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Mist Trail

Yosemite National Park

hike Hiking Trail

backpack Backpacking Trail

Flag as NOT Free

9.2 miles S of Yosemite National Park

Address:	Mist Trail, California 95389, USA
GPS:	37°43'58.3"N 119°33'27.9"W Maps \| Directions
State:	California
Trails/Routes:	1.9-2.9 mi

Rivers Waterfalls Streams Trails Rocks National Park

Backpack and Hike

The mist trail is a small breakoff from the John Muir Trail through Yosemite National Park. It's called the mist trail because of the heavy amount of mist that hikers walk through as Vernal and Nevada Falls crash hundreds of feet below. The hike is short as for horizontal distance traveled but the incline will give you a run for your money. You'll ascend 639 stone stairs to reach the top of Vernal Falls. There's a waterfall in between the two that is a sight all it's own but is often forgotten because of the behemoths on either side. The hike between the falls is a nice break as it is fairly flat relative to the rest of the trail. Once you get to the base of Nevada Falls, you'll have to take switchbacks up the giant cliffs to the top.

These waterfalls are usually the last to dry up around Yellowstone Village. Whether you just love waterfalls or you want a closer view of Halfdome, Whitecap, or Mt. Broderick, the Mist Trail definitely offers world class views. There are bathroom facilities just above Vernal Falls and water just before you start to ascend the stairs. There's another trail that is less steep but that skips Vernal Falls.

Distances (one-way):

Hike	Distance	Elevation Gain
Vernal Fall Bridge	0.8 miles	400 ft
Top of Vernal Falls	1.5 miles	1100 ft
Top of Nevada Falls	3.4 miles	2230 ft

Mapped Route/Trail Distances

Trailhead to Vernal Falls (one-way)	2.9 miles Round Trip
Vernal Falls to Nevada Falls (one-way)	1.9 miles Round Trip

View on Map

30.5K Written by endovereric

More Information

Vernal Fall and Nevada Fall Trails - Yosemite National Park (U.S. National Park Service)

https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/vernalnevadatrail.htm

Yosemite Hikes: The Mist Trail

https://www.yosemitehikes.com/yosemite-valley/mist-trail/mist-trail.htm

Add Resource

Link to another great resource

Be courteous, informed, and prepared. Read trailhead guidelines, stay on the trail, and don't feed the wildlife.

Plan Ahead and Prepare
Travel & camp on durable surfaces
Dispose of waste properly
Leave what you find
Minimize campfire impacts
Respect wildlife
Be considerate of other visitors

Directions

From Yosemite National Park

Head northeast on El Portal Rd
Toll road
(5.5 mi)
El Portal Rd turns slightly right and becomes Southside Dr
Partial toll road
(6.1 mi)
Continue straight onto Happy Isle Loop Rd
Toll road
(0.4 mi)
Turn left to stay on Happy Isle Loop Rd
Toll road
(0.1 mi)
Turn right
Toll road
Restricted usage road
(0.5 mi)

From halfdome village, you can take a bus right to the trailhead.

cteicheira

4/24/17 10:45 am 6/17/11

Went along the trail when I was hiking Half Dome. It can get slick up there from the mist on the rock. There are a lot of steps on the trail, so be prepared for that. It was really fun to be so close to a waterfall, though if you are afraid of heights, I wouldn't recommend this trail.

endovereric

4/8/17 12:54 am 10/6/16

We definitely didn't give much credit to the elevation gain in what seemed like it would be an easy 3 mile round trip to Vernal Falls. My wife was newly pregnant and it gave her a run for her money. We ended up going all the way to the base Nevada Falls. We were there in October and these were the only falls that still had water. There wasn't much as far as mist because of the low water but it was still very beautiful. There were still a lot of people up to the top of Vernal but after that it cleared up a lot. It never felt too crowded per se but it was really nice to be more alone between Vernal and Nevada Falls.

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