The highway passed through Centerville, Knoxville, Des Moines, and Webster City during its trek.

It headed northeast through Cincinnati and then curved to the north towards Centerville where it intersected Iowa 2.

North of Albia, the highway took a northwesterly route through Lovilia and Attica and into Knoxville.

At Main Street in Knoxville, it met Iowa 92 and the two highways headed west together through the city.

Just to the north of Carlisle, the highway came up from the south to a four-way intersection with Iowa 46, which formed the northern leg.

As the highway entered Des Moines it headed due west on Army Post Road, on which it intersected US 65 / US 69.

From that interchange, Iowa 60 followed I-35 north along the western side of the Des Moines metro area.

Iowa 60 split away from the Interstate Highways at the Rider Corner, a large bend where I-35 / I-80 turned to the east.

In downtown Webster City, US 20 joined up with Iowa 60 and the two highways headed west through the town.

The renumbering of US 32 to US 6 that year necessitated the Iowa 6 route number change.

[4] In the early 1950s, Army Post Road on Des Moines's south side was extended east to Iowa 60.