About
Length5.4 mi
ShapeLoop
DifficultyStrenuous
Elevation gain2,000 ft up
Typical time3 hr 45 min
TrailheadHappy Isles, Yosemite Valley
SurfaceGranite steps, wet and slippery in spring
Best seasonWaterfalls peak in May and June. Tioga and Glacier Point roads open late May or June and close with the first big snow.
DogsNot allowed
What you'll see 💧 Waterfall🌄 Big views🌊 River or creek

Common turnarounds: the Vernal Fall footbridge at 1.6 miles round trip, the top of Vernal Fall at 2.4 miles and 1,000 feet, and the top of Nevada Fall at 5.4 miles and 2,000 feet. Returning by the John Muir Trail makes a loop with a longer but gentler descent.

Tips
In May and June the spray genuinely soaks you and the steps are slick - a waterproof and proper boots are not optional. Go up the Mist Trail and down the John Muir Trail. Never enter the river above either fall; that is how almost every fatality here happens.
Location

Happy Isles, Yosemite Valley

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