For its entire length, SH 47 is a single carriageway road with one lane in each direction and at-grade intersections and property accesses.

[1] SH 47 travels in a general northeast direction from National Park across the Tongariro volcanic plateau.

9 km from its starting point it reaches the junction of SH 48 which connects to Whakapapa Village and the ski area on the northern slopes of Mount Ruapehu.

In the 1980s this highway became part of SH 47 and the spur road revoked.

A few years later SH 47 was rerouted back to its original route.