State Route 81 is a diagonal route oriented generally from southwest to northeast. Its southwest terminus is at U.S. 19/U.S. 41 in Henry County

Henry County, Georgia

Henry County is a growing suburban county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2000 census, the population was 119,341. As of 2010, the county's population swelled to 203,922, up 70.9% from the previous census and becoming Georgia's 8th most populous county and the 10th fastest growing...

, and its northeast terminus is at U.S. 29 Business in Winder

Winder, Georgia

Winder is a city in Barrow County, Georgia, United States. The population was 10,201 at the 2000 census. Census Estimates of 2005 indicate a population of 12,451...

 in Barrow County

Barrow County, Georgia

Barrow County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 46,144. The 2007 Census Estimate placed the population at 67,139...

. Most of it follows loosely the southeastern and eastern third of what could be about a 200 miles (321.9 km) beltway around Atlanta (three times the length of Interstate 285

Interstate 285

Interstate 285 is an Interstate Highway loop encircling Atlanta, Georgia, for . I-285 is also known as unsigned State Route 407 and is colloquially referred to as the Perimeter. Suburban sprawl has made it one of the most heavily traveled roadways in the United States, and portions of the highway...

, the beltway around Atlanta in the picture to the right).

Routing

From its southwestern terminus, at U.S. 19 and 41, S.R. 81 travels east to McDonough

McDonough, Georgia

McDonough is a city in Henry County, Georgia, United States. The population was 22084 at the 2010 census. Inclusion of the unincorporated neighborhoods surrounding McDonough, which are not part of a town/city, raises the population to approximately 30,000 from an estimate in 2008. The city is the...

. It crosses Interstate 75

Interstate 75

Interstate 75 is a major north–south Interstate Highway in the Great Lakes and Southeastern regions of the United States. It travels from State Road 826 and State Road 924 in Hialeah, Florida to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, at the Ontario, Canada, border...

 at exit 218 while concurrent

Concurrency (road)

A concurrency, overlap, or coincidence in a road network is an instance of one physical road bearing two or more different highway, motorway, or other route numbers...

 with S.R. 20; this concurrency ends in eastern McDonough. S.R. 81 then proceeds northeastward to the Newton County

Newton County, Georgia

Newton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 62,001. The 2010 Census showed a population of 99,958. The county seat is Covington....

 seat of Covington

Covington, Georgia

Covington is a city in Newton County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 13,118. The city is the county seat of Newton County...

, crossing over Interstate 20

Interstate 20

Interstate 20 is a major east–west Interstate Highway in the Southern United States. I‑20 runs 1,535 miles from near Kent, Texas, at Interstate 10 to Florence, South Carolina, at Interstate 95...

 with no interchange. The route then continues north to Loganville

Loganville, Georgia

Loganville is a city located mostly in Walton County with a small portion of the city located in Gwinnett County, Georgia, United States. The population was 10,963 at the 2009 census.-Geography:...

, concurrent again with S.R. 20 for less than a mile before turning northeast toward its end in Winder.

Directional signage

In Henry County, S.R. 81 is signed as an east–west route; signage changes to north–south at or near the Newton County

Newton County, Georgia

Newton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 62,001. The 2010 Census showed a population of 99,958. The county seat is Covington....

line.