I couldn’t believe how beautiful this trail was. It was the middle of winter, the park was covered in snow, and the smell of green pines filled the air. I hiked for over six hours, gained nearly 2,000 feet of elevation, and cramped up near the top by the second waterfall.

I crossed two large wooden bridges over rushing white water, climbed a massive granite stone staircase, peered over a 317-foot waterfall, and fell twice—one time dangerously close to the edge.

This is my story, along with some fun history and facts, about Yosemite’s Mist Trail.

Length of trail: 6.6 miles (10.6 km)

Hiking time: 5 hours

Elevation gain: 2,158 ft

One thing I have to be up front about is the hiking time. It took me far longer than 5 hours, and that’s because there is so much to admire along the way, especially the waterfalls. In fact, I didn’t even finish the entire loop because it got rather late, and it was starting to get dark.

On top of that, the climb to the top took a heavy toll on my legs. That really slowed me down, increasing my total hiking time. The climb felt strenuous at times, forcing me to take multiple breaks

Plus, there’s just so much to see, from the large wooden bridges, the enormous mountains off in the distance lined with trees across their peaks, and the astounding beauty of the waterfall from the staircase.

This trail was so beautiful and incredible, I plan to go back several times to enjoy it all over again, at least in each season, and hopefully with some friends next time.

You can find the trailhead just East of Upper Pines Campground and Curry Village. It’s shown in the map image above. It’s very easy to get there, and the walk towards the trailhead itself was a beautiful view of the tall trees and bridge near the Merced River.

There’s also a bathroom and a shuttle stop that takes you most of the way there. You can catch the shuttle from Curry Village and several other stops within the park. The shuttles are free.

Phone Service

Surprisingly, there are many spots along the trail where I had phone service. I have T-mobile. I would say about 10% of the trail has phone service. I got it between the canyons in a few spots, along the staircase, at the top of Vernal Falls, near Nevada Falls, and at a few other various points.

In fact, I was able to upload some videos to Instagram to share with friends and family, and I also received and made a call from Vernal Falls to talk to my daughter back home.

Cold and wet next to Vernal Falls

I’ll talk more about the staircase in a later section below, but a quick tip, there’s lots of mist that soaks the staircase and makes it a little colder in this area. Your between the canyons and the mist is coming off the waterfall. Hence, “Mist” trail. A light jacket would work great for this area.

Difficulty of the trail

I saw people of all ages hiking this trail, some as young as 4–5 years old, and older folks around their 60s. Seeing kids that small on this trail blew my mind. It was really cool to see, but I’m sure the parents were being extra careful and taking their time being safe.

I do want to point out that it was also very icy past Vernal Falls when I went during the winter. The rocky ground was slick with dry ice, and I slipped because I wasn’t paying attention. You can see it happen in the video toward the end.

And on the way back down, I noticed a lot of people sitting off to the side, rubbing their thighs because they were starting to cramp. I had to stop near Nevada Falls too because my legs started cramping as well.

I would suggest you take some Trekking Poles to make it easier on your legs.

Bring snacks and water

This is a very long hike, so I recommend packing light with plenty of snacks and at least 1 liter of water. If you have a water filter, you can source the water directly from the Merced River, which you’ll be hiking all along most of the way.

Here’s a good water filter I recommend.

Other Recommended Gear Items

I started the trail roughly around noon (10:00 am), and as I was reaching near the top of Nevada Falls (the second waterfall), I had to turn back because it was getting dark. I didn’t have any flashlights, aside from my phone with low battery. So, here’s a few things I would recommend bringing with you.

As far as hiking shoes go, I would recommend something made specifically for rugged trails for better grip. But honestly, I saw people in street shoes like Vans, running shoes, Jordans, and some crazy kids in Crocs. That last one shocked me. As for me, I went in my Wolverine work boots.

Let’s jump into the fun parts about this trip from the trailhead to the base of Nevada Falls.

I camped at Curry Village, which was a great place to stay the night. The day before, I spent time just exploring the park, figuring out where all the campgrounds were and where I’d be starting the Mist Trail from.

