After crossing the river, US-270 and SH-23 pass through Beaver Dunes State Park.

After splitting up, SH-23 turns due north, continuing to its terminus seven miles (11 km) later at the Kansas state line.

[2] Prior to SH-23's establishment, the highway carried two designations—US-270 followed the same portion of the route that it does today, and a segment of SH-15 connected Elmwood to the Texas state line.

[3] (A connection with the current western terminus of SH-15 was made with what was then Farm to Market Road 1265[4] to Booker and TX-117 back to Oklahoma.

At that meeting, the Kansas Highway Commission resolved to connect K-23 with OK-23 to establish a "route number...common to both states.