Hiking Yosemite Mist Trail and John Muir Trail Loop via Nevada Fall | 4K HDR

This silent POV hike video covers a 13.93 km (8.66 mi) loop hike starting and finishing at Upper Pines Campground near Curry Village, in the eastern end of Yosemite Valley, at 1,207 m (3,961 ft). The route ascends via the Mist Trail and descends via the John Muir Trail (JMT), passing two consecutive waterfalls on the Merced River — Vernal Fall and Nevada Fall — collectively known as the Giant Staircase. Total elevation gain is 765 m (2,510 ft), with a high point of 1,832 m (6,012 ft) at the JMT trail junction just above Nevada Fall. The hike begins with a 1.65 km (1.02 mi) flat walk east through Yosemite Valley to the Happy Isles Nature Center at 1,231 m (4,039 ft), the starting point of the Mist Trail, which is served year-round by the Yosemite Valley Shuttle at stop 16. From Happy Isles the Mist Trail follows the south bank of the Merced River before climbing steadily to the Vernal Fall footbridge at 1,535 m (5,035 ft), a fixed viewpoint of Vernal Fall directly across the river. Vernal Fall drops 97 m (317 ft) on the Merced River and is visible in full from the footbridge. Above the footbridge the trail ascends granite steps cut directly into the cliff face alongside the waterfall, passing through its mist zone, and emerges at the Emerald Pool at 1,708 m (5,602 ft) — a calm section of the Merced River positioned above the brink of Vernal Fall. The trail continues past the Silver Apron, a smooth polished granite slope worn by the Merced River with a 15 m (50 ft) drop, before reaching Nevada Fall at 1,824 m (5,984 ft). Nevada Fall drops 181 m (594 ft) and is flanked on its north side by Liberty Cap, a granite dome at 2,157 m (7,076 ft). The turnaround point is the JMT trail junction 0.84 km (0.52 mi) above Nevada Fall at 1,832 m (6,012 ft), reached at 6.98 km (4.34 mi) from the start. Half Dome at 2,694 m (8,842 ft) is visible from Nevada Fall and from the upper JMT section on the return. The descent follows the John Muir Trail, which takes a longer switchback route through open forest and avoids the granite steps entirely, making it suitable for trail running. Clark Point at approximately 1,664 m (5,460 ft) provides an elevated view back down to the Mist Trail and the Merced