From behind the village, I had quick access to the trail that leads toward the trailhead. I’m telling you, the walk to the trailhead itself was so beautiful. I left Curry Village around 10:00 am, and the sun rays peering through the trees were incredible.

It was kind of cold out there, with snow across a lot of the park, but still plenty of dry ground. And it smelled so good and so clean breathing in the fresh air around those coniferous trees.

Fun Fact:

In other words, breathing forest air benefits your overall health.

As you walk up toward the Mist Trailhead, you’ll pass Upper Pines Campground, a big parking lot on the right, and a shuttle stop with a bathroom. That whole walk took me about 20 minutes.

Fun Fact

Mist Trail once required a $1 toll to climb its 19th-century stairs, and the trail was officially purchased by the state of California in 1882 for just $300.

$1 doesn’t sound like a lot, but in the 1880’s, that was equivalent to one day’s average pay. Pretty crazy, right?

Mist Trail is a major "gateway" that connects to several of Yosemite's most legendary routes. The sign says, ”High Sierra Loop,” which refers to a massive 50-mile trail network that links Yosemite’s five High Sierra Camps.

My plans were to only hike as far as I could on the Mist Trail, which turned out to be at the bottom of Nevada Falls. But, I thought it was really cool to see how much further you can go to other cool locations. I’m gonna have to come back to explore more of these locations next time.

Fun Fact

In 1915, the California legislature tasked state engineer Wilbur McClure with selecting a single continuous route from Yosemite Valley to Mount Whitney. McClure chose to use the existing Mist Trail corridor as the northern gateway. This turned what was a local route to Yosemite’s waterfalls into the first leg of a 211-mile journey to the highest peak in the lower 48 states.

The trail was not named by John Muir himself, but rather, it was conceived as a living memorial to him.

I can’t figure out if this viewpoint has a name to it. There’s a small roundabout wall that overlooks a lot of the surrounding mountains. This Mountain looked really cool to me because it looked like two shut eyes similar to the willow tree from Pocahontas movie.

It’s a fantastic view of many mountain tops covered in snow, and thousands of trees along the River. It’s cool to see the top of these trees, which are anywhere from 80-200 ft tall.

From here, you can also see Illilouette Falls from a distance. Although, because it’s winter season, it wasn’t visible on that day. Or, at least I couldn’t see it.

The footbridge is located approximately 0.8 miles (1.3 km) from the Happy Isles trailhead. You can get to this part in about 30-40 mins into the trail. The path leading to it is entirely paved but consistently uphill, gaining about 400 feet in elevation. This bridge is the first breath-catching point where you can rest before the trail becomes significantly more strenuous.

The bridge crosses from the north bank to the south bank of the Merced River. Standing on the bridge, you can look upstream to see the river rushing down from the falls or downstream toward the valley.

Fun Fact

Before modern engineering, getting to the top of Vernal Fall involved "rock scrambling" and climbing dangerous, mossy wooden ladders. The construction of the bridge and the subsequent blasting of the granite ledge in the 1890s replaced those hazardous ladders with the permanent, safer route used today.

I spent quite a bit of time just watching the river flow below the bridge and down to the valley. The rushing water gets loud as it runs down with tons of energy. It’s a perfect spot for taking pictures.

I cannot tell you how incredible this part of the trail was. You can see tons of pictures, read the best explanations of it, and even watch videos. But there is nothing like walking up this enormous winding staircase with a giant 317-foot waterfall crashing down, creating tons of mist all around you. It’s something you must experience in person.

Once you cross the Vernal Fall Footbridge, the trail transforms from a paved path into the famous Granite Staircase. This is the heart of the Mist Trail experience, and it is widely considered one of the most iconic, and physically demanding stretches of hiking in Yosemite National Park.

The staircase consists of over 600 granite steps carved directly into the cliffside. It leads you from the base of the canyon up to the top of the 317-foot Vernal Fall. This part is what takes the most energy out of your legs.

During peak runoff (typically May and June), the spray from the waterfall is so intense that it feels like walking through a rainstorm. This is where the trail earned its name. The mist is often a drenching wall of water.

I recommend bringing a light waterproof jacket or a rain poncho to help keep you dry. During the winter season, because there’s less ice melt, it wasn’t that bad. In fact, most people were just fine in regular clothes. But in the summer, there’s more ice melt water rushing down, which might make this a different story.

In the 1890s, workers used hand tools and blasting powder to carve the steps directly into the granite face of the cliff. This turned a dangerous scrambling climb into a permanent (though still strenuous) route. The stone masonry seen today, including the guardrails in certain sections, has been reinforced over the decades by the National Park Service to handle the millions of hikers who visit each year.

The steps are slippery, but most people are taking their time. So don’t feel bad if you have to go at a slower pace, or if you need to pull over to the side. I did plenty of times. Mostly to take pictures and admire the waterfall.

During the spring and summer months, there’s a lot more people on the trail, especially on the weekends. Personally, I like seeing people on the trail. It’s fun getting to meet new people from places all across the world.

The Arch Rock Viewpoint is located roughly two-thirds of the way up the Granite Staircase. It serves as the only wide open space before you finish the final push to the summit of Vernal Fall.

This viewpoint is named for its massive, natural granite arch formed by two colossal boulders leaning against one another. It sits right on the edge of the trail, providing a framed "window" into the rugged canyon. You can see in the picture below three hikers making their way up towards that giant leaning boulder.

The history of this specific segment is a testament to the trail blasters of the 1890s.

Clearing the Path: When the state of California (and later the NPS) took over the trail, they had to decide whether to blast through the massive fallen boulders or go around them. They chose to blast a narrow notch underneath the leaning rock, creating the "arch" effect.

Significance to the Area

This spot is significant because it provides the ultimate profile view of the waterfall. It also highlights the Talus Slope, the pile of massive debris at the base of the cliffs. It shows how the canyon is constantly being reshaped by falling rock, which eventually becomes the very foundation hikers stand on.

I think the wet stone steps made for really great pictures. I stayed in this area for about 15 long minutes, recording lots of angles, and just getting lost in the scene. I loved it. The wet stones, the endless stairs, the warmly lit mountain sides, the cool mist, and an amazing waterfall through the whole thing. It felt magical.

You’ll find a lot of great photo opportunities here. I must have took about 100 pictures throughout the staircase section.

Just past this area, you’ll step back into the trees, where the trail starts to dry out again.

You have an endless waterfall on the left side, and what feels like an endless staircase on the right. This scene is where the stone steps become dry again, and now you’re walking through the trees.

Personally, I had to capture this shot because I loved how it looked. A huge waterfall on the left side, and a stone staircase leading into the forest. I thought this looked cool.

At this point, there’s a sharp turn from the steps onto a narrow walkway squeezed between the mountain and the rails. The ground is wet again here from water dripping down from above. Trust me, you’ll love the view in this section. You can see the different color layers in the rock, the wet glistening stone, and then you’re climbing this really cool path for the final part of the granite staircase.

I was so tired at this point. I was trundling up one step at a time. But that’s what makes reaching the top of Vernal Fall feel even better, because you finally get a chance to relax and enjoy the views of wild nature.

The hike back down wasn’t as bad, but it still takes a toll on your knees—which is why I recommend trekking poles. They make it easier on the way up and on the way down. My knees don’t normally hurt when I’m hiking, but this time, it really got me. It’s why I didn’t reach the top of the second waterfall, Nevada Falls.

It felt so rewarding to finally get over the stairs and look back at the massive granite staircase below. The people looked tiny from up here. The ground at the top is pretty smooth, so be careful when you walk down toward the corner by the rails to look over the waterfall.

This spot is one of the most dramatic cliff-edge viewpoints in Yosemite National Park. It’s also so cool seeing trees growing this far up the mountain, coming straight out of the dense rock.

And unlike the sheltered staircase, the summit is wide open. On a summer day, the granite acts like a heat sink, reflecting the sun and making it feel hotter up here than the mist-cooled stairs you just left below.

George Anderson—the pioneer who worked on the Half Dome cables, also spent time improving safety in this area. Their goal was to make these sublime views accessible to the average traveler, not just rugged explorers.

There’s a cool shot of the river flowing between the rocks and trees just above the waterfall. I saw dozens of people passing through this area, and I spent quite a bit of time up here taking pictures at the top of the falls.

I had to let everyone know I made it.

I also got some phone reception here, allowing me to publish a few posts on Instagram.

As I was walking towards the dirt path, I happened to slip nearby. I stepped on a small twig that rolled under my feet, causing my foot to roll with it. Luckily, I fell on my ass and got back up. So, once again, be careful where you step.

You can see me fall in the video.

Just a short walk upstream from the brink of Vernal Fall, you’ll find the Emerald Pool. This is a deep, basin-like widening of the Merced River that offers a stark visual contrast to the chaotic white water of the falls.

The Emerald Pool is a high-altitude basin carved into the granite by ancient glacial activity and the relentless flow of the river. It gets its name from the deep, vibrant green color of the water, which is caused by a specific type of algae growing on the rocks at the bottom of the shallow pool.

While the surface often appears glassy and calm, this is one of the most deceptive spots in Yosemite. The entire volume of the Merced River moves through this pool before reaching the 317-foot drop of Vernal Fall. Because of the extreme danger of being swept over the edge, swimming and wading are strictly prohibited and enforced with federal fines.

So, do not swim in this pool. People have gotten swept away and gone over the waterfall.

For several decades in the mid-20th century, the Emerald Pool and the adjacent Silver Apron were famous for a dangerous tradition. Hikers used to sit in the shallow sheet-flow of the Silver Apron and slide down into the Emerald Pool like a natural water park.

As tourism increased, so did the number of accidents. The smooth granite is often slick with invisible rock slime, and many people were swept too far or struck hidden boulders. By the 1970s and 80s, the National Park Service began a massive campaign to educate the public on the "Death Zone" reality of the pool, leading to the permanent bans and heavy signage you see today.

This pool serves as a vital hydraulic buffer for the river. As the water rushes down from the Diamond Cascade above, the Emerald Pool allows the energy to spread out and reset before the river accelerates again over the lip of Vernal Fall. It’s a rare moment of (relative) stillness in a river system defined by vertical drops.

This part of the path was the most slippery. There were thin layers of ice covering the stone, and this is also where I slipped and banged my knee as I almost went tumbling down the mountainside. You really have to be careful here.

It’s not too bad as long as you watch where you step and take your time. The moment I slipped was literally when I looked up and kept walking forward. I placed my foot on a thin layer of ice and immediately lost my footing.

So watch every step, and if you want to enjoy the scenery, make sure you stop first.

You can see me fall in the video.

At the time of hiking this trail, I was not aware of the mountains I had seen during this segment of the trail. I do remember being amazed by massively tall mountains far off in the distance, but I didn’t capture any pictures of them unfortunately.

Here’s the three mountains.

1. Liberty Cap (The Sentinel)

This is the most imposing feature you will see. It is a massive, sheer granite dome that rises 7,076 feet (over 2,000 feet above where you are standing).

As you hike the switchbacks toward Nevada Fall, Liberty Cap stands directly to the left of the waterfall. It looks like a giant, rounded thumb of granite.

2. Mount Broderick

Sitting just behind and slightly to the north of Liberty Cap is Mount Broderick.

While it’s often overshadowed by Liberty Cap, you can see its broad, rounded summit peeking out. It’s part of the same massive granite formation but lacks the sheer, vertical "face" that makes Liberty Cap so famous.

3. The Backside of Half Dome

Depending on your exact position on the switchbacks, you will begin to see the "shoulder" and the back profile of Half Dome.

Most people only know Half Dome from the Valley floor (the "Face"). From the Mist Trail, you see the massive, sloped Subdome and the rounded back.

I hugged this tree. It looked lonely, standing in the middle of this stone quarry, and I couldn’t help but think about what it must feel like to be up here all alone—thousands of people passing you by, and nobody stopping to say hi.

I felt alone in my life too. I know what it feels like when people walk right past you and not one person acknowledges you.

