Along its route in La Paz County, the highway is mostly parallel to the Arizona and California Railroad and runs through the community of Bouse in desert terrain.

The route was established in 1930 from its current eastern terminus all the way to the California state line, but was truncated in 1965.

Turning southeastward, the route enters the town of Bouse, running parallel to the Arizona and California Railroad.

Exiting Bouse, the highway enters an area dotted with farms spread among the desert, passing the communities of McVay and Utting.

[6] SR 72 was first established in 1930 from US 60[7] through Bouse to the California state boundary along the Colorado River at Parker, with a spur .