NY 196 begins at an intersection with US 4 (Main Street) in the village of Hudson Falls, just south of the eastern terminus of NY 254. The route proceeds east along Maple Street, a two-lane commercial street until the intersection with Mulberry Street, where the route becomes a long residential stretch for several blocks through Hudson Falls. Just east of the intersection of Linden Drive, NY 196 crosses the Glens Falls Feeder Canal and walking trail, continuing east past Hudson Falls Intermediate School. Leaving the village of Hudson Falls, NY 196 crosses into the town of Kingsbury, where it drops the Maple Street moniker and immediately intersects with the northern terminus of NY 32 (Burgoyne Avenue). Although the junction is NY 32's north end, the route intersects NY 196 from the north as the highway curves southward for its final segment after traveling east from nearby Glens Falls. NY 32 continues south of NY 196 as County Route 37 (CR 37, named Burgoyne Avenue).