It traverses the former route of the Florence and Cripple Creek Railroad through Phantom Canyon as a county road and carrying part of the Gold Belt Byway.

It proceeds north into Fremont County and the city of Florence, where it is signed as Robinson Avenue to State Highway 115 (Main Street) and overlaps the highway for half a mile west before turning north again, signed as Pikes Peak Avenue.

The highway crosses the Arkansas River on its way out of the city and continues northward to a junction with U.S Route 50 adjacent to Fremont County Airport.

Continuing to the north-northwest, the road enters the Pike National Forest, passing turnoffs for Red Rock Campground and the Manitou Park Recreation Area's Colorado Campground and Painted Rocks Campground before turning west and entering Douglas County, where it promptly heads into Westcreek and turns north until it reaches a junction with North Rainbow Falls Road and turns to the northwest.

The route leaves Pike National Forest a few miles east of resuming state highway status and continues northeast with increasing intersections as it approaches Sedalia.