It extends for roughly 6.7 miles (10.8 km) from the New York state line northwest of Bennington to an intersection with VT 9 east of the downtown district.

The route briefly overlaps with the freeway before continuing eastward as a two-lane highway toward the western edge of Green Mountain National Forest.

After 1 mile (1.6 km), VT 279 turns southward, loosely paralleling the forest's west boundary as it bypasses the northeastern section of downtown Bennington.

The route crosses the Roaring Branch of the Walloomsac River before ending at a half-completed single-point urban interchange (SPUI) with VT 9 east of downtown.

[8] Construction plans for the northern segment called for the existing interchange between US 7 and VT 279 to be reconfigured to accommodate a welcome center located within the exit[7] that was completed and officially opened on October 11, 2013.