State Highway 52 begins at the Oregon/Idaho state line at the terminus of Oregon Route 52 where the highway crosses the Snake River near Payette.

Then heads eastward to the city of Emmett where it turns north at its junction with SH-16 then continuing east up Black Canyon to its terminus at Horseshoe Bend.

State Highway 52 was created in 1938, when the northern section of SH-16 from Emmett to Horseshoe Bend was rerouted westward to New Plymouth.

SH-16 was eventually truncated at Emmett in 1955, and SH-52 was then extended westward along the former SH-16 heading toward New Plymouth, and ending up in Payette and the state line.

[citation needed] Media related to Idaho State Highway 52 at Wikimedia Commons