The route began at 2nd Line Road, immediately west of the ferry connection to Simcoe Island.

From there it travelled east, passing through Marysville where it connected with Highway 95 and the summer ferry to Kingston, named the Wolfe Islander III; the ferry docks further east during the winter months and Dawson Point.

It zig-zagged south and east several times, passing the Wolfe Island Tourist Information Centre and heading towards its eastern terminus at a cul-de-sac facing the St. Lawrence River.

[9][10] The route remained generally unchanged, except for the addition of gentler curves, until its decommissioning on January 1, 1998.

The following table lists the junctions along Highway 96, as noted by the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario.