US-69 and SH-43 head south, passing through Flora, an unincorporated place, and in between Atoka Reservoir and Sub-Penitentiary Lake.

At Stringtown, SH-43 turns back to the east, paralleling Chickasaw Creek south of Grants Gap.

The highway runs along the southern edge of the Atoka Wildlife Management Area west of unincorporated Redden.

[2] After passing through another unincorporated place, Adel, the highway cuts across the far southeast corner of Pittsburg County.

SH-43 re-enters Pushmataha County southwest of the far south arm of Sardis Lake, a reservoir formed by impounding Jackfork Creek.