It covers 54 miles (87 km) and runs from the Tennessee-Georgia state line in Bradley County to Dayton joining US 27.

SR 60 begins at the Georgia border in Bradley County, heading north on two-lane Dalton Pike, a primary state route.

At the state line, the route continues into Whitfield County, Georgia as SR 71 (Cleveland Highway) to Dalton.

Continuing northeast, the road enters Cleveland and passes residential development as it turns to the north.

TDOT lists the route as turning southeast to form a concurrency with Spring Place Road, but it is signed on some maps as continuing north with SR 74 at this intersection along Wildwood Avenue SE.

SR 60 passes over Norfolk Southern's Knoxville District West End railroad line and interchanges with 20th Street NE, where the auxiliary lanes terminate, making a turn to the northwest.

After a turn to the northwest, the route continues through wooded areas with a few farm fields fully within Hamilton County, reaching an intersection with SR 312 (Birchwood Pike).

From here, the road becomes Hiwassee Highway and curves northwest into farmland with some woods and homes, crossing into Meigs County.

[2][3] Upon crossing the Tennessee River on the Tri-County Veterans Bridge, SR 60 enters Rhea County and turns north into forested areas with a few farms.

[7] Originally, the route did not cross the Tennessee river into Rhea County, and commuters used Blythe Ferry, which dated back to the early 1800s.