Hiking to the top of Vernal Fall and Nevada Fall is one of Yosemite’s most popular activities. You have several options to get there and the route you choose will have a big impact on what kind of experience you will have. Two trails wind their way up to these waterfalls, the Mist Trail and the John Muir Trail. So, how do you know which one to choose?
Table of Contents
Mist Trail vs. John Muir Trail
The Mist Trail is the more popular of the two trails, for good reason. This trail climbs alongside Vernal Fall. The views of this waterfall are unbeatable from here, and if the flow rate for Vernal Fall is high, there is a very good chance you will get wet (hence the name).
However, the Mist Trail is steeper and more exposed than the John Muir Trail. If you are not physically fit or dislike the idea of hiking up over 600 wet, stone steps, the John Muir Trail may be a better option for you.
There is a third option, which is the best option, in our opinion. If you have plans to hike all of the way to the top of Nevada Fall, we recommend hiking up one trail and down the other. We explain how to do this later in this post.
But first, here are more details about each hiking trail.
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The Mist Trail
Distance to the top of Vernal Fall: 1.7 miles (one way), 1100-foot total ascent
Distance to the top of Nevada Fall: 3.3 miles (one way), 2200-foot total ascent
Distance round trip to Nevada Fall: 6.6 miles
Difficulty: Strenuous
Length of Time: 5 to 6 hours round trip to Nevada Fall
The Trailhead
The Mist Trail begins just a short distance from the Happy Isles Bridge in Yosemite Valley. The closest parking lot is the Yosemite Valley Trailhead Parking, located between the trailhead and Half Dome Village. From here, it is a half-mile walk down a service road to the Happy Isles Bridge and the start of the hike.
If you are using the Yosemite shuttle, get off at stop #16.
Hiking to Vernal Fall
The first part of the trail is a paved asphalt trail that constantly gains elevation. It is steep at times.
At 0.8 miles into the hike, you will reach the Vernal Fall footbridge. From here, you have a great view of Vernal Fall. There is also a water fountain and flush toilets here. If the hike up to the footbridge was challenging for you, you may want to consider making this your turn around point. The trail gets steeper from here.
Past the footbridge, the trail climbs steeply and steadily to Vernal Fall. And this is where you learn how the Mist Trail earns its name. Long, slippery staircases wind uphill along the river and the falls. It’s more than 600 steps to the top of Vernal Fall. During this part of the hike, you may get drenched by the mist. In July, the mist was refreshing and it kept us pleasantly cool. During cooler months, you may want to bring a poncho to keep you dry.
Once at the top of Vernal Fall, enjoy the view!
At this point, you can turn around and walk back down to Happy Isles via the Mist Trail. This round trip journey takes about two to three hours.
Or you can continue up the Mist Trail. Hike all of the way up to Nevada Fall or take the cutoff trail to Clark Point, putting you on the John Muir Trail. Once on the JMT, you can walk back down to Happy Isles.
Please practice the seven principles of Leave No Trace: plan ahead, stay on the trail, pack out what you bring to the hiking trail, properly dispose of waste, leave areas as you found them, minimize campfire impacts, be considerate of other hikers, and do not approach or feed wildlife.
Hiking to Nevada Fall
To continue on to Nevada Fall on the Mist Trail, it is another 1.6 miles of hiking. The trail winds through shady forests and more staircases constructed out of rock and boulders. This part of the trail is just as steep as the trail to Vernal Fall, but it is not wet like the Vernal Fall steps.
Once at the top, you have several options, once again. You can turn around and retrace your steps back down the Mist Trail. However, before doing this, we recommend walking out to the Nevada Fall footbridge. It’s just 0.2 miles of hiking to one of the best viewpoints of the day. If you are in Yosemite in spring or early summer, Nevada Fall will be thundering, something that is not only impressive to see but to hear.
To hike back down to Happy Isles via the John Muir Trail, continue over the footbridge and onto the JMT.
If you really want to have a spectacular day, you can continue on to Half Dome. This is a beast of a hike but very, very rewarding for your efforts. Doing this requires some advance planning, since you are only allowed to hike up Half Dome if you have a permit.
LEARN MORE:Hiking Half Dome, A Step-by-Step Guide
The John Muir Trail
The John Muir Trail (JMT) is a long distance hiking trail 211 miles in length. It passes through much of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in California, including Yosemite and Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks. The JMT actually begins at the trailhead for Vernal and Nevada Falls. Imagine hiking to the top of Nevada Fall and still having over 200 miles to go (over many days, of course).
Distance to the top of Nevada Fall: 4 miles (one way), 2,200-foot total ascent
Distance round trip to Nevada Fall: 8 miles
Difficulty: Strenuous, but less strenuous than the Mist Trail
Length of Time: 5 to 6 hours round trip to Nevada Fall
The Trailhead
The John Muir Trail shares the same trailhead as the Mist Trail. From Happy Isles, hike up the asphalt path to the Vernal Fall footbridge. Just past the footbridge, the John Muir Trail splits off to the right.
