The highway enters Wichita Falls and almost immediately begins an overlap with US 281 on the Henry S. Grace Freeway.

Shortly after joining US 82/287, SH 79 leaves the highways and runs on the eastern edge of the city as the Waurika Freeway.

Beginning in 1939, a multiple-span pony truss bridge carried the highway across the Red River into Oklahoma.

[2] It was originally designated on August 21, 1923, from Wichita Falls to Olney, replacing a portion of SH 22.

The section north of Wichita Falls was cancelled on July 15, 1935,[8] but restored on February 11, 1937.