KY 290 begins at an intersection with
KY 3630 in
Annville, heading north on a two-lane undivided road. The route heads through a mix of farmland and woodland, coming to an intersection with the northern terminus of
KY 578. A short distance later, the road intersects
KY 2003. KY 290 continues through more rural areas, heading into the
Daniel Boone National Forest. After passing through several miles of dense forest, the route heads into
McKee and reaches its northern terminus at an intersection with
US 421 in the downtown area. ==Major intersections==