Hiking up to Nevada Fall
The first half of the JMT is on a switch backing, dirt trail in a forest. It is not nearly as scenic as the Mist Trail, but it is less strenuous since it is less steep. By hiking up the JMT, you also avoid the wet and slippery steps next to Vernal Fall.
At Clark Point, you can hike over to the Mist Trail, and then hike to Nevada Fall. Or, continue on the JMT all of the way to the Nevada Fall footbridge.
Just before the Nevada Fall footbridge is one of the best views of Yosemite. From here, you can see Nevada Fall, Liberty Cap, and the backside of Half Dome. It is incredible.
Once at the top of Nevada Fall, you can hike back down to Happy Isles via the Mist or the John Muir Trail.
In Summary
Reasons to Hike the Mist Trail
- To have the best view of Vernal Fall
- Refreshing with the mist coming off of Vernal Fall
- Some people find climbing the 600 steps fun
- Shorter distance than the John Muir Trail. The JMT is 4 miles one way compared with the Mist Trail, which is 3.3 miles one way.
Reasons to hike the John Muir Trail
- Less strenuous than the Mist Trail
- For one of the best views of Yosemite
- To avoid the wet, slippery steps next to Vernal Fall
- To avoid the crowds on the Mist Trail (the Mist Trail is one of the most popular trails in the park and it can get very crowded during the summer months).
Our Recommendation
For the best experience, we recommend hiking up the Mist Trail to Nevada Fall and down via the John Muir Trail. Yes, the hike up the Mist Trail is more strenuous, but the view of Vernal Fall is amazing and getting soaked by the spray of the waterfall is refreshing. By hiking down the JMT, you get that amazing view of Yosemite and it’s a little easier on the legs. You can also bypass the crowds hiking up the Mist Trail.
In total, this hike is 7.3 miles round trip and takes between 5 and 6 hours.
A Few More Things to Know Before You Go
About those waterfalls. The waterfalls in Yosemite are at their highest flow rate in the spring and early summer, as the winter snows are melting. Towards the end of summer, the flows can dramatically decrease, and some waterfalls may just be a trickle. To avoid disappointment, this is something you should know just in case you are planning an August or September (or later) trip to Yosemite.
Plan on carrying lots of water. The National Park Service recommends 3 to 4 liters of water per person if you have plans to hike to Nevada Fall.
Wear sturdy shoes with lots of traction. Hiking shoes are ideal. You can get by with a good pair of walking or running shoes.
Start this hike early in the day. How early? As early as possible, especially during the summer months. By starting early you will avoid the midday heat and the midday crowds of hikers. We try to get on the hiking trails by 7:30 am during the summer months.
About the hiking distances in this post. We hike with a Garmin GPS and use the stats it outputs for these hiking posts.
If you have any questions about hiking the Mist Trail and Muir Trail, let us know in the comment section below.
More Information for Your Trip to California
YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK: Check out our article Best Things to Do in Yosemite for important travel information, sample itineraries, and how to plan your visit.
HALF DOME: Hiking Half Dome is one of the best hikes in the USA. Learn how to get your Half Dome permit and see the Half Dome cables in photos.
SAN FRANCISCO: For more information about San Francisco, read our article Best Things to Do in San Francisco and how to cycle across the Golden Gate Bridge.
JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK: In our article Best Things to Do in Joshua Tree, we cover the top 10 experiences in the park and also provide important planning information. We also have a guide to the Best Hikes in Joshua Tree and a detailed hiking guide for the Hall of Horrors.
NATIONAL PARKS: In our Guide to the US National Parks, get the full list of national parks with important travel planning information, such as things to do in the parks and sample itineraries.
Are you planning a trip to the United States? Read all of our articles about California in our California Travel Guide and the USA in our United States Travel Guide.
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Comments 25
Hello,
Your website has been very helpful in planning my US National park trips. I am hoping you can give a little more information about the mist/Muir trail loop. I have a 5 year old that I will be going to Yosemite with this Summer. I am trying to figure out what the mileage is hiking the mist trail to Clark point and then back via Muir trail. I do not want to continue to Nevada falls. I want to make sure she can handle the distance/duration. (I believe she can handle the climbing).
Thanks in advance!
Author
This is an approximation based on Google Maps: it is a 1.8 mile hike on the Mist Trail from Happy Isles, past Vernal Falls, to the intersection of the trail to Clarks Point. From the Mist Trail to the Muir Trail via Clarks Point it is roughly 0.5 miles. Then down the Muir Trail is 2.2 miles. This brings the grand total to 4.5 miles. I think an adventurous 5 year old can do this (we would have taken Tyler and Kara on it at that age). Have a great time in Yosemite! Cheers, Julie