The highway begins in Hazen and runs north through the central part of the county.

The route is maintained by the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ArDOT).

Highway 249 begins at U.S. Route 70 (US 70, South Front Street) in Hazen, a small city in the Grand Prairie ecoregion.

The southern terminus is near the Railroad Prairie Natural Area, a former railroad right-of-way traveling through downtown Hazen that has been preserved by the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission.

North of Hazen, the highway travels through a rural, agricultural, and aquaculture area, with a bridge over Hurricane Creek and an overpass over Interstate 40 (I-40), though no access is provided.