SR 32 begins in
Orland at a junction with
I-5 as Newville Road. The highway continues east out of Orland for several miles before entering
Hamilton City and intersecting
SR 45. SR 32 then crosses the
Sacramento River into
Butte County. East of here, SR 32 enters the city of
Chico, becoming Walnut Street before it becomes a
one-way couplet as 8th and 9th Streets through downtown Chico. Shortly after the
diamond interchange with the
SR 99 freeway, 8th and 9th Streets merge into one road and SR 32 continues east out of the Chico city limits. Following this, SR 32 turns to the northeast, passing through the communities of
Forest Ranch and
West Branch before crossing into
Tehama County and eventually
Lassen National Forest. SR 32 terminates at an intersection with
SR 89 and
SR 36. and between I-5 and SR 99 is part of the
National Highway System, a network of highways that are considered essential to the country's economy, defense, and mobility by the
Federal Highway Administration. ==Major intersections==