Known as Oakville Road, the state highway runs 12.83 miles (20.65 km) from U.S. Route 460 (US 460), SR 24, and US 460 Business in Appomattox north to US 60 in Bent Creek.

The roadway continues south of the expressway bypass of the town as US 460 Business (Confederate Boulevard), which leads to the Appomattox Historic District.

Near the northern end of SR 26, the highway descends into the narrow valley of Bent Creek.

A short distance to the north, SR 26 reaches its terminus at US 60 (James Anderson Highway) in the hamlet of Bent Creek just south of the U.S. Highway's crossing of the James River.

The route originally continued south of Appomattox through to Charlotte and Halifax Counties, passing by what is now VA 40 in Phenix and ending at what is now VA 92 in the former town of Clover.