The part of SH 349 south of Sheffield was Farm to Market Road 1217, which was designated on July 14, 1949, from Dryden northward 5 miles (8 km).

[5] SH 349 runs generally northward from its originating junction with U.S. Highway 90 at the community of Dryden (population 13) near the Rio Grande, the southern border of the state.

[6] (This new section of SH 349 is part of the "La Entrada al Pacifico Corridor" trade route from west Texas to Mexico).

[7] North of Midland, SH 349 proceeds generally northward to its final junction with State Highway 137, just south of Lamesa.

Counties traversed by the highway include Terrell, Pecos, Crockett, Upton, Midland, Martin and Dawson.

With the exception of the metropolitan area of Midland, most of the terrain covered by the highway is sparsely populated ranch country.

[8] On March 15, 2022, a bill was signed by President Joe Biden that added the extension of I-27 north to Raton, New Mexico, and south to Laredo to the Interstate Highway System utilizing the US 87, US 277 and US 83 corridors.