It serves similar to a farm-to-market highway, connecting rural Catawba and Alexander counties to Hickory.

It begins at an intersection with NC 10 in the unincorporated Catawba County community of Propst Crossroads and travels north over Jacobs Fork into the census designated place (CDP) of Mountain View.

Upon entering Hickory, NC 127 passes over I-40 and US 70/US 321 Business without interchanges.

The highway shrinks to two-lanes wide before crossing the Catawba River into Alexander County and the CDP of Bethlehem.

After passing through Bethlehem, the road becomes more winding as it heads into hillier terrain.