How To Hike Yosemite’s Mist Trail + John Muir Trail Loop

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Photo of a wide open landscape with a wispy waterfall and tall granite monoliths bursting out from evergreen trees into a deep blue and clear sky on the Mist Trail John Muir Trail Loop hike to Vernal and Nevada Falls in Yosemite National Park

The steep and lung-busting Mist Trail is Yosemite’s most heavily trafficked hike. We climbed up beyond Vernal Fall and Nevada Fall before completing a supremely scenic loop back to the trailhead via John Muir Trail when we visited Yosemite, and it instantly became one our favorite hikes in the US. Don’t worry if you can’t win a Half Dome permit, you’ve got this fantastic trail in reserve.

In this guide we explain everything you need to know about hiking the Mist Trail and John Muir Trail Loop in Yosemite, based on our experiences.

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Our Experience

Hiking couple sat together on a boulder in front of Liberty Cap a huge granite monolith on the Mist Trail John Muir Trail loop hike in Yosemite on a clear day with blue sky
Here we are near Nevada Fall with Liberty Cap looming behind us

We spent 3 full days in Yosemite in October 2019 and it blew us away. We explored the park from dawn to dusk so we could see and do as much as possible, and we applied for Half Dome permits in the daily lottery. Our backup plan in the very likely event we weren’t successful was to hike Mist Trail, which still looked amazing and was a clear second on our Yosemite hiking wishlist.

After receiving the expected bad news about Half Dome, we sucked it up and shrugged off the disappointment. We still had Mist Trail to hike, and what a backup trail it turned out to be. It followed half of the hike to Half Dome anyway, passing by waterfalls and stunning viewpoints. And we didn’t need to win a permit, another reason it’s the most popular trail in Yosemite. Read more about us.

Getting To The Trailhead

Brown sign showing directions to a hike and landmarks in a forest
Follow this trailhead sign if you park at Yosemite Valley Trailhead

The trailhead for both Mist Trail and John Muir Trail is located near the Happy Isles Bridge on the far east side of Yosemite Valley. Here are the easiest ways to access the trailhead:

  • Car – The closest place you can park your own vehicle is Yosemite Valley Trailhead Parking. We parked here and walked a 0.7-mile connector trail to reach the trailhead. Note, this added 1.4 miles to the total distance we hiked from the trailhead proper.
  • Shuttle – You can also take the East Valley Shuttle to stop #16 (Happy Isles). From the shuttle stop you just walk 0.1 miles across the bridge and you’re right at the trailhead, so this is the option to take if you want to keep your hiking distance to a minimum.

You could also walk if you’re staying at Upper Pines Campground, Lower Pines Campground or Curry Village lodging. It would add on extra distance but it would be extremely convenient and you wouldn’t have to worry about parking or lining up for a shuttle.

Mist Trail vs John Muir Trail

Route map showing the Mist Trail hike in Yosemite National Park with colored lined representing John Muir Trail, a cut through and the locations of waterfalls, trailhead and summit
We created this route map to help you visualize the hike (turn your phone horizontal to enlarge the map)

Okay, next let’s figure out the route you want to take. From the trailhead you’ll begin by walking on John Muir Trail until you reach a trail split not long after crossing the long wooden Vernal Falls Footbridge. It’s around 2,000 feet elevation gain from the trail split to Nevada Fall, which is the highest point on the trail.

But there are various ways you can hike from the trail split to Nevada Fall (use our map above to follow along):

  • Mist Trail out-and back (5.4 miles roundtrip)
  • John Muir Trail out-and back (7.2 miles roundtrip)
  • Mist Trail up + John Muir Trail down (6.3 miles roundtrip)
  • John Muir Trail up + Mist Trail down (6.3 miles roundtrip)

The Mist Trail (orange line in our map) is shorter, steeper and more direct. Whereas John Muir Trail (purple line in our map) is longer, less steep and less direct. We hiked Mist Trail up and John Muir Trail down because it’s the most popular way to do it, and it meant we got to see more viewpoints. But you can do it whichever way is most comfortable for your hiking style and ability.

Now, there’s also a cut-through from John Muir Trail at Clark Point (green line in our map) to Mist Trail at the top of Vernal Fall. This gives you an extra option on the way up and down. Some hikers choose to hike Mist Trail up to Vernal Fall, then cut through to the more gradual John Muir Trail at Clark Point to avoid the steep climb on Mist Trail to the summit.

It’s important to know that this is a strenuous hike no matter which route your take up or down, and it takes the average hiker around 4-5 hours to complete. You might be quicker or slower, but plan for this trail to eat up at least half a day on your Yosemite itinerary.

