It runs east along Spring Street, then exits the town and heads southeastward, intersecting Sandy Valley Road, which provides access to Sandy Valley.

The road continues southeastward through the Mojave Desert for about 7 miles (11 km) before entering Jean.

[1][2] A connection between Goodsprings and U.S. Route 91 (and SR 6) at Jean first appeared on official Nevada state maps in 1933.

[5] SR 53 remained unchanged until the 1976 renumbering of Nevada's state highway system that was authorized on July 1, 1976.

In that process, the paved portion of the highway between Jean and Goodsprings was renumbered to State Route 161.