The Mist Trail runs from the eastern end of the developed part of the valley up the canyon to the waterfalls, and then beyond to vast stretches of backcountry wilderness. You could hike out there for weeks if you wanted to (and could carry that much food!). The trail itself is absolutely enchanting, winding and climbing through a mixture of pine and deciduous forest, along the swift rapids of a river running with the Spring snow melt, the water clear as glass. Ferns growing on the forest floor, granite boulders covered with moss and lichens, in some place the trail flat covered with soft pine needles, in other places steep with rough steps built from the grey granite that the mountians themselves are made from. The trail runs along the river, which is mostly rapids pounding over granite boulders. As you approach the falls, you begin to hear a rumble which grows to a continuous thundering boom as you get closer.

After a walk of a little over 2 miles, the first waterfall you come to is Vernal Falls. You have to climb up a set of granite steps downstream of it, but the spray and mist blows for hundreds of feet out from the falls, so there's no way to avoid getting very wet. However, once you become resigned to getting doused by the cool spray, you want to revel in it - in this way you truly experience the waterfall by being touched by it is a gentle way, in spite of the force and power with which it hammers to rocks below. As an added bonus, the rainbow created by the mist and the afternoon sun looks like it is following about 4 feet behind you - like the waterfall has given you your own personal rainbow.

Once you emerge from the mist, the trail goes up to a narrow staircase of granite steps that run along the same cliff face that the water flows over. This stairway takes you to the top of the cliff and to the very edge of the falls.

From here, the trail continues on for about another mile and a half and brings you to Nevada Falls. Here the mist and spray is even thicker, seeming to gallop down the river from the base of the falls. The trail is drier though, not requiring the same level of intimacy with the water as that demanded by Vernal Falls

 

This hike was about 7 miles round trip, with a vertical climb of perhaps 1200 feet. Not bad for an afternoon. However, since I had started late, it was just about sundown when I got back to camp.