Hiking tip: Always keep on top of live hiking conditions in Yosemite to ensure the trail is fully open or see any changes to the route.

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Walkthrough: Mist Trail + John Muir Trail Loop

Let’s walk step-by-step through our hike, so you know exactly what to expect:

1. Begin The Hike

Hiker alone on a long wooden bridge surrounded by trees
Here’s Kristen crossing the Vernal Falls Footbridge

Despite visiting in the off season near the end of October, we still expected parking at Yosemite Valley Trailhead to be challenging so we arrived early. It turned out to be fairly quiet and the lot was bigger than we imagined, so we had no problems finding a free space. It was a chilly morning, so we started in medium layers but left room in our daypack to take them off as we warmed up. After walking for around 12 minutes on the connector trail we reached the trailhead proper on the far side of Happy Isles Bridge.

2. Trail Split

Metal sign with letters cut out on a forest hike in Yosemite
This is the sign you should follow at the trail split

The trail began through forest and large boulders along the eastern banks of the Merced River. It was flat and easy, with some light elevation gain. We passed a trail sign showing the distances of all routes on the High Sierra Loop Trail and eventually reached a walled area with amazing views of towering granite formations. The path became steeper but stunning scenery all around us took our minds off the thigh burn. Before long we crossed the wooden Vernal Falls Footbridge and reached the very obvious trail split for Mist and John Muir.

3. Vernal Fall

Photo of a thin waterfall dropping over a flat shelf and plummeting into a small round pool at Vernal Fall on the Mist Trail in Yosemite
You can see Vernal Fall wasn’t at its mightiest when we hiked in October

We continued straight on Mist Trail and began climbing lots and lots of stone steps. It felt like a never-ending stone staircase. But after around half a mile of continuous elevation gain we finally arrived at the base of Vernal Fall. And it was very disappointing! It’s one of Yosemite’s top photo spots and in spring or early summer the waterfall will look awesome, but we visited in October and there was barely a trickle. Vernal Fall is a 317 ft single drop waterfall and in the right conditions you might see a rainbow form above a small round pool at its base.

4. Steep Climb

Hiker in red shirt walking up a steep boulder hike with views of trees and granite mountains
This was Kristen climbing up a steeper part of the hike near Nevada Fall

We kept climbing and reached a flat expanse at the top of Vernal Fall. Lots of people were sat eating snacks, enjoying views and walking out to a fenced off area just a few feet away from the top of the waterfall. We had a quick look around and used a restroom before cracking on with the climb. Not long after leaving we crossed a bridge over Silver Apron with awesome views of Liberty Cap, entered a forest and began climbing a steep twisting path. This was our least favorite part of the hike because it was tough going.

5. Nevada Fall

Photo of a thin waterfall dropping over a cliff with far reaching views of granite rock formations from Nevada Falls on the Mist Trail hike in Yosemite
We took this photo from where we sat to have lunch on top of Nevada Fall

The last part of the Mist Trail ascent was a short series of switchbacks before we reached a crossroads. To the left Half Dome, to the right Nevada Fall and John Muir Trail. If you’re 1 of the 300 (hikers, not Spartans) taking on Half Dome, this is where you’ll leave the trail before rejoining it much later in the day. Instead we turned right and crossed a flat landscape to the 594 ft tall Nevada Fall. The views were amazing and to our right side was a massive granite dome bursting into the sky. It wasn’t Half Dome, it was Liberty Cap.

6. John Muir Trail

Hiking trail with a sign saying Clark Point and views over towering granite monoliths on a clear day in California
The view over Nevada Fall, Liberty Cap and the backside of Half Dome is amazing

We stopped for lunch on rocks next to a wooden bridge crossing the top of Nevada Fall, then we began our slow and gradual descent back to the trailhead. About half a mile later the best views on the entire hike opened up over Nevada Fall, Liberty Cap and the back of Half Dome. We passed patches of ice in deep shadow on the way to Clark Point (where you can cut back onto Mist Trail), then followed switchbacks down to the trail split and finished the hike the same way we began. If it’s your first Yosemite vacation and you don’t win Half Dome permits, this loop trail is a fantastic backup option!

Hiking Tips

Rocky hiking trail leading to a wooden bridge surrounded by evergreen trees and a tall granite monolith in the distance on a clear day with blue sky on the Mist Trail in Yosemite
We crossed this wooden bridge not long after leaving Vernal Fall

Here are our top tips for the hike:

  • You do not need a permit to hike any variation of the trail to Nevada Falls
  • But you can’t continue up Half Dome without a permit
  • Vernal Falls and back is great for beginner hikers (2.4 miles roundtrip + 1,000 ft elevation gain)
  • You can only see the bottom of Vernal Falls on Mist Trail
  • The best views on the hike are found on John Muir Trail
  • Arrive at trailhead parking very early if you visit Yosemite in peak season
  • Use the park shuttle if you don’t want to deal with parking
  • The trails are very wet and slippery so take extra care
  • Wear robust shoes with good grips
  • Check recent comments on All Trails

Best Time To Hike Mist Trail

Hiker pointing to a large patch of ice on a hiking trail and rocky wall
Here’s Kristen next to a huge patch of ice on the descent

Late spring is the best time of year to hike Mist Trail because Vernal Fall and Nevada Fall are in full flow, hiking temperatures are comfortable, parking is easier and the trail is relatively quiet.

In summer you’d have warmer weather but the trail would be very busy and parking would be problematic. Also, the waterfalls will steadily dry out through the summer months. It was cold and the waterfalls were almost non-existent during our hike in the fall. But the trail was quiet and we had no issues parking.

Personally, we’d avoid visiting Yosemite in July or August when it’s overcrowded, expensive and hard to book any accommodation. Plus, hotter temperatures would make this hike even more challenging. This is especially true for weekends and holiday weekends.

The Morgan Conclusion

Two hikers embracing on a hiking path next to a log with a wispy waterfall plummeting from a flat rock behind
Here we are enjoying the hike despite Vernal Fall being so wispy

What we like: Our favorite thing about this hike is the staggering views throughout. It’s also a good challenge without being too strenuous, and a nice distance without being too long. Finally, we like that it’s easy to access by car or shuttle.

What we don’t like: The worst part about this hike for us was going all the way up to Nevada Fall but having to miss out on Half Dome because we didn’t win permits. We were also surprised at how much of the trail was very slippery underfoot because of wet leaves or ice.

Is Mist Trail worth hiking? Yes, the Mist Trail and John Muir Trail Loop is definitely worth hiking when you visit Yosemite. It’s the most popular hike in the park because it passes by two huge waterfalls and has picturesque views from start to finish. The trail is perfect for solo hikers, groups, couples and families with kids who love to hike.

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We hope our to hiking Mist Trail helps with planning your trip to Yosemite!

Please let us know if you have any questions in the comments below.

Happy Travels,

Mark and Kristen

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6 thoughts on “How To Hike Yosemite’s Mist Trail + John Muir Trail Loop”

  1. Hi my wife and I are going to Yosemite in late May and would plan to do this hike but is there any issues we should be aware of from animals (bears etc).
    Great site by the way.

    Reply
    • Hi Stuart, glad to hear you have a trip to Yosemite planned. No, animals won’t be an issue for you in the valley. There are no grizzly bears in Yosemite, only black bears and they tend to avoid humans. If you see one in the distance on a hike, keep it that way and don’t try to approach. We did see a mountain lion cub near Yosemite Falls in October and quickly left but there have been no mountain lion attacks in the park. Hiking Mist Trail in May you will enjoy the highest volume of water flowing over Vernal and Nevada Falls, just take care on the steep steps as they may be wet from spray. Have a great time!

      Reply
  2. Thank you. You do not comment regarding the value of hiking poles nor do you mention them
    In your list of hiking essentials. I am always looking for help with the poles/no poles decision. We are going to Yosemite next Wednesday for #52. Odd I have not visited your site during past planning. I tend to strap them on the backpack just in case but it looks like the will be helpful with the Mist to Muir loop.
    Also good advice would to add would be:
    1. low hikers vs. high hikers for a given trail; (I think low on mist Muir but perhaps high on 4 mile??)
    2. Bring binoculars or not. I usually don’t because of the weight.
    3. I went from the A6300 to the aR7iii. I struggle with when to pack the zoom. I usually do as you did: 16/35 and 24/105. Did you switch to the 24/105 on this hike? My Batis 2.8/18 also rocks landscapes.
    Thank you.

    Reply
    • Hi Brian, thanks for getting in touch. If you typically hike with poles, this is definitely a trail to use them. Mist is quite steep and there are steps in several sections. We personally don’t use poles but we saw plenty of hikers using them here. Low hikers are fine for Mist, but you are visiting in Spring so water may spray onto the trail from waterfalls. We wouldn’t bother with binoculars due to additional weight and mostly obstructed views, and your 24/105 will do just fine throughout the Mist John Muir Loop. Have a great time in Yosemite!

      Reply

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