The state highway connects the county seat of Lovingston with Buckingham to the east and the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Shenandoah Valley to the west.

SR 56 begins at an intersection with US 11 (Lee Highway) at Steeles Tavern a short distance east of the historic Cyrus McCormick Farm.

SR 56 heads southeast into Rockbridge County as Tye River Turnpike, which enters George Washington National Forest and passes under Norfolk Southern Railway's Roanoke District at the village of Vesuvius.

At the south end of the Lovingston Historic District, SR 56 turns southeast onto James River Road.

At Wingina, SR 56 passes the historic home Soldier's Joy and has an at-grade intersection with CSX's Rivanna Subdivision, then crosses the James River into Buckingham County.