North Dakota Highway 17 begins at an intersection with ND 3 and ND 60 east of Barton in Pierce County.

Thirteen miles east of the county line, the route intersects US 281 and enters the city of Cando.

In central Grafton, ND 17 forms a very short concurrency with US 81 which remains inside the city limits.

The highway then heads east for a mile and a half more before crossing the Red River of the North and entering Marshall County, Minnesota.

The alignment passed through Grafton on 5th Street, taking a northern route through the city.