A commercial strip begins shortly after the Thruway, continuing a half-mile past it to the junction with NY 300 (Union Avenue) at the center of the hamlet of Gardnertown. The strip continues another half-mile to the Powder Mill Road where the route runs along the southern side of Algonquin Powder Mill Park, where it becomes residential again. In the wetlands north of the route past the park, as the route bends around another hill to the south, Bushfield Creek flows into Quassaick Creek, which itself flows under NY 52 just above the now-drained Winona Lake south of the road. Here the route turns more to the south.