The Mist Trail is Yosemite Valley's signature waterfall hike, and it is really three hikes stacked on top of each other: 1.6 miles round trip to the Vernal Fall footbridge, 2.4 miles to the top of Vernal Fall up a staircase carved into the granite, and 5.4 miles to the top of Nevada Fall. You can turn around at any of the three, which is what makes it work for such a wide range of hikers, and the spray that gives the trail its name is at its heaviest in late spring.
How long is the Mist Trail and how hard is it?
Distances are short but the grade is relentless. The footbridge is a 400-foot climb on paved trail and takes most people 45 minutes each way. Continuing to the top of Vernal Fall adds roughly another 600 feet in under a mile, almost all of it on stone steps, for about 1,000 feet of total gain. Pushing on to Nevada Fall brings the round trip to about 5.4 miles and 2,000 feet, which is a genuine half-day effort at 4,000 to 6,000 feet of elevation.
The difficulty is not technical, it is cumulative: uneven stone risers of inconsistent height, wet rock, and a crowd moving in both directions on a staircase with no passing lane. Trekking poles help far more on the descent than the climb.
Where does the Mist Trail start?
The trailhead is at Happy Isles in eastern Yosemite Valley, reached by the free valley shuttle. There is no parking at the trailhead itself, so drivers park at Curry Village or the Trailhead Parking lot and either ride the shuttle or walk the paved path in, which adds roughly a mile each way. In peak season the lots fill early, and starting before 8 a.m. solves the parking problem and the staircase crowd at the same time.
Yosemite has used entry reservation systems in recent years for peak periods, so check the current-year rules on the NPS site before you build a day around an early start. Day hiking the Mist Trail itself requires no permit.
When is the best time to hike it?
Late May and June are the classic window. Snowmelt is at full volume, Vernal Fall genuinely soaks the staircase, and you will want a rain shell rather than a poncho that catches wind. By August the flow drops sharply and the "mist" is mostly memory, though the hike is still fine and the rock is dry and safer underfoot.
The section above the footbridge closes for winter, typically from around late October until spring, because the steps ice over. When it is closed, hikers reach Nevada Fall on the John Muir Trail instead, which is longer and gentler. Check the current-year status before planning a shoulder-season trip.
Should you loop back on the John Muir Trail?
If you are going all the way to Nevada Fall, yes. The standard loop climbs the Mist Trail and descends the John Muir Trail, making it roughly 6.5 miles total. The descent is longer but far easier on the knees than reversing 600 wet stone steps, and it delivers the classic profile view of Nevada Fall with Liberty Cap behind it, which you never see from the Mist Trail itself.
What should you bring?
Two liters of water per person, shoes with real tread, and a packable waterproof layer in spring. Skip the umbrella. There is potable water and a restroom at the footbridge in season and nothing above it, so top off there. Cell service in the valley is unreliable, so download your map before you leave the parking lot.
The Mist Trail also forms the first leg of the Half Dome route; if that is your goal, read our Half Dome permit guide first, because the permit lottery is the hard part, not the hiking. For other options in the valley and the high country, see our roundup of the best hikes in Yosemite, and if you are extending the trip south, Sequoia and Kings Canyon pair well. More California parks are listed in our state guide.
FAQ
How many steps are on the Mist Trail?
Roughly 600 granite steps climb from the Vernal Fall footbridge to the top of the fall. They are irregular in height, often wet, and are the reason the hike feels harder than its short distance suggests.
Do you need a permit to hike the Mist Trail?
No permit is needed for day hiking. You only need a wilderness permit for overnight trips or a separate lottery permit for the Half Dome cables. Park entry reservations may apply at peak times, so check the current-year rules.
Will you actually get wet on the Mist Trail?
In May and June, yes, thoroughly. Spray from Vernal Fall blows across the staircase hard enough to soak clothing and phones. By late summer the flow drops and the trail is usually dry.
Can you hike the Mist Trail with kids?
The footbridge at 1.6 miles round trip is manageable for most school-age children. The staircase above it has exposed drop-offs and slick rock, so judge that section on your own child rather than the distance.
Is the Mist Trail open in winter?
The paved section to the footbridge usually stays open, but the stone staircase above it closes once it ices over, generally from late autumn into spring. The John Muir Trail is the winter alternative to Nevada Fall.