' hottest temperature was recorded (120 degrees Fahrenheit). Photo taken 01/27/08.
FM 1919 is the last intersection in town, and heads north to provide a shortcut to Crowell and US 70. Photo taken 01/27/08.
US 82/183/283/277 reassurance markers on the north side of Seymour. When the bypass is completed, it is expected that these signs will be replaced. Photo taken 01/27/08.
This mileage sign indicates that it is just 50 miles to the regional service center of Wichita Falls. Photo taken 01/27/08.
This view looks east at the under-construction Seymour bypass freeway. The $44 million bypass is the second largest project ever undertaken by the Wichita Falls district of TxDot, and includes several exits and a bridge over the Brazos River. Photo taken 01/27/08.

Page Updated February 1, 2008.

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