The route is concurrent with U.S. Highway 59 for 16.6 miles (26.7 km) in Otter Tail and Becker counties near Detroit Lakes.

State Highway 34 serves as an east–west route between Barnesville, Detroit Lakes, Park Rapids, and Walker in west-central and north-central Minnesota.

Highway 34 passes through the Smoky Hills State Forest in Becker County between Detroit Lakes and Park Rapids.

By 1923, the road was graveled from Park Rapids to Walker and on a short section west of Cohasset; the remainder was unimproved.

[18][19] In 2008, Highway 34 was expanded to a five-lane route through Park Rapids on its surface street alignment.