The southern terminus of SR 227 is located at the Etowah–DeKalb county line to the southwest of Hendrixville.

From Crossville, it travels in a northerly direction to Geraldine where it again resumes its northwesterly track.

The southern terminus of SR 227 until approximately 1985 occurred on Meighan Boulevard in Gadsden, Alabama which is also US 278/US 431.

The routing ran northward passing near the Noccalula Falls Park then crossing I-59 (exit 188), followed by an intersection with US 11 near Reece City and continuing onto Crossville, Alabama.

The route between Meighan Boulevard in Gadsden and US 11 in Reece City is now designated as SR 211.