[3] From the terminus, SH-44 heads northeast, crossing the North Fork of the Red River into Kiowa County.

The route then follows the south shore of Lake Altus-Lugert, passing between the lakeshore and Mount Lugert.

About 4 miles (6.4 km) north of this junction, SH-44 passes along the east side of Burns Flat.

Four miles (6.4 km) north of where it exits the park, SH-44 ends in Butler at State Highway 33.

[2] The highway as originally designated was a split route; its southern section began at SH-34 in Eldorado, and proceeded northeast to end at US-62 west of Altus.

A third section of highway began concurrent with SH-33 west of Custer City, and proceeded east through that town through Thomas.

At the same time, the section of road east of Driftwood became part of SH-11, so its northern terminus was truncated to US-60 in Fairview.

[2][6] On December 14, 1942, SH-44 was extended north of Dill for the first time, bringing it to a southern terminus at US-66 south of Foss.

On May 6, the two sections of SH-44 were joined by means of a concurrency with US-62 to Altus, where it turned north along US-283, which it followed to the present-day southern terminus.

[2] On January 5, 1987, the portion of SH-44 made redundant by SH-6 was removed from the highway, truncating it to its current southern terminus.