It goes east as the unsigned companion route of US 70 through a wooded area to an intersection with SR 251 (Old Hickory Boulevard).

It then passes through an industrialized area before having an interchange with SR 155 (Briley Parkway, a freeway grade beltway around the north side of downtown) (Exit 8) before going through Donelson (along Lebanon Pike) and passing just north of Nashville International Airport, having an intersection with SR 255 (Donelson Pike).

It then crosses into Smith County and starts paralleling the Cumberland River to pass through Rome and enter South Carthage.

The road then straightens out and widens as it enters Baxter and just north of town before coming to an intersection with SR 56.

It goes through some neighborhoods and passes by some businesses before entering downtown at an intersection with SR 135, which provides access to Tennessee Technological University (TTU).

It then begins paralleling I-40 and goes through a large wooded area before coming to an intersection with SR 84 and becoming concurrent with it before having another interchange with I-40 (Exit 300), just before entering Monterey.

US 70N/SR 24 turns east and goes through a small neighborhoods before having another interchange with I-40 (Exit 301) before leaving Monterey and going through more countryside, paralleling and crossing under the interstate twice before entering Cumberland County.

It continues through countryside and then farmland before entering Crossville at an intersection with the new SR 462 (Northwest Connector).

Prior to the 1930s, the routing of SR 24 included most of its present-day alignment from Nashville to Cookeville, but followed a route from Cookeville to a junction with the northern terminus of SR 28 (the present-day hidden designation of US 127) in Static at the Kentucky state line.