The Mist Trail is one of the most popular short hikes in

Yosemite National Park Yosemite National Park ( ) is a List of national parks of the United States, national park of the United States in California. It is bordered on the southeast by Sierra National Forest and on the northwest by Stanislaus National Forest. The p ...

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

, USA. The steep hike follows the

Merced River The Merced River (), in the central part of the U.S. state of California, is a -long tributary of the San Joaquin River flowing from the Sierra Nevada (U.S.), Sierra Nevada into the San Joaquin Valley. It is most well known for its swift and st ...

, starting at Happy Isles in

Yosemite Valley Yosemite Valley ( ; ''Yosemite'', Miwok for "killer") is a U-shaped valley, glacial valley in Yosemite National Park in the western Sierra Nevada (U.S.), Sierra Nevada mountains of Central California, United States. The valley is about long a ...

, past

Vernal Fall Vernal Fall is a waterfall on the Merced River just downstream of Nevada Fall in Yosemite National Park, California. Like its upstream neighbor, Vernal Fall is clearly visible at a distance, from Glacier Point, as well as close up, along the ...

and Emerald Pool, to Nevada Fall.

Description

Along the trail, the Merced River is a tumultuous mountain stream, lying in a

U-shaped valley U-shaped valleys, also called trough valleys or glacial troughs, are formed by the process of Glacial period, glaciation. They are characteristic of mountain glaciation in particular. They have a characteristic U shape in cross-section, with s ...

. Enormous boulders, some the size of a house, are dwarfed by the sheer faces of exfoliating granite, which rise 3000 feet (914 m) from the river. Through it all, the Merced River rushes down from its source in the High Sierra, and broadens on the floor of Yosemite Valley. A trail which links to the

John Muir Trail The John Muir Trail (JMT) is a long-distance trail in the Sierra Nevada (U.S.), Sierra Nevada mountain range of California, passing through Yosemite National Park, Yosemite, Kings Canyon National Park, Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Park, Se ...

starts after crossing from the Happy Isles. Depending on one's conditioning, a bridge which re-crosses the river - the halfway point of a hike to the foot of

- can be reached in 15 to 30 minutes. To the side of Vernal Fall, the mist from the river blankets the trail, which was improved during the WPA projects of the 1930s. Here is where raingear becomes handy: in the spring, hikers often become completely drenched from water sprayed off Vernal Fall. This is one of the few places where a complete circular

rainbow A rainbow is an optical phenomenon caused by refraction, internal reflection and dispersion of light in water droplets resulting in a continuous spectrum of light appearing in the sky. The rainbow takes the form of a multicoloured circular ...

can be viewed. A photo showing mist on the Mist trail

The trail now crosses a sheer face which is made somewhat easier by a single guard rail. At the top of Vernal Fall, the Merced River traverses a shelf of granite, and the hikers frequently sun themselves to dry off. The Emerald Pool is named for the color of the river here. Up the trail, Nevada Fall, a waterfall that is almost twice the height of Vernal Fall, awaits the hiker, although there is no cascade of mist over the trail at that waterfall. Behind Nevada Fall is Liberty Cap, an impressive lump of granite. The Mist Trail then rejoins the John Muir Trail: the hiker can travel in Little Yosemite Valley, or take a side trip to the top of

Half Dome Half Dome is a quartz monzonite batholith at the eastern end of Yosemite Valley in Yosemite National Park, California. It is a well-known rock formation in the park, named for its distinct shape. One side is a sheer face while the other three s ...

, using cables to climb the rock. Permits must be obtained in advance to hike Half Dome, and back country permits are required to stay overnight along the John Muir Trail. The distance from Happy Isles trailhead to the Vernal Fall foot bridge is 0.8 miles (1.3 km) with an elevation gain of 400 ft (120m); to the top of Vernal Fall is 1.2 miles (1.95 km ) with an elevation gain of 1000 ft (300m); and to the top of Nevada Fall is 2.7 miles (4.35 km) one way with an elevation gain of 1900 ft (610m)( data per NPS information).

Related hikes

* The Mist Trail is commonly used as the first leg of the hike up

. Half Dome can also be reached by the

, but this route is longer and less scenic. However, it is less steep than the Mist Trail, which makes it more commonly used for descent. The mist from Vernal Falls can be a significant factor governing the choice between the Mist Trail and John Muir Trail while climbing Half Dome. For instance, the Mist Trail might be very inviting on warm days or something to be avoided on cool days. Also, the Mist Trail is usually more inviting on ascent, as the mist helps to cool hikers while climbing the steep trail. * The High Sierra Camps provide a loop through the Yosemite backcountry, with tent cabins spaced one day's hike apart. These require reservations. * A panoramic view of the Mist Trail can be had from

Glacier Point Glacier Point is a viewpoint above Yosemite Valley in the U.S. state of California. It is located on the south wall of Yosemite Valley at an elevation of , above Curry Village. The point offers a superb view of several of Yosemite National Par ...

, 3000 feet (900 m) above, looking north. During the summer, shuttle buses from the floor of the valley will take an hour to arrive at Glacier Point. Hikers have the option of taking a shuttle bus one-way from the valley floor to Glacier Point, then hiking on the Panorama Trail from Glacier Point down to the top of the Mist Trail at Nevada Fall. * The

starts at the same trailhead as the Mist Trail.

Notes

External links

Hiking up the Mist Trail - a short videoThe Mist Trail - Hiking Info & Route

Mist Trail to Vernal Falls and Nevada Falls - Hike Directions & Video
{{coord, 37.72694, -119.54444, type:landmark_region:US, format=dms, display=title Yosemite National Park Hiking trails in California Merced River Protected areas of Mariposa County, California Tourist attractions in Mariposa County, California