It is a town-maintained highway that extends from VT 73 in the Forest Dale section of Brandon north to U.S. Route 7 (US 7) in Salisbury.

VT 53 is named Lake Dunmore Road and runs around the north and east of Lake Dunmore, passing Branbury State Park.

The road continues north as North Street along the western edges of Mount Carmel State Forest, before bending to the northwest and then northeast as Lake Dunmore Road.

After passing by Fern Lake to the west, VT 53 continues into the state forest, passing through Dunmore Acres and along the eastern shoreline of Lake Dunmore.

[2] VT 53 was heavily damaged by storms in 2008, with a bridge destroyed immediately south of Branbury State Park with no detour possible.