The state highway, named Main Street, heads north as a two-lane undivided road, closely paralleling an unused rail line whose right-of-way is owned by the Maryland Department of Transportation that is situated east of the road.

After leaving Henderson, MD 311 veers away from the rail line and crosses Cold Spring Branch.

The state highway passes through a mix of farms and forests as it approaches the town of Marydel.

Within the town, the state highway becomes Halltown Road and intersects Main Street, which is unsigned MD 821, shortly before reaching its northern terminus at MD 454 (Crown Stone Road/Halltown Road).

[7] The state highway was extended a short distance to its present northern terminus when MD 454 was transferred to a new alignment in Marydel in 1956.