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If you’ve ever researched Yosemite National Park, you’ve probably heard of the Mist Trail. Rated as one of Yosemite’s most popular attractions, the Mist features stunning views of mountains and waterfalls while hiking along the mighty Merced River. And if you hike the Mist at the right time of year, you’re guaranteed to have one of the most unique trail experiences in America’s national parks. I know I did. What makes it so unique? The mist, of course!

Trail Stats

This five-star trail is moderate-strenuous depending upon your hiking experience. From the Mist trailhead to Vernal Fall is approximately 6.5 miles roundtrip if returning by way of the John Muir Trail. If hiking all the way to Nevada Fall and returning by way of the John Muir Trail, the distance is approximately 8 miles. As an average hiker, I thought the Mist was one of the most exhilarating and exhausting trails I’ve ever done.

Best Time to Hike the Mist Trail

When is the best time to hike the Mist Trail? Spring-fall, but for an experience of a lifetime the best time to hike the Mist is May-June when the waterfalls are flowing full-force and the mist envelops you like a cloud.

Keep in mind, Yosemite’s waterfalls are created from snowmelt. Yosemite gets lots and lots of snow, but as summer progresses to fall, the snow melts away and reduces those once raging waterfalls to thin ribbons. Some waterfalls completely dry up. Less snow = less flow = less show.

The photos below show Vernal Fall in June (left) and August (right). See what I mean? You’ll notice the mist appears non-existent in the August photo.

If you are traveling to Yosemite later in the summer or even in fall, the Mist Trail is still a must-do. Just know it will be a different experience than late spring-early summer.

Yosemite Weather

It’s unpredictable. The weather in Yosemite Valley can differ drastically from the higher altitude regions of the park. Prepare for all types of weather and always bring layers, especially for the Mist Trail. The temps may be t-shirt warm during the day, but the evenings can get coat-cold at night. Be prepared!

Although waterfalls are at peak flow in May-June, there may be some areas of the park that remain inaccessible due to lingering winter conditions. In fact, the Mist Trail may be inaccessible. Always check the park’s website for current conditions and updated openings/closures.

We scheduled our Yosemite trip for the last week of May and kept a close eye on the weather as we got closer to our departure. We arrived to find Glacier Point Road, another very popular area of the park, still closed due to lingering winter conditions. But we got lucky! By the third day, the park staff opened the road, and we got the jaw-dropping views of Half Dome we’d been hoping for on the Glacier Point Trail.

Click here for a sneak peek at the view from Glacier Point Trail.

Tioga Road remained closed the entire time we were in the park and parts of the John Muir Trail, one of the most famous trails in America, was also inaccessible. We were fortunate the small section of the John Muir Trail we wanted to hike was open.

I recommend having an alternate plan in case you aren’t able to access what you want to see in Yosemite National Park. What’s a good alternate plan? Somewhere not in the high Sierra Mountains. If you’re set on visiting a national park, you might consider Pinnacles National Park, about 4 hours from the west side of Yosemite and about 2 hours from the San Francisco International Airport. Although a totally different experience from Yosemite, Pinnacles is special in its own way.

Bears- Get the FAQ Out of the Way

Will you see bears? You might. You might not. We saw no bears in Yosemite. But if you’re eager for more information about being bear aware,

Getting to the Mist

The Mist Trail is located in Yosemite Valley at Happy Isles close to Curry Village. You can take the Valley Loop Drive to the two parking lots closest to the trailhead. Link to the park’s map of Yosemite Valley by scanning the QR code below.

After spending several days in Yosemite Valley, I recommend parking in one place for the day and using the free shuttle as much as possible to get around the park. You will waste a lot of precious time looking for parking if you don’t. We learned that lesson on our first day. Shuttles run at frequent intervals throughout Yosemite Valley making this the most convenient way to get around this part of the park. The closest stop to the Mist Trail is #16.

Once you reach Happy Isles, look for signs leading to the trailhead.

As you cross the wooden footbridge over the Merced River, you’ll get your first view of Vernal Fall. Excited? Oh, this is just the beginning!

The Magic of the Mist

The Footbridge

My video, taken from the wooden footbridge, showcases the power of the Merced River in the spring. As spring turns into summer and fall, the river will not have the same powerful rush seen here. But that’s okay. This flume of rock will still knock your socks off.

Notice the giant boulders in the river. Geologists believe these boulders may have broken away from Half Dome when the mountains were glacially carved. Mind-blowing, right?

The Stone Steps

Continue along the trail (a steady uphill climb) until you reach the notorious stone steps which lead through the mist. If you are hiking the Mist between May-June, this is the point you’ll want to put on raingear. YOU WILL GET WET!

Note: The steps are steep and can be slippery. There may be areas of standing water. Wear shoes with good traction.

We saw lots of people wearing ponchos during the wet part of the hike. I wore four layers- a tank top, a lightweight sweatshirt, a rain jacket, and a water-resistant jacket. I was soaked to the skin and chilled to the bone by the time we got to the top of Vernal Fall.

We weren’t able to take photos on the steps portion, because too much water was getting on my camera lens. Bummer.

The Rainbows

Do you ever look at other people’s vacation photos and think “There’s no way I’ll get lucky enough to see that.” That’s what I always thought when I saw people post photos of rainbows on the Mist Trail. Well, I got more than lucky. I saw not one, but two huge rainbows suspended gracefully in the mist. Spectacular!

