The route's northern terminus is at SR 218 approximately two miles (3.2 km) northwest of Crown City.

SR 553 is a steep, narrow, and somewhat dangerous route with a large incline from the Ohio River valley heading north into Wayne National Forest.

From this intersection, it ends up being an uphill trend for the state highway for its entirety, as it climbs out of the Ohio River valley.

At the Southers Road intersection, the highway turns east then promptly bends back north.

While following a rather curvy path, the highway overall trends in a northwesterly direction, passing into an area that is more open prior to arriving at its endpoint at its junction with SR 218.