The northern terminus is at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport near Hebron, where it meets KY 212.

The route heads northwest into Erlanger as Stevenson Road, passing through a mixed commercial and residential district.

From here, KY 236 continues northeast as Commonwealth Avenue through Erlanger until it meets Interstates 71 and 75 at Exit 184A.

Past this junction, the route enters unincorporated Boone County and becomes Donaldson Highway.

It continues northeast until it reaches the east side of Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, where it turns north along the side of the airport.