Mist Trailhead — Attraction in Oakhurst

This area is very popular for hikes since there are several trailheads in the area. There’s a small lot that takes you close to this trailhead that fills up very early but the actual trail is still a good walk away from there. Most people will ride in on bikes and park near the trailhead or will take the shuttle which will stop at the nearest restrooms prior to the trails. Since this area is so busy the streets are closed off to all vehicles aside from the shuttles so it’s best to leave your car behind if you don’t plan on arriving prior to 8AM. To the bridge pictured it’s about 30-45 minutes of a steep incline on a paved winding trail up the mountainside. Because the elevation gains are so quick, it is easy to get out of breath. We suggest traveling light and going early to avoid adding more stress from the heat during the later times of day. It is also good to take breaks for water and catch your breath especially if you have prior medical conditions. From this point the trail splits and a more direct route can be taken to the top of the falls during the summer months. It is no longer paved from here forward but is mainly stone and is comprised of stairs most of the way which can be slippery. During the rainy season, and when the snow first begins to melt, the current is much stronger which leads to wetter conditions on the trail. In August the waterfall is more calm so it is only a light mist but you can still get pretty wet depending on how long you stand there taking pictures. Leading up to the falls there are steps made of stone which become wet and slippery and can be more treacherous when there are a lot of people going up and down the trail. We went up at 8AM and by the time we came down it took us a long time to traverse through all the people on their way up. Overall from the trailhead to the top is around 1.5 hours if you stop to take pictures and catch your breath. Once your reach the top there is a small lake which you aren’t allowed to get in to protect the local wildlife and plants but there is plenty of room to sit around and enjoy the view. After this point if you choose to continue you can hike further to Nevada falls which is still another 3 miles from this point. On the way back down from Nevada falls you can then opt to go back down through the mist trail or traverse around via the John Muir trail which we previously mentioned as also being the winter trail for Vernal falls. If you don’t mind getting your clothes wet we highly recommend the...

This is a tough one to review with any fairness to the trail itself. I say this because the trail on its own despite its difficulties does deliver as promised and leads you to some amazing views of Vernal and Nevada Falls. It also offers you some other beautiful views of the country side. It will challenge you and make you earn the rewards you seek and I respect that and enjoy it. Now on the flip side of all that and to the point of what makes this so hard to not review subjectively is the human aspect. Plain and simple this trail is not suitable for the volume of people that hike it daily and it’s because of that, that makes it so frustrating, dangerous and twice as difficult as it needs to be and robs the enjoyment right out of the experience. Most of the traffic is people just going to see the falls and the rest is heading up to Half Dome. There are some sections that are really narrow with steep slipper(either by water or grit)steps that you have people moving in both directions trying to pass each other through and in my opinion is just putting everyone at unnecessary risk. I’m sure some people will say its been that way forever and I’m just complaining to complain. I am complaining but not because my expectations are unrealistic or selfish. I think an easy solution to making this trail safer for everyone and more enjoyable would be if they implemented the permit system either by day or by time periods with first dibs going to the Half Dome hikers in the AM hours. Another option would be rerouting returning Half Dome hikers to the JMT which is what we did ourselves. I think most people who’ve hike this would have to agree with me and feel it’s time for some...

I've hiked the Mist Trail several times now, but it never gets old. Simply stunning. If you're looking for a shorter hike (under 3 miles), then the hike to Vernal Falls is the one to do.

Couple of pointers: This is a very popular hike (since it's so awe inspiring and majestic and fun). The crowds won't take much away from the experience if you start later in the day, but if you start early (around 6am in the busy summer months), you will have many views of the falls and wilderness unobstructed by people.

The first part is along an asphalt trail up the Merced River. Once you reach the bridge, it turns to dirt, and then shortly after that, to steep granite steps the rest of the way. It's super fun for kids, but be mindful of their activity, since there is some pretty decent exposure to cliffs below.

It's a wet trail. It takes you up through the mist of the falls, so you will most likely get wet. I always bring a rain jacket, but typically don't use it. It's feels good, especially on sunny days.

The trail continues to Nevada falls, if you're looking for a longer hike, and from there picks up the John Muir Trail, which is much longer, and is the route to Half Dome (which requires permits to hike, as do overnight trips on the JMT). But the JMT can also take you to both Vernal Falls and Nevada Falls, so we like to hike up the Mist Trail and return on the JMT for a looped hike. I would recommend this, since the JMT back includes Clark Point, with a most stunning view of Vernal Falls. It's also new scenery (I love loops for this), and usually a little less crowded.

Pack a picnic, soak in the sunny scenery, and enjoy this iconic California...