Vernal Fall- Out of the Mist

Finally, we were able to get out of the heaviest mist and enjoy a closer view of Vernal Fall. You may have to wait your turn to get this shot. It’s a popular spot for photos.

At the top of Vernal Fall, we took time to reflect on how blessed we were to be there. We knew we had just experienced something most people never will. For me, it was emotionally overwhelming.

Stop and listen. Close your eyes and feel the intensity of the moment. Let it be a memory you never forget.

After making the steep climb to Vernal Fall, we were happy to ditch the raingear and take advantage of the sun. Because we started the hike early (8:00 AM), the rock platform wasn’t crowded. It was the perfect spot to relax and have a snack before continuing the trail toward Nevada Fall.

This advice shouldn’t be necessary, but DO NOT attempt to climb/lean over the railing. Numerous people have died going over Vernal Fall. Watch children closely! Even later in the season the river’s flow can be deceiving. It may look peaceful, but the undercurrent is deadly.

Nevada Fall

As you move up the trail, you’ll see Liberty Cap looming over Nevada Fall. Isn’t this magnificent? As a reminder, Nevada Fall nor Vernal Fall will look like this mid-summer to fall.

The first full view of Nevada Fall was mesmerizing, but we decided the view from here was good enough for us.

We chose not to continue the trail to the top of Nevada Fall, but if you’ve got the time and energy, GO FOR IT! I hear the views of Half Dome are fantastic. In fact, you can connect to the section of the John Muir Trail that leads all the way to Half Dome’s summit.

Do your research before attempting to climb Half Dome. It’s definitely not for everyone.

John Muir Trail

Instead of continuing the trail to Nevada Fall, we took the Clark Point access trail located approximately .2 miles (.3 km) from the Vernal Fall overlook and connected to the John Muir Trail. Taking a right on the John Muir trail led us back to the Mist trailhead where we started.

The John Muir Trail from Vernal Fall back to the Mist trailhead was pretty spectacular from the start. This section of the trail is downhill with switchbacks and quite a bit of loose dirt and gravel. I slipped and almost fell a few times. WATCH YOUR FOOTING. Again, this is an area you need shoes with good traction.

There’s More to The Mist Trail than the Falls

Like The People

One thing I love about America’s national parks is they aren’t just for Americans. You meet people from across the globe like this young man from Europe. He wasn’t shy about meeting strangers! He was so excited about what he’d just experienced on the Mist and was telling everyone he passed about it. He was a novice hiker, and his friends purposely didn’t tell him what the Mist had in store. I’m sure he’ll be talking about this day for years to come!

And the Flora and Fauna

As you hike along the Mist Trail, you’ll see various plant and animal life that may not be common where you live. Take time to notice. My favorites were the mountain dogwoods with their pearl-colored blooms and the deep blue Stellars Jays.

Now You See Why You Can’t Miss the Mist?

From towering granite to raging waterfalls, and the roiling mighty Merced, this trail’s scenery is first-class. Add in the excitement and challenge of the hike and you’ll see why the Mist is one of the most popular trails in Yosemite National Park.

Put Yosemite on Your Bucket List

Have you ever thought about going to Yosemite National Park? Please do. Many consider it a sacred place and after seeing it for myself, I can understand why. Yosemite speaks a language everyone understands. Yosemite is a one-of-a-kind bucket list phenomenon!

I’ll be sharing more about how we spent our time in Yosemite National Park in future posts. There’s so much I want to tell you about!

About the Bears…

You can be assured there are NO grizzlies in Yosemite National Park. Yosemite’s bears are black bears. (Some are a cinnamon color, but they are still classified as black bears.)

We never saw a bear while we were in Yosemite National Park. However, we did see this one in nearby Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Park. Pretty awesome!

Keep reading for more about being bear aware.

It is not uncommon for Yosemite visitors to see bears, but if you stay bear aware and only observe them from a safe distance, you should be fine. Personally, I’m good with not observing them. And if I’m hiking, I’m fine with not seeing one at all! Don’t be the kind of fools we saw on a trail in Great Smoky Mountains National Park a few years ago. They were standing within arms-length of a black bear. Not smart.

There is no Instagram photo worth the risk of injury or death. Don’t poke the bear!

Can you believe a park ranger in Yosemite National Park did this? Sure, it was about a hundred years ago, but still!

Where there are campers, there will be food. Black bears can smell food from up to 20 miles away. Even when stored in bear lockers, bears may still be drawn to the food inside. Keep your food secure!

Bear lockers similar to this can often be found near trailheads and parking areas throughout the park.

If you put food in your backpack and you take your backpack off at any point, make sure you keep it in sight. Bears can be sneaky and are not afraid to approach people to snatch backpacks. Even when going to the restroom, take it with you!

Also, avoid leaving food in your vehicle, or you might have to make a devastating call to your insurance company. Don’t invite bears to dinner!

Always, always practice Leave No Trace! Never leave remnants of food, including wrappers, containers, or storage bags on the trail. Whatever you bring on the trail, you must pack out. Don’t put yourself or others in danger because you’ve been careless with your food and trash.

If you came to About the Bears first, jump back to the beginning of the trail description here.

Photo attribution: Vernal Fall in August: Fabio Achilli from Milano, Italy, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons