It winds its way east through some hills and begins paralleling the Elk River, which it does for the rest of the highway's length, to pass through the community of Prospect.

The highway then turns northeast and passes through more Hill and then farmland, where it crosses a bridge over Richland Creek, before entering Elkton and coming to an intersection with US 31/SR 7.

It turns north along a short concurrency with US 31/SR 7 to pass by several homes and businesses before splitting off and going northeast again to have an interchange with I-65 (Exit 6).

[3] SR 273 then crosses into Lincoln County and continues winding its way northeast through a mix of farmland and wooded hills to pass through the community of Dellrose.

SR 273 becomes unsigned as it continues east along US 64/SR 15 as a 4-lane undivided highway to enter Fayetteville along Washington Street to come to an intersection with US 64 Bypass (Wilson Parkway).