Vernal Fall

Vernal Fall is accessible via the 1.5-mi. Mist Trail from Happy Isles in Yosemite Valley. Visitors climb the uphill trail through the mist of the fall, which flows year-round. By mid- to late summer, the 317-foot-tall waterfall often splits into separate falls as water flows decrease. A footbridge along Mist Trail offers great views of Vernal Fall, as does Glacier Point. The top of Vernal Fall is accessible via the Mist Trail, May through October; access is via the John Muir Trail the rest of the year.

Note: The steep hike to the top of the fall requires climbing 600 granite steps. In spring and early summer, hikers should expect to get wet.