MS 3 begins in northern
Warren County in the
Redwood community at an interchange with
US 61 along the banks of the
Yazoo River. It heads northeast, paralleling the river, as a two-lane highway for several miles along the western edge of a hilly plateau, which marks the eastern boundary of the
Mississippi Delta, to cross into
Yazoo County. MS 3 continues northeast to pass through
Satartia, where it meets
MS 433, before passing through more rural areas (passing just west of
Tinsley) to enter the
Yazoo City city limits. The highway bypasses downtown along its west side, where it has an interchange with
MS 16/
MS 149. MS 3 now comes to an interchange with
US 49W, which it becomes concurrent with and follows northward as a four-lane divided highway to pass through farmland for several miles, crossing over the Yazoo River, before entering
Humphreys County just southwest of
Carter. US 49W/MS 3 now cross over the
Will M. Whittington Auxiliary Channel and
Lake Atchaflya before passing through
Silver City and having an intersection with
MS 149. The highway continues north, paralleling the Yazoo River, to pass through
Belzoni, where it bypasses downtown along its west side and has a short concurrency with
MS 12 and an intersection with
MS 7. US 49W/MS 3 continue northwest to pass through
Isola, where it has an intersection with unsigned
MS 806 (Belzoni Street) and crosses over
Lake Dawson, before entering
Sunflower County. The highway passes through
Caile and
Inverness, where it intersects another section of MS 149, before MS 3 splits off near
Baird. MS 3 heads northeast as a two-lane highway to pass just south of Baird before curving directly north to pass directly through downtown
Moorhead, where it has an intersection with
US 82 at the northern edge of town. The highway continues north through farmland for several miles to cross the
Quiver River before rejoining US 49W on the south side of the town of
Sunflower (with US 49W being a two-lane highway this time). The highway bypasses Sunflower along it southern and eastern sides before passing through Dwyer and
Blaine. US 49W/MS 3 passes through
Doddsville, where it has a short concurrency with
MS 442 and intersects unsigned
MS 832, and
Cottondale before passing through
Ruleville, where it has an intersection with unsigned
MS 812 and
MS 8. The highway passes through
Drew, where it intersects unsigned
MS 820, before passing by the
Mississippi State Penitentiary, where it has an intersection with
MS 32. US 49W/MS 3 pass through
Rome before entering
Tallahatchie County. The highway passes northeast through rural areas for several miles before entering
Tutwiler and US 49W comes to an end at a Y-Intersection/interchange between US 49 and US 49E, with MS 3 continuing north along US 49. MS 3 follows US 49 north for not even a half mile before splitting off and heading northeast to cross into
Quitman County at the community of
Vance. MS 3, now also known as Charley Pride Highway, heads through farmland to cross some small Bayous as it passes through the community of
Denton, where it becomes concurrent with
MS 322, and the town of
Lambert, where MS 322 splits off. The highway now passes through the town of
Marks, where it has an intersection with
US 278/
MS 6, before crossing the
Coldwater River (which it also begins paralleling) and passing through the community of
Hinchcliff and the towns of
Darling,
Falcon, and
Sledge (with Sledge being where MS 3 has intersections with both
MS 714 and
MS 315). MS 3 now enters
Panola County. MS 3 passes through the town of
Crenshwaw, where it has an intersection with
MS 310, before passing through wooded areas for several miles as it travels through the
Askew community before entering
Tate County. The highway passes through the community of
Sarah before reentering farmland at intersection with
MS 4, which it becomes concurrent with. MS 3/MS 4 now turn northwest to pass through the community of
Savage and cross the Coldwater River for a second time to enter
Tunica County. The highway immediately comes to a large interchange, where MS 3 splits of and heads due north. MS 3 heads through farmland for several miles to pass through the communities of
Prichard and
Banks, where it has an intersection with
MS 713, before entering
Desoto County. The highway now has a partial interchange with
MS 304 before coming to an end shortly thereafter at an intersection with US 61 along the south side of the community of
Lake Cormorant. ==Major intersections==