Although the highway is an important access route for several isolated communities, including Little Rapids, Sultan, Kormak and Nemegos, as well as provincial parks such as Aubrey Falls, Five Mile Lake and Wakami Lake,[4] the only community located directly on the highway's route between its termini is Wharncliffe.

[8] It travels northeast through the Municipality of Huron Shores, passing the Thessalon Township Heritage Museum southeast of Little Rapids.

It passes through Wharncliffe, crosses the Mississagi River and encounters Highway 554, which travels east to Kynoch.

After passing west of Wakomata Lake on its journey through completely undeveloped forest and muskeg, it reaches a junction with Highway 556 southwest of Aubrey Falls Provincial Park.

Despite this, it quickly gained notoriety for its breathtaking scenery and seemingly limitless hunting and fishing potential.

John Austin Moore described his voyage up the road during the summer of 1951:[14] The route was extended south on February 27, 1957,[3] absorbing the entire length of Highway 559, itself designated in 1956.