Running from west to east, WIS 52 begins at an interchange with the WSI 29 freeway segment near Rib Mountain.

Almost immediately, WIS 52 also has an interchange with the U.S. Highway 51 (US 51) freeway, which serves as Wausau's western bypass.

It then enters Wausau as Stewart Street, crossing the Wisconsin River into downtown.

In downtown Wausau, WIS 52 runs on one-way streets in a loop around the central business district; the eastbound lanes join Business US 51 northbound, run around the Wausau Center shopping mall, and then back north via 6th Street.

Meanwhile, the westbound lanes run along southbound Business US 51 past Athletic Park, home of the Northwoods League Wausau Woodchucks baseball team, and also past the Dudley Tower, the tallest commercial building in Wisconsin outside of the Milwaukee area.