The highway is 6.839 miles (11.006 km) long, and connects MT 1 to Interstate 90, passing mainly through rural mining areas.

After a short distance, the highway passes Bowman Field and several small reservoirs that were created for mining.

The road proceeds northeastward through more rural mining land before slightly bending eastward.

The highway continues in a slight northeastward direction near the town of Warm Springs, crossing the Montana Western Railway.

[3][4] The Montana Department of Transportation's average daily traffic count for MT 48 is 1445 vehicles, of which 113 are trucks.