It is an east–west highway which has a length of 35 miles (56 km).

The western terminus is near Greeley at U.S. Highway 281, and the eastern terminus is at Nebraska Highway 39 just west of St. Edward.

Nebraska Highway 56 begins less than a mile south of Greeley at U.S. 281.

It runs east through farmland to Cedar Rapids, where it meets Nebraska Highway 52.

The two highway run concurrent east of Cedar Rapids for about a mile, then separate.