In order to meet the growing needs for wireless communication in dynamic and diverse circumstances, Cognitive Radio Networks (CRNs) have evolved as a transformational model. The important area of intelligent routing in CRNs is examined in this review, along with the potential, problems, and developments that have shaped this emerging discipline. A close study is done on spectrum-aware routing, machine learning-based methods, game theory-inspired strategies, and bio-inspired processes to show how they help solve problems like changing spectrum access, security issues, and the need to efficiently distribute resources. The ever-changing nature of radio settings presents both possibilities and difficulties for innovation in the fields of signal processing, machine learning, and protocol design. The main conclusions of the study highlight how important intelligent routing is to changing how CRNs operate in the future. In the face of dynamic situations, it offers improved resilience, adaptation, and spectrum efficiency. Security innovations, human-centered strategies via intelligent interfaces, and fusion with cutting-edge technology like blockchain and machine learning all reveal novel perspectives on CRNs. With far-reaching ramifications, intelligent routing is positioned as a keystone for reimagining the potential of wireless communication. Future navigation offers a paradigm shift as cutting-edge technology and intelligent routing algorithms combine, opening up previously unimaginable possibilities in the constantly changing field of wireless communication. This study acts as a compass, pointing practitioners and academics in the direction of intelligent routing’s revolutionary potential in the development of CRNs.