NM 96 begins at a
T intersection with US 550 just south of the
census-designated place (CDP) of
La Jara. (Eastbound US 550 heads south toward the city of
Cuba. Westbound US 550 heads north toward the cities of
Bloomfield and
Farmington.) From its western terminus, NM 95 proceeds north for roughly to pass through La Jara and reach Old Highway 95 at a T intersection on the southern edge of the CDP of
Regina. (Old Highway 95, which was the former routing of
New Mexico State Road 95, heads northerly along the western edge of Regina to connect with
New Mexico State Road 595 [NM 595] and then on toward
Lindrith). ,September 2024 Just north of Regina, NM 96 connects with the west end of NM 595 at T intersection. (NM 595 heads west to connect with the north end of Old Highway 95 and then curves to head northerly toward Lindrith. Beyond Old Highway 595, NM 595 follows the former routing of NM 95.) Almost exactly north of the NM 595 junction, NM 96 reaches the south end of
New Mexico State Road 112 (NM 112) at T intersection. (NM 112 heads northerly toward
El Vado and
Tierra Amarilla.) From its junction with NM 112, NM 95 proceeds easterly for approximately to pass through the CDP of
Gallina, the
unincorporated community of
Arroyo Del Agua, and the CDPs of
Coyote and
Youngsville before reaching the southern edge of the
Abiquiu Reservoir. As it curves around the south end of the reservoir NM 96 crosses the
Rio Chama on the
Abiquiu Dam, before continuing northeasterly to reach US 84 at its eastern terminus at a T intersection. (Eastbound US 84 heads easterly toward
Española and
Santa Fe. Westbound US 84 heads northerly toward
Chama.) ==Major intersections==