Vernal and Nevada Falls via the Mist Trail
Updated: Dec 12, 2022
Hike stats
Location: Yosemite Valley, CA
Distance: 5.9 miles
Elevation Gain: 2000 feet
Date Hiked: Feb 2020
Getting Here
Park where you find a (legal) spot in Yosemite Valley and take the Shuttle Bus to the Happy Isles bus stop.
Driving into Yosemite for the first time
This day was my first time in Yosemite National Park, and I went on a total whim with zero planning but high expectations. I had intended to spend the whole weekend in Sequoia and Kings Canyon, but it was forecasted to snow on Sunday and I hadn’t purchased tire chains yet; I thought it would be bad form to try to navigate a winding road in a rental car without chains, mere feet from a 500 foot drop off (see Mom, I do make good choices!).
After spending the night in a dispersed camping site outside the park (saving those dolla dolla bills y’all), I got up early and made my way down the long road that leads into Yosemite Valley. The moment when I emerged from the tunnel to see the iconic Tunnel View sprawling before me was as incredible as you could imagine.
You’ve seen this view millions of times on brochures and calendars and screensavers, but it’s just not the same as seeing it in person. I next made a quick stop to check out the lovely Bridalveil Falls, which that day was framed by the smoke rising from a couple of small controlled burns.
I then made my way further down into the Valley and was very quickly overwhelmed by how...resort-like it was. My first thoughts were, “This is the great Yosemite?” Yosemite Village truly is a village with stores and cafes and hotels. While I think it would be so fun to live there, what I needed right then was some peace and solitude. I walked around the valley floor for a bit enjoying the waterfalls plummeting from the granite cliffs and was very pleased to note that most of the visitors in the park didn’t venture far from their cars. But after a nice flat stroll, I was itching for something more adventurous. It was an overcast and drizzly day, which meant that a waterfall hike was in the cards.
The Hike
There is no parking at the Mist Trail trailhead, so I left my car at the Village Store and hopped on one of the Valley shuttle buses. I normally prefer to drive myself places, but the shuttle system in Yosemite is excellent and I highly recommend parking somewhere and just hopping on and off the shuttle throughout the Valley.
The beginning of the Mist Trail quickly got my heart pumping as it steeply wound its way up the cliff. The difficulty was compounded by the fact that it was starting to snow/sleet which made the paved trail fairly slick. I passed a few people on my way up, but it wasn’t nearly as crowded as I had imagined. Perks of visiting during the off-season and on a dreary day!
The trail finally flattened out a bit as I reached the bridge that overlooks Vernal Falls from a distance. A lot of hikers will stop here and turn around as it allows for some nice views at a manageable distance. Knowing that the best views were yet to come, I caught my breath and continued on.
The final push up to Vernal Falls, the first waterfall, was fairly challenging. There are tons of steps that are steep and narrow to climb, which would be challenging even for the fittest of folks. But I quickly forgot about my poor thighs as the thundering falls came into view, the wind pushing its spray right onto the trail. The spray blowing onto the trail was barely noticeable then in February, but I hear hikers will get absolutely soaked in the springtime. I guess that’s why they call it the “Mist Trail!”
The falls drops straight down onto a collection of jagged rocks and collects in a small blue-green pool. The mist that comes off the falls sometimes allows for rainbows to form on sunny days.
Continuing on past the bottom of Vernal Falls, I was once again reminded of the need to include the StairMaster in my workouts. Not a ton of hikers there decided to continue up to the top of the waterfall, which was definitely their loss as it provided a unique perspective of the rest of the valley with its surrounding granite walls. If you choose to go up, please, for the love of all things holy, stay behind the fence! I saw too many people hop the fence that separated the pour over from the trail, all for a stupid selfie. “Good candidates for the Darwin Award,” I thought to myself.
After snapping a few pictures and deciding that my stress levels were getting too high watching these “tourons,” — and yes, I did say something to them once they were further from the edge — I continued on my way to Nevada Falls, my final destination of the day.
The next little section is a nice walk through a wooden area alongside the creek that feeds Vernal Falls. There were several emerald green pools and natural water slides that looked like they would be tempting to jump in on a hot summer’s day. However, that would not be wise as the current there is deceptively swift and could easily sweep a swimmer over the waterfall. Another great place for the tourons. *eye roll*
Emerging from the trees, I was treated to the imposing face of Liberty Cap. It was a scene made even more beautiful by a bridge in the foreground and Nevada Falls making its presence known to the right.
After crossing the bridge over the creek, I began yet another vertical climb through the trees. A sharp contrast to the crowds at Vernal Falls, this part of the trail was practically deserted. I saw a total of 5 hikers the rest of my way up. The trail itself was stunningly designed as well, almost reminiscent of cobblestone streets but made of the same granite rock that Yosemite is famous for.
From this “cobblestoned” section of the trail is where Nevada Falls first comes into view. The sky has been clouded over for most of the hike, but the wind suddenly picked up and for just a moment, revealed a sky so blue and bright that I had to squint to see the falls.
I know I keep going on and on about how beautiful the trail and its views were, but there’s just no other way to describe it. And indeed, the trail wasn’t done flexing its stuff yet. After passing the turnoff for the coveted “cables route” of Half Dome, I stepped out onto a large slab of rock, using cairns to make my way towards the pour off of Nevada Falls. I don’t know what it is about hiking on rock, but I can’t get enough of it. Maybe it’s because I grew up in East Tennessee where dirt trails are the star of the show, but following a rock path is still so novel and fun to me.
Now at the pour off, I stepped onto the bridge that passed over the creek, its roar practically palpable beneath me as the waters rushed towards the edge. From this vantage point, the water seemingly dropped off straight down into the valley as all I could see was the granite walls in the background. The sun poked through the clouds briefly to illuminate the trees as I stood and let it all soak in, far from the hustle and bustle of Yosemite Valley below. Now, this is Yosemite.
Full disclosure: a couple of hours later I was suddenly grateful for the commodities offered by Yosemite Village as I bought all the snacks at the grocery store and a burrito for good measure. All in moderation, folks. ;)
Want to hike to Vernal and Nevada Falls? Pin this for later!
Comments