The route runs east for through a sparsely populated part of the Arkansas Ozarks, passing through the unincorporated community of Fairbanks before entering Cleburne County.

[4] AR 356 continues east to a junction with AR 255, where the route turns south to cross Cadron Creek and enter the small town of Quitman.

In Quitman, the route is named Bee Branch Road[5] and runs south to intersect a concurrency between AR 25/AR 124, where it terminates.

[6] The Arkansas General Assembly passed the Act 148 of 1957, the Milum Road Act, creating 10–12 miles (16–19 km) of new state highways in each county.

[3] It was extended from the Cleburne-Van Buren County line to Quitman on June 29, 1960, as part of an extension of many Milum Roads to "more logical termini".