I’ve also heard that trees have a frequency, like every living thing does. So maybe this tree called out to me. Maybe I just noticed it. Either way, I felt compelled to acknowledge it and give it a hug.

I guess I’m a tree hugger.

Fun Fact

Physical contact with a living thing, even a tree, can trigger the release of oxytocin, the "bonding hormone." This lowers cortisol (stress) and reduces blood pressure.

When you get close enough to hug a tree, you are inhaling a concentrated dose of Phytoncides. Research (particularly from Japan's Shinrin-yoku studies) shows these compounds increase our "Natural Killer" (NK) cell activity, which bolsters the immune system.

Nevada Fall Footbridge is the second major bridge on this trail system and a spectacular transition point between the two giant waterfalls.

The trail between the Emerald Pool and this bridge is significantly more wild than the paved path at the start.

This bridge is a vital link in the John Muir Trail (JMT) system, which was envisioned in the late 1800s and officially begun in 1915.

Engineering vs. Nature: Like the lower bridge, this structure has been rebuilt multiple times. In the High Sierra, winter snowpack and massive spring runoffs can turn the Merced River into a battering ram of logs and boulders. The current bridge is designed to sit high enough to clear even the most extreme flood stages.

While the first bridge offered a distant view of Vernal Fall, this bridge puts you right in the middle of the river’s acceleration zone. The sound here is a deep, vibrational roar that you can feel in your chest.

At 594 feet (181 meters), it is nearly twice the height of Vernal Fall.

The final approach to the top of Nevada Fall is the most grueling part of the entire journey.

To reach the brink from the second bridge, you must navigate a series of steep, rocky switchbacks carved into the cliff. This section is often called the "refrigerator" or the "oven" depending on the time of day, as the granite walls either trap the cold mist or reflect the intense Sierra sun.

By this point, you have climbed nearly 2,000 vertical feet from the trailhead. The challenge is managing "heavy legs" on uneven, fist-sized granite rocks that make up the trail surface.

Nevada Fall has a unique place in the history of Yosemite’s exploration and naming.

Nevada is a Spanish word meaning "snowy." Early observers, including the Mariposa Battalion in 1851, named it because the churning, turbulent water looks like an avalanche of snow sliding down the cliff.

In the late 1800s, there was actually a small hotel called La Casa Nevada located on the flat ground between Vernal and Nevada Falls. It served as a luxury stop for early tourists who traveled by mule. While the hotel is long gone, it marks the era when this rugged backcountry was first being tamed for travel.

Most of this entire trail, there was a clearly paved path, and now up here, there's a lot of knocked down trees, debris, and rocks, so it might not be entirely clear on where you have to go, but you can tell more or less, looking closely at the road ahead.

I don't normally like it when the path is unclear, but this is the wilderness, and I think it's cool to see the wild just laid out as nature has taken its course over the seasons. It adds an element of discovery and wonder because you have to press forward to discover the path.

At this point, I been hiking for about 6+ hours, and my legs were cramping. I had a growing pain across my left thigh, and each step up was becoming increasingly more difficult. And because it was already getting dark, and I knew I didn’t have much time before sundown, I knew I had to call it a day and make my long descent back down.

This is the exact moment I wish I had a headlamp and the trekking poles. In fact, once I made it back home, it was the first things I bought so I wouldn’t have this problem again.

It felt great to get away from the city and go spend a couple days in the forest. I get tired of working all week long, and doing the same mundane tasks. That’s why it was a fun adventure to experience Yosemite National park.

I spend a lot of time at my day job, and it gets stressful sometimes. It gets even worse when I don’t do anything on my days off. I used to be a homebody, but that phase has run its course. These days, I’d rather be outside doing something affordable, seeing people, seeing nature, and getting some healthy movement to take care of my body.

And it doesn’t really cost much. Going to Yosemite was a small price to pay to enjoy life, reset my mind, and keep improving my health.

My Total Cost for 2-days:

Total Cost = $380

Per person, the cost would go down for fuel and if you share a room. You can also save more money if you camp in the campground, where it only costs $35/night.