SD 28 begins at an intersection with U.S. Route 281 west of Hitchcock. This intersection, on the line of northwestern Beadle County and southwestern Spink County, is also the eastern terminus of County Road 2. SD 28 takes 190th Street to the east, along the county line. East of 390th Avenue, it enters the northern part of Hitchcock. Just west of 391st Avenue, it leaves the city limits of Hitchcock. Between 397th and 398th avenues, it crosses over the James River. The highway then intersects SD 37. Just east of 402nd Avenue, it crosses over Foster Creek. An intersection with 406th Avenue leads to Doland. An intersection with 411th Avenue leads to Yale. Between this intersection and one with 413th Avenue, Spink County ends, and the highway begins to travel on the Beadle–Clark county line.
SD 28 continues to the east. An intersection with 415th Avenue leads to Carpenter. An intersection with 418th Avenue leads to Iroquois. At this intersection, the highway enters Clark County proper. Just west of 419th Avenue, it crosses over Shue Creek. West of CR 49, it crosses over Redstone Creek. Between 423rd Avenue and CR 46, the highway crosses over the creek again. East of 428th Avenue, it enters the northwestern part of Willow Lake. East of an intersection with the northern terminus of Jackson Street, SD 28 skirts along the southern part of Mud Lake. An intersection with CR 47 is signed as a "truck route". East of this intersection, it crosses over some railroad tracks of BNSF Railway and leaves the city limits of Willow Lake. East of an intersection with the southern terminus of CR 12, the highway begins a concurrency with SD 25. This intersection is also the western terminus of CR 40. The two state highways travel due south for approximately. When SD 28 splits off, it resumes its eastward direction. This intersection is the eastern terminus of CR 38. At an intersection with 436th Avenue, it enters the southwestern part of Hamlin County.
Hamlin County
Almost immediately, SD 28 enters the southwestern part of Bryant. Just east of South Broadway Street, it passes the city park. An intersection with the southern terminus of South Railway Street leads to the business district. East of an intersection with the southern terminus of South William Street, the highway leaves the city limits of Bryant. Just east of 445th Avenue, it crosses over Dolph Creek. East of 449th Avenue, it intersects the southern terminus of SD 21. Just east of this intersection, SD 28 enters the northern part of Lake Norden. An intersection with the northern terminus of Burlington Street leads to the South Dakota Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame. Just east of this intersection, the highway begins a curve to the east-southeast and leaves the city limits of Lake Norden. It then skirts along the southern part of the city's namesake, Lake Norden. The highway curves to the northeast and travels between Lake Norden and Lake Mary. North of Lake Mary, it curves to the east-southeast. Just east of 452nd Avenue, the highway curves back to the east. East of 453rd Avenue, it intersects US 81. The two highways travel concurrently to the north for approximately, while the roadway continues to the east as 193rd Street. At an intersection with 192nd Street, the two highways split. SD 28 takes 192nd Street to the east. Just west of 456th Avenue, the highway curves to the east-northeast. East of this intersection, it intersects NW Lake Drive, which leads to the Saaraners Beach Lake Access. Just east of this intersection, it curves to the east-southeast and begins to travel between Lake Poinsett and Dry Lake. It curves to the east-northeast and crosses over the northern part of Lake Poinsett. The highway curves to the east-southeast. East of 458th Avenue, it curves to the southeast. Just north of 193rd Street, it curves to the south. It curves to the east-southeast. Just west of 460th Avenue, it curves to the east-northeast. Just east of 461st Avenue, it curves back to the east-southeast. Between 462nd and 463rd avenues, it curves to the east-northeast again. Just west of 464th Avenue, it crosses over the Big Sioux River and curves to a nearly due-east direction. Just east of Sorenson Road, it passes a sewage disposal pond and enters the west-central part of Estelline. An intersection with 6th Street leads to Beckman Field and Estelline Elementary & High School. East of Eastwood Drive, the highway leaves the city limits of Estelline. At an intersection with 466th Avenue, it enters the southwestern part of Deuel County.
Deuel County
Between an intersection with the southern terminus of CR 518 and one with 468th Avenue, SD 28 crosses over Munky Run. Just east of 472nd Avenue, it has an interchange with Interstate 29. East of 475th Avenue, it intersects the southern terminus of SD 15. Between 477th Avenue and CR 315, the highway travels through central parts of Toronto. East of CR 11, the highway reaches its eastern terminus. It ends at the Minnesota state line. Here, the roadway continues to the east as Minnesota State Highway 271.
The only part of SD 28 that is included as part of the NationalHighway System, a system of routes determined to be the most important for the nation's economy, mobility and defense, is the small portion concurrent with US 81 near Lake Norden.
History
SD 28 was established between 1932 and 1935. At that time, it replaced SD 26 and extended from SD 25 west of Bryant to US 77 east of Estelline. In the mid-1950s, it was extended westward. An extension further to the west, to SD 45 north of Miller, may have been signed briefly, but was not indicated as such by 1970. Between 1948 and 1953, it was extended eastward to the Minnesota state line.
