The highway runs around the west side of Red Lake between Bemidji and Roseau.

Highway 89 serves as a north–south route between Bemidji, Red Lake, Grygla, Roseau, and the Canadian border.

Hayes Lake State Park is located 9 miles east of the junction of Highway 89 and Roseau County Road 4.

The route was extended in 1949 from State Highway 11 to the Canadian border.

The last section to be paved was the west side of Red Lake, c. 1963.