From the diamond interchange with I-20 in Ruston, located roughly midway between the cities of Minden and Monroe, US 63 winds through the piney hills of rural Lincoln and Union parishes.

[3][4][5] Heading north through Vienna, the center lane gives way to a grassy median, and the highway begins to wind gently through the pine forests of northern Louisiana on a broad right-of-way.

About six blocks later, the one-way pair converges, and US 63 proceeds as an undivided four-lane highway with center lane until LA 2 Alt.

North of Lillie, the highway curves to the northwest and travels for about seven miles (11 km) before reaching the larger village of Junction City.

The intersection of Main and Fifth Streets forms the northern terminus of LA 9, another connection to Homer, Claiborne's parish seat.

Here, a roadside marker identifies the community as being located "at the junction of 2 states, 1 county, 2 parishes, and 3 congressional districts."

[8] It initially traveled from a junction with US 61 at Turrell, Arkansas (a point northwest of Memphis, Tennessee) to Des Moines, Iowa.

In 1999, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) approved a relocation and extension of the route that moved its southern terminus to its present location in Ruston, Louisiana.

The change pulled the route back out of Tennessee and extended it southward from West Memphis, Arkansas for approximately 287 miles (462 km) over existing U.S. and state highways.

In accordance with this decision, the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (La DOTD) added US 63 shields to the existing signage installations along US 167 between Ruston and the Arkansas state line.

Declared as "the single largest transportation infrastructure improvement program" in the state's history, it was initially funded from a 4¢ per gallon gasoline tax which allowed an estimated completion date around 2031.

In rural areas, the existing right-of-way was broadened to carry a divided four-lane highway with a wide median.

Minor deviations from the original right-of-way occurred in Lincoln Parish between Vienna and Unionville, where a series of curves were straightened somewhat.