PA 262 begins at an intersection with PA 114 in the community of Bunches in Fairview Township, heading southeast on two-lane undivided Fishing Creek Road. The route heads through wooded areas of homes and makes a hairpin turn to the northwest to ascend a hill. The road makes a sharp turn to the east and descends the hill, passing homes in the communities of Springville and Frogtown. Farther east, PA 262 enters commercial areas and reaches an interchange with I-83. Past here, the route turns southeast and merges onto Old York Road. PA 262 continues past more homes and businesses before intersecting PA 177, at which point that route continues along Old York Road and PA 262 turns east onto Valley Road. The road heads into a mix of farms and housing developments, eventually becoming the border between Fairview Township to the north and Newberry Township to the south, entering open farmland. After fully entering Newberry Township, the route makes a sharp turn to the south and intersects the eastern terminus of PA 392 in the community of Plainfield. PA 262 passes more agricultural areas before passing near a housing subdivision and becoming the border between Newberry Township to the west and the borough of Goldsboro to the east.^[3][4]

The route turns to the east to descend a hill and fully enters Goldsboro, becoming Broadway Avenue as it is lined with homes. At the town square, PA 262 turns south onto York Street and passes more residences. The road leaves Goldsboro for Newberry Township again and becomes Cly Road as it continues through a mix of woods and homes. The route turns southeast through forests and parallels Norfolk Southern's Port Road Branch railroad line along the Susquehanna River, reaching a junction with the northern terminus of PA 297 in the residential community of Cly. From here, PA 262 turns south away from the railroad line and river, passing forested areas of homes as it comes to its terminus at PA 382.^[3][4]

When Pennsylvania legislated routes in 1911, what is now PA 262 was not given a number.^[5] By 1926, the current route was an unnumbered, unpaved road.^[6] In 1928, PA 920 was designated to run from PA 24 (now PA 382) south of Cly north to Goldsboro as a paved road.^[7] The unnumbered road between Goldsboro and PA 24 (now PA 114) in Bunches was paved in the 1930s.^[8] The PA 920 designation was decommissioned in the 1940s, leaving the road between Cly and Goldsboro unnumbered.^[9] PA 262 was designated in 1961 to its current alignment between PA 114 in Bunches and PA 382 south of Cly in order to provide a numbered route at the interchange with I-83.^[2] In 2011, PA 262 was realigned at the PA 177 intersection, with traffic signals installed.^[10]

The entire route is in York County.

•   U.S. Roads portal
•   Pennsylvania portal

• Pennsylvania Highways: PA 262