The route from Maysville to Mount Sterling is being upgraded on a new alignment as part of a "macro-corridor" within the state of Kentucky.

[12][13] The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet includes KY 11 as part of the state primary classification of the state primary road system along the US 25E concurrency in Barbourville, along the portion of its US 421 overlap between Manchester and Fall Rock, from KY 30 at Levi to the Bert T. Combs Mountain Parkway at Slade, and from KY 686 in Mount Sterling to its northern terminus in Maysville.

From Booneville to the Lee–Wolfe county line north of Beattyville, the highway passes through the Kentucky/Ohio Carboniferous Plateau, a less-rugged region with a mix of forest, pasture, and cropland drained by the Kentucky River.

KY 11 continues northwest through parts of Wolfe and Powell counties through the Northern Forested Plateau Escarpment, a rugged, forested area that runs along the Pottsville Escarpment that forms the western edge of the Appalachian Plateau.

The Outer Bluegrass, which KY 71 traverses from south of Mount Sterling to its northern terminus in Maysville through Montgomery, Bath, Fleming, and Mason counties, is a region of rolling hills that is predominantly farmland.

The route follows Main Street to the top of the bend and crosses the river into the downtown area.

One block south of the Knox County Courthouse, Main Street intersects Daniel Boone Drive; KY 459 heads west on Daniel Boone Drive, KY 6 heads north on Main Street through the Barbourville Commercial District, and KY 11 turns east onto Daniel Boone Drive.

[2][13] KY 11 parallels a CSX rail spur north through the valley of Little Richland Creek.

The highway continues with the railroad through the valley of Collins Creek, where the routes pass through Woollum before entering Clay County.

[3][17] KY 11 follows the valley of the South Fork Kentucky River north through Teges and into Owsley County.

The highway closely follows the Middle Fork of the Red River from its headwaters northwest into Powell County.

[6][20] KY 11 continues through the Red River Gorge and through Natural Bridge State Resort Park on its way to Slade, where the highway has a diamond interchange with the Mountain Parkway.

The highways cross Judy Creek and meet the south end of KY 2073 (Halls Lane) as they head west out of town.

[7][21] KY 11 heads north out of Clay City along Black Creek Road, which follows Black Creek to its headwaters east of Pilot Knob State Nature Preserve at the Powell–Montgomery county line.

The highway starts to follow Hinkston Creek as it approaches the city of Mount Sterling, which the highway enters at its junction with the Mount Sterling bypass road, KY 686 (Indian Mound Drive).

The routes cross Hinkston Creek and enter the Mount Sterling Commercial District on Bank Street, which passes to the west of the historic Chesapeake and Ohio Depot.

North of downtown, the highways meet the south end of KY 1991 (Hinkston Pike).

North of Judy, the highway crosses Hinkston Creek and enters Bath County.

[9][23][10][24] KY 11 enters Fleming County on Mount Sterling Road, which passes through the hamlet of Conford on its way to Tilton.

Tilton Road splits northeast to pass through the center of the village while KY 11 bypasses it.

The highway reaches its northern terminus at US 62 and KY 10, which follow Coughlin Boulevard either west uphill or north downhill into downtown Maysville.

heads north on Mount Sterling Avenue, which meets the south end of KY 2305 (Clark Street), crosses Town Branch, and enters the Flemingsburg Historic District.