KY 317 begins at an
intersection with
KY 805 in
Neon Junction, within
Letcher County. This intersection is just to the south of
Fleming-Neon. It travels to the north-northwest, paralleling
Wright Fork, and almost immediately crosses over the fork on the
C.S.M. James C. Madison Bridge. Just on the north side of the bridge, it enters the city. The highway curves to the north-northeast, leaves Wright Fork, begins paralleling
Yonts Fork, and intersects the southern terminus of
KY 343. It crosses over
Little Creek on the
PVT Lonnie Meade Memorial Bridge just before it leaves the
city limits of Fleming-Neon. It then crosses over Yonts Fork on the
Specialist Leonard Fleming Bridge. The highway travels through
Jackhorn before entering
Hemphill. There, KY 317 curves to the north-northwest and crosses over Yonts Fork on the
SFC Luther J. Potter Jr. Memorial Bridge. At this bridge, it leaves Yonts Fork and begins paralleling
Quillen Fork. It crosses over the fork twice before it ends. The highway then curves to the north-northeast and becomes a curvy road as it travels to the northwest. KY 317 begins paralleling
Stevens Fork. It intersects the western terminus of
KY 1469 (Long Fork Road) just before it crosses over
Rockhouse Creek and curves to the west-southwest. Here, Stevens Fork ends; also, the highway begins paralleling the creek. It then enters
Deane, where it curves to the northwest and meets its northern terminus, an intersection with
KY 7. ==Major intersections==