SR 231 begins at the Angel Lake fee booth, providing access to the lake and nearby picnic and campground areas. From there, the highway heads in a general eastward direction, descending through switchbacks along the east side of the East Humboldt Range. Once traveling about to clear of the mountains, the road turns more sharply to the north. The final sees the route turn more directly eastward to enter the town of Wells. SR 231 comes to its northern terminus at the intersection of Angel Lake Road and Humboldt Avenue (SR 223) in Wells, just south of Interstate 80. Angel Lake Road may be closed to travel during winters.