Meet your small group in Yosemite Valley’s Curry Village in the morning. After your guides discuss safety precautions and brief you on the approximate 4-hour round-trip hike ahead, warm up with an easy, 1-mile (1.6-km) walk on a bike path that parallels the road. Once you arrive at the starting point of the Mist Trail, located near the Nature Center at Happy Isles, the real challenge begins.
From the trailhead, follow a guide for the first steep mile, and then continue to ascend about 850 vertical feet (259 meters) until you reach the first checkpoint at the base of Vernal Fall. Here, cross a footbridge over the Merced River, which provides your first postcard-worthy view of the 317-foot cascade, one of the Yosemite's best-known waterfalls.
After a bathroom and water break at the bridge, the next .7-mile (1.1-km) portion delivers you to the top of Vernal Fall along a steep, granite-laid staircase. The strenuous Mist Trail winds alongside the massive waterfall, so be prepared to get wet on the way up. Reaching the pinnacle 5,300 feet (1,615 meters) above the valley floor is worth the effort!
Once at the top, your guides provide an informative history lesson on Yosemite National Park and point out visible natural landmarks, including those behind the scenes of the park's typical epic views.
To descend, your small group is offered two options: return down the slippery staircase along the Mist Trail, or choose an alternate route that merges onto the John Muir Trail, which extends the hike by about one mile, but is much less steep and offers different views. The latter option is recommended for groups with younger children or those who feel very tired.
Both trails lead back to the bridge, where you’ll retrace your steps one mile down the paved trail to Happy Isles, and onward to Curry Village around midday. If you’d like, join your guides at the grill or pizza deck and refuel with lunch (own expense) after your adventure.
