Vernal Falls Moderate


Image 1 of 5;
Click arrow to scroll or click image to enlarge
Location: Yosemite Village, Yosemite National Park, Mariposa County
Stream: Merced River
Alternate Names:

Height: 317 ft.
Access:   hike   nodog  
Distance: 4.4 miles (RT)
Elevation: 4000 ft. (+1000 ft.)
Season: Apr-Jul
Form:   curtain
Lat/Long:37.72743, -119.54377
Directions:On Southside Drive, drive to Curry Village and park. Then take the free shuttle to Happy Isles, stop #16. Start walking up the paved trail to the Vernal Falls bridge.

Vernal Falls is one of my favourite waterfalls in Yosemite National Park. What I love so much about Vernal Falls is how smooth Merced River flows over the rock ledge, and yet the waterfall is 80 ft. wide. The waterfall is incredibly picturesque.

On the hike up to the falls, you will get quite wet on the infamous Mist Trail even in the summer, so bring rain gear. The hike itself is a wonderful experience, as you climb up a stair ledge, right beside Vernal Falls. It is perhaps the best waterfall hike in the country, the only drawback is the large number of people on the trail (I recommend going in the early morning). However, it is not a particularly easy hike, as you gain 1000 ft. just up to the top of Vernal Falls. The Mist Trail is closed in winter months from the junction of the John Muir Trail just past the Vernal Falls bridge.

There are great views from the top as you stand beside Vernal Falls. For a more strenuous hike from here, you can continue up to the top of Nevada Falls, another highly recommended hike.

2 Miles SSW Yosemite CA (Elev. 6365 ft)

This Afternoon
Mostly sunny, with a high near 59. West wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tonight
Mostly cloudy, with a low around 42. Calm wind.
Friday
Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 58. Light and variable wind becoming west 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon.
Friday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 42. Calm wind.
Saturday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 59. Light and variable wind becoming west 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon.
Saturday Night
Clear, with a low around 44. West wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light and variable in the evening.
Sunday
Sunny, with a high near 63. East northeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west southwest in the morning.
Sunday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 45. West wind 5 to 10 mph becoming east northeast in the evening.
Monday
Sunny, with a high near 62. East northeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west southwest in the morning.
Monday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 43. West southwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming east after midnight.
Tuesday
Sunny, with a high near 56. East wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west southwest in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 15 mph.
Tuesday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 40. West southwest wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph.
Wednesday
A 20 percent chance of rain. Mostly sunny, with a high near 50. West southwest wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph.

Get Google Maps directions to trailhead

Zoom out on map to see all nearby waterfalls:

Other waterfalls nearby:

Silver Apron Falls 0.12 miles
Nevada Falls 0.62 miles
Illilouette Falls 1.31 miles
Staircase Falls 1.74 miles
Royal Arch Cascade 2.10 miles
Tenaya Falls 2.36 miles
Snow Creek Falls 2.66 miles
Sentinel Falls 2.81 miles
Lehamite Falls 3.03 miles
Lower Yosemite Falls 3.25 miles
Merced River Falls 3.40 miles
Upper Yosemite Falls 3.45 miles
Clark Fork Falls 4.00 miles
Bunnell Cascade 4.12 miles
Lower Pywiack Cascade 4.78 miles
Horsetail Falls 4.94 miles
Pywiack Cascade 5.07 miles
Bridalveil Falls 5.52 miles
Ribbon Falls 5.58 miles
Echo Creek Falls 5.94 miles
Silverlace Falls 6.23 miles
Widows Tears 6.63 miles
Upper Tenaya Creek Falls 6.80 miles
Silver Strand Falls 6.86 miles
Tioga Pass Falls 8.48 miles
Lower Washburn Lake Falls 8.68 miles
Cascades 8.98 miles
Tamarack Falls 9.13 miles
Wildcat Falls 9.20 miles
Upper Washburn Lake Falls 9.53 miles
Sacred Pool Falls 9.97 miles

High Sierra Waterfalls Home Page