SR 272 begins at an intersection with SR 129 in the community of Archer. It winds its way north as a two-lane highway through mountains for several miles before passing through farmland to enterLewisburg, where it comes to an intersection and becomes concurrent with U.S. [Route 31A |US 31A]/SR 106. They bypass downtown as a four-lane undivided highway along the east side, where they pass through both residential and business areas and become concurrent with U.S. [Route 431 in Tennessee|US 431] at an intersection with US 431 Business/SR 50. The highway then curves to the northwest to cross a bridge over a creek before coming to an intersection with US 31A Business/US 431 Business/SR 11, where US 31A and SR 272 split from US 431/SR 106 to follow SR 11 north. SR 272 splits off shortly thereafter and leaves Lewisburg to pass through a mix of farmland and wooded areas as a two-lane highway for the next several miles, where it passes through the community of Verona. The highway then crosses a bridge over the Duck [River |Duck River] shortly before coming to an end at an intersection with SR 99 just a few miles southwest of Chapel Hill.