NY 296 begins at an intersection with NY 23A (Main Street) along the banks of Schoharie Creek just west of the village of Hunter in the town of Hunter. Located within the Catskill Forest Preserve, NY 296 passes the small Hunter Airport, where views of Rusk Mountain are visible. Winding into the town of Jewett, NY 296 is a two-lane asphalt roadway running through the Catskills. Near the junction with Beaches Corners Road, the route turns northwest, paralleling the East Kill, before crossing the waterway a short distance later. Just after crossing the East Kill, NY 296 crosses Beaches Corners Road one more time before intersecting with County Route 23C (CR 23C), which proceeds east towards NY 23A and west towards the hamlet of Jewett.