Parking
There is no general parking at Happy Isles. The simplest start is shuttle stop 16. NPS lists limited accessible parking nearby; reaching it by Happy Isles Loop Road requires a disability placard.
Overview
About Happy Isles Nature Trail to the Fen
Why go
- A boardwalk brings you close to a groundwater-fed fen and its water-loving plants.
- Wheelchair-accessible approach from shuttle stop 16.
Heads up
- There is no general parking immediately at Happy Isles.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Yosemite map
Full mapElevation4,016–4,033 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
4 active Yosemite alerts
- CautionMist Trail access limited during October repairsMentions Mist Trail, referenced in this guideThe Mist Trail between its John Muir Trail junction above the Vernal Fall footbridge and the top of Vernal Fall has limited access through October for repair work.Official details
- ClosureDome Fire closes Glacier Point Road and trailsGlacier Point Road is temporarily closed because Dome Fire smoke reduces visibility and to allow firefighting operations; some trails south of the road are also closed.Official details
“Up ahead is Curry Village, a useful stop for a meal even if you're staying elsewhere. Pizza Deck has hand-tossed pizza, and Taqueria at the Meadow Grill serves tacos and burritos.”
Yosemite Tour Guide
Yosemite, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Yosemite National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Yosemite audio tourRecorded for this trailhead
Curry Village and Stoneman Meadow0:00 / 0:34
“Up ahead is Curry Village, a useful stop for a meal even if you're staying elsewhere. Pizza Deck has hand-tossed pizza, and Taqueria at the Meadow Grill serves tacos and burritos.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Yosemite Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Mirror Lake
- Happy Isles and Vernal Fall Footbridge
- Glacier Point
- Washburn Point
- 125 audio storiesacross Yosemite’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Black Bear, Peregrine Falcon, Mule Deer, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 141 trails, 99 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“We just drove through Yosemite and it made our trip listening to this app as we drove through. Like having a tour guide in the car with you.”
Trail guide
Hiking Happy Isles Nature Trail to the Fen
Walk to the fenHappy Isles Nature Trail to the Fen is an easy, roughly 0.
Happy Isles Nature Trail to the Fen is an easy, roughly 0.8-mile out-and-back from Happy Isles shuttle stop 16. Follow a gently rolling path and boardwalk to a small wetland, then return the same way. Allow about 30 minutes with a pause to look around. This is a short nature stop, separate from the steeper Mist Trail nearby.
What makes the fen differentA fen is a peat-forming wetland fed by groundwater.
A fen is a peat-forming wetland fed by groundwater. It stays wet through the year and supports sedges, horsetails, ferns, and other water-loving plants; the wetland also attracts many animals. The boardwalk brings you close to this small habitat in the eastern end of Yosemite Valley.
Access and footingThe path and boardwalk from shuttle stop 16 are wheelchair accessible.
The path and boardwalk from shuttle stop 16 are wheelchair accessible. Boards can be slippery when wet or icy, and spring snowmelt may flood the area. Pets are not allowed on Yosemite trails; service animals are permitted.
Add the nature centerThe Happy Isles Art and Nature Center is beside the walk, with natural-history exhibits,…
The Happy Isles Art and Nature Center is beside the walk, with natural-history exhibits, interactive displays, tactile exhibits, and art workshops. It operates seasonally, so check its schedule before making it part of your plan.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Yosemite
732 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
1,747 sightingsMule DeerMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
332 sightingsCoyoteMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
11 sightingsPeregrine FalconMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
276 sightingsPikaMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
677 sightingsYellow-bellied MarmotMost seen around 8 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Yosemite. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
