SR 5 begins at an intersection with SR 22, on the northern edge of Upland. The road heads north passing through farmland and a rural intersection with SR 18. North of SR 18, SR 5 enters Van Buren, concurrent with First Street, crossing a railroad track before leaving town. Past Van Buren SR 5 crosses over Interstate 69 (I-69) before turning east, concurrent with SR 218. The concurrency heads east having an interchange with I-69, before bending north-northeast, crossing over the Salamonie River. North of the river SR 218 turns southeast while SR 5 continues northeast through downtown Warren, on Wayne Street. SR 5 passes through the central business district before turning northwest onto Huntington Street. The road leaves Warren and has an interchange with I-69 in rural Huntington County. The road continues towards the northwest having an intersection with SR 124, before crossing over J. Edward Roush Lake, on the J. Edward Roush Lake Dam. North of the dam SR 5 passes west of Huntington Municipal Airport before an intersection with U.S. Route 224 (US 224).