Parking
Take the Valleywide or East Valley Shuttle to Happy Isles stop 16. There is no parking at the trailhead; Curry Village is the nearest lot, about 1 mile away.
Overview
About Vernal Fall Footbridge Trail
Why go
- The bridge gives a close river and waterfall view without the climb to the falls’ top.
Heads up
- The short distance still packs in a steep climb.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Yosemite map
Full mapElevation4,055–4,531 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
“You're nearing the access for Happy Isles and the Vernal Fall hike. My pick for a shorter outing is the footbridge: one point six miles round trip from Happy Isles, with a steep climb taking one to one and a half hours.”
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
Happy Isles and Vernal Fall Footbridge0:00 / 0:25
“You're nearing the access for Happy Isles and the Vernal Fall hike. My pick for a shorter outing is the footbridge: one point six miles round trip from Happy Isles, with a steep climb taking one to one and a half hours.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Yosemite Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Mirror Lake
- Glacier Point
- Curry Village and Stoneman Meadow
- 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 Vernal Fall Footbridge Trail
The short climbVernal Fall Footbridge Trail is a 1.
Vernal Fall Footbridge Trail is a 1.6-mile round-trip out-and-back from the Mist and John Muir Trailhead at Happy Isles to the footbridge and back, with about 400 feet of elevation gain. Allow 1 to 1½ hours. It’s a good choice if you want a close look at the Merced River and Vernal Fall without taking on the longer climb to the waterfall’s top.
Turn around at the bridgeThe footbridge crosses the Merced just below Vernal Fall, which drops 317 feet into the river.
The footbridge crosses the Merced just below Vernal Fall, which drops 317 feet into the river. Look upstream toward the fall and downstream through the canyon. This is the endpoint for the short route; the Mist Trail and John Muir Trail split beyond the bridge, and continuing to the top of Vernal Fall adds a much longer, steeper hike. The fall usually runs strongest in late April and early May, when spray is part of the experience.
Watch the footingThe climb is steep for such a short walk.
The climb is steep for such a short walk. Spring and early-summer spray can make the path slippery. The lower Mist Trail may close in winter because of ice and falling rock, so check the park’s route status before setting out. Drinking water is available near the Happy Isles shuttle stop and seasonally at the bridge from May through October; seasonal restrooms are at the trailhead and bridge. Pets, bicycles, and strollers aren’t allowed.
Getting to the startUse the Valleywide or East Valley Shuttle to reach Happy Isles stop 16.
Use the Valleywide or East Valley Shuttle to reach Happy Isles stop 16. There’s no parking at the trailhead; Curry Village is the nearest lot, about a mile away.
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.
