It previously ran on Tehama Street to I-5, but this portion was transferred to Route 44 in 1998 (SR 44 had ended at I-5 at that time).

After a few blocks, it becomes a freeway as it crosses I-5 and changes back to a two-lane highway at the Redding city limits.

Heading eastward, Route 44 passes through a number of small, rural communities (Palo Cedro, Millville, Shingletown, to name a few) before it reaches the north-west entrance to Lassen National Park and the southern Cascades.

From the Park entrance, Route 44 joins the Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway.

[7] Except where prefixed with a letter, postmiles were measured on the road as it was in 1964, based on the alignment that existed at the time, and do not necessarily reflect current mileage.