Mist Trail - Yosemite NP

Mist Trail is one of the signature hikes in Yosemite National Park. This popular hike gets you up close and personal with two of the most spectacular waterfalls in the world (Vernal Falls and Nevada Falls).

We revisited Yosemite in May 2022. Our previous visits were day-trips, but this time we spent a significant amount of time in the park (3-4 days). It was incredible! Yosemite is an amazing National Park. And the highlight of the visit was hiking the Mist Trail. 

Today's post is going to focus exclusively on the Mist Trail. The best time of the year to hike is late April - late June/early July when the waterfalls are at peak-flow. We hiked the Mist Trail going up the canyon - to the top of Nevada Falls, and then came back down via the John Muir Trail. All-in-all, it was a little over 10 miles, and a 2,000-ft+ elevation gain.

The trailhead begins at Happy Isles. You can take a shuttle bus to the trailhead. If in a personal car, the nearest parking is at Curry Village. We parked near Curry Village, and it was a short walk (about 1+ mile) to the trailhead itself. We started bright and early at 7am. The shuttle bus wasn't running that early in the morning, but you're going to want to get an early start so there won't be a large crowd when you go up the steps at Vernal Falls.

starting out on an adventure...

The first mile or so of the trail is paved (up until the Vernal Falls footbridge). The trail starts going uphill almost immediately. Enjoy the gorgeous views at the valley floor and the raging Merced River.

on the other side of the valley, high above, is Illilouette Falls (381 ft)

the Merced River

Shortly after the footbridge, you get your first views of spectacular Vernal Falls. This 317-ft waterfall has a large impressive drop. The native tribes refer to the falls as Yan-o-pah ("little cloud").

first glimpse of the falls

vernal means "of, in, or appropriate to spring"

At this part of the trail you will find the famous "steps." This long staircase crawls all the way to the rocky ledge at the top of Vernal Falls. The views are incredible along this section, but the most notable feature of the steps is the mist. The whole way up the steps you will feel the mist of the falls. During the peak runoff months of the year, you will get...drenched. We got drenched!

These steps are steep and can be slippery, so keep your wits about you. We only went up the steps, going down these steps would have been kind of hair-raising. Again, we went back down to the valley via the John Muir Trail (which is must less steep).

we got DRENCHED! 😀

on top of Vernal Falls looking down at the Merced River 

Once you get up the steps, take a break at the top of the falls. You can get pretty close to the ledge. But be careful! No selfie or picture is worth endangering your life over.

a rainbow appeared in the mist

on the edge! 😲

This is a great spot to take a break and recharge for the next big climb to the top of Nevada Falls. As you head upstream, you'll pass along the Emerald Pool and a flat rock slope where the water enters the pool known as the Silver Apron. It may seem tempting (especially on a hot day), but do not swim in the pool. It's against park regulations, and it is very dangerous. The currents are strong.

the Silver Apron flowing into the Emerald Pool

Emerald Pool

The hike then starts to wind up and up to the top of Nevada Falls. "Nevada" being a Spanish word for "snowy." Nevada Falls is 594 ft tall and has a distinct "bent" shape. The tribes named the waterfall Yo-wy-we (meaning "wormy water"). The first non-native American to enter Yosemite Valley was Lafayette Bunnell in 1850. Bunnell wrote of the falls:

"The Nevada Fall was so called because it was the nearest to the Sierra Nevada, and because the name was sufficiently indicative of a wintry companion for our spring (Vernal Falls) ... the white, foaming water, as it dashed down Yo-wy-we from the snowy mountains, represented to my mind a vast avalanche of snow"

this prominent granite dome is Liberty Cap (7,076 ft.)

Mt. Broderick (6,706 ft.) on the left, Liberty Cap on the right

Tara saw this brilliant blue jay high up in the branches

our first glimpse of gorgeous Nevada Falls

Liberty Cap

After dozens of short switchbacks, we finally got to the top of Nevada Falls. Getting up close to the edge was exhilarating. But again, be careful, no selfie is worth it. This is another great spot to rest.

you can go horseback riding along the John Muir trail

at the top of Nevada Falls. The water was so powerful 😀

At this point, if you wish, you can continue up the trail to Half Dome (you'll need a permit), Little Yosemite Valley (a glacial trough), and Cloud's Rest.

We opted to head back down. But instead of going down the way we came, we went down via the John Muir Trail. The John Muir Trail (which also starts at Happy Isles - the same trailhead as Mist Trail) traverses over 210 miles along the backbone of the High Sierra all the way to the summit of Mt. Whitney (the tallest mountain in the Lower 48). The trail is named to honor John Muir, the legendary Scottish-American author and naturalist, whose efforts led to the preservation and conservation of wilderness areas all across the country. Muir was also instrumental in the establishment of Yosemite National Park in 1890. 

The Muir Trail offered spectacular panoramic views of Nevada Falls and the surrounding wilderness.

Nevada Falls

John Muir Trail

from L to R: Half Dome (8,836 ft), Mt. Broderick, Liberty Cap, Nevada Falls

the bent shape of Nevada Falls is very distinct from this vantage point

An awe-inspiring view. Hardly seems real 😲

From L to R: Half Dome, Mt. Broderick, and Liberty Cap

Yosemite Falls from the John Muir Trail. We're only seeing a small portion of it. At 2,425 ft, Yosemite Falls is the tallest waterfall in North America.

What a hike! This loop trail of Mist Trail/John Muir Trail was one of the greatest experiences we have had in our National Parks. 😀