The highway begins at SR 89 in Yavapai County and heads northward from Prescott Valley, entering Jerome.

The highway is notable for its scenic value as it winds over and through Mingus Mountain as well as passing through Sedona and the Oak Creek Canyon.

[1] The highway is known for its scenic views as it passes through the Sedona area and Oak Creek Canyon.

[6] The road heads east from the junction with SR 89 as the Pioneer Parkway, a four-lane divided highway with diamond interchanges at most intersections.

It continues as a divided highway until it reaches Fain Road in Prescott Valley.

[1][8] The only at-grade intersection in this stretch is a junction with Great Western Drive, near milepost 321.

[1] As SR 89A moves to the northeast, it begins to ascend the Black Hills mountain range.

It continues past Tuzigoot National Monument, becoming Main Street in Cottonwood, and providing access to Dead Horse Ranch State Park.

Before reaching Sedona, SR 89A provides access to Red Rock State Park.

The route remains a divided highway until it reaches Sedona, an arts and resort community known for its red sandstone formations.

[1][8] Upon leaving Sedona, SR 89A becomes the state designated Sedona–Oak Creek Canyon Scenic Road.

SR 89A then curves to the north as it follows the creek and provides access to Slide Rock State Park along this portion of the highway.

The southern end of the highway near Prescott and the section between Jerome and Cottonwood had been paved by this time.

There were two routes available: US 89A through Jerome, Cottonwood, Clarkdale, Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon or north through Chino Valley via US 89 to US 66.

[2] Before 2001, SR 89A had veered south into the granite dells near Watson Lake, but due to an aging Granite Creek bridge and increased traffic, Yavapai County acquired the necessary land to realign SR 89A away from the dells and near the airport.