One of the longest and oldest highways in the commonwealth, PA 36 serves as a major connector between South Central and Northwestern Pennsylvania.

North of McKee, PA 36 becomes Catfish Ridge Road, closely paralleling the Frankstown Branch Juniata River to the west, and the Interstate 99–U.S.

North of Smith Road, PA 36 enters the borough as Logan Boulevard and intersects U.S. Route 22 in downtown at Blair Street.

North of Hollidaysburg, PA 36 as Logan Boulevard becomes a major 4-lane divided arterial, serving the southern suburbs of Altoona.

Running on a west direction, 18th Street leads PA 36 out of Altoona, into the Appalachian Mountains and rural areas.

Between the county line and the village of Mahaffey, PA 36 mostly runs parallel on the eastern banks of the Chest Creek.

From Mahaffey to McGees Mills, PA 36 is overlapped with U.S. Route 219 along the northern banks of the West Branch Susquehanna River.

PA 36 exits the county running west along the southern tips of the Clarion River in Cook Forest State Park.