[7] AR 52 begins in South Arkansas at an intersection with Highway 133 in the unincorporated community of North Crossett.

It runs east past the University of Arkansas at Monticello College of Technology—Crossett and Z. M. Jack Stell Field before becoming a rural route serving minor county roads.

[9][8] The third segment of Highway 52 begins at US 165 (Main Street) in Wilmot, a small town in eastern Ashley County.

[8] Continuing east, Highway 52 passes swampland and fish hatcheries before it bridges the Boeuf River.

The route terminates at a junction with AR 159 at the unincorporated community of Indian approximately three miles (4.8 km) north of Louisiana.

[16] In 1973, the parallel AR 52 and US 82 designations were switched between Crossett and Hamburg to align US 82 to the "safer, more convenient and a higher type facility".