The highway traverses northern Williams and Divide Counties.

[2] ND 42 begins at a junction with ND 50 near the small town of Corinth, in northern Williams County.

For 8 miles (13 km), ND 42 runs concurrently with ND 5 from Crosby to just south of Ambrose.

ND 42 turns northward to end at the Canadian border.

[3] The roadway continues northward beyond the Ambrose–Torquay Border Crossing and port of entry as Hwy 350, 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) south of Torquay, Saskatchewan.