It begins in downtown Saskatoon and runs eastward to the Manitoba border near Togo, where it becomes Provincial Road 363.

Along the route are several heritage sites, an international bird watching area, saline lakes, as well as regional and provincial parks.

The Meewasin Valley Trail follows the South Saskatchewan River through Saskatoon which is visible when Highway 5 traverses the University Bridge.

[8] It becomes College Drive after crossing the river, and at km 4.4, after passing Preston Avenue, the road diverges into a divided or twinned highway with 2 lanes traveling in either direction across a meridian[1] Continuing east it intersects the Circle Drive freeway route (Highway 16) at an interchange that opened in 2006.

Small Aspen groves surround sloughs which intersperse the glacial till landscape.

[12] " The Patience Lake underground potash mine opened in 1975 was thereafter closed in 1987 due to extensive flooding.

Humboldt has many large murals depicting its German Catholic history located on building walls throughout the city.

The Carlton Trail Regional Economic Development Authority (REDA) coordinates and instigates economy in an area of rural municipalities (RM) and towns in central Saskatchewan around Humboldt.

The main industries of this area are agricultural, manufacturing, processing concerns as well as potash mining.

[15] Original works by the painter, Count Berthold Von Imhoff, can be seen at churches located in Muenster and Humboldt.

[16] The establishment of St. Peter’s Colony and Abbacy, Muenster, Saskatchewan has been designated as a Canadian National Historic Event on June 8, 2007, by the Minister of the Environment.

[18] The historic Wood Mountain - Fort Qu'Appelle Trail is marked with a point of interest marker.

McNab Regional Park is located south of Watson featuring pool and golf course.

The village of Quill Lake features a large statue of a Canada Goose located at the intersection of Highway 5 and Main Street.

Olysky (Big Sky Farms) runs large factory hog production facilities in the area.

Good Spirit Lake Provincial Park is located south of Buchanan and south-west of Canora.

Camping facilities provide access to beaches, lake and a small area of sand dunes.

[21] "Lesia", a 25 feet (7.6 m) statue of a traditionally dressed Ukrainian woman offering bread and salt to travelers at Canora.

This height of land location features Madge Lake, camping, fishing, and horse stables.

Highway 5 ends at the Manitoba border (km 388), where it continues for approximately nine kilometres (5.6 mi) as Provincial Road 363 to PTH 83.

The early Red River cart trail traversed the North West Territory prairies between Portage la Prairie and Edmonton via Humboldt and Battleford, intersecting the future location of Highway 5 at Humboldt.

[39] Provincial Highway 5 had a western terminus at Lloydminster located on the Alberta - Saskatchewan border.

[41]: [229] Canadian Pacific Railway crossing lights were installed on Highway 5 at the east end of Humboldt.

In 1911, early homesteaders could choose to pay taxes at $9.00 per quarter section of land or working off $4.00 of this expense by constructing roads.

[44] A resurfacing improvement project was undertaken for an 11.7 kilometres (7.3 mi) stretch between Mikado and Canora.

[45] In February 2003, the Department of Highways awarded a tender to resurface 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) from Quill Lake and eastward.

Work on this $940,000 resurfacing project ... should be complete within two weeks", said Highways and Transportation Minister Mark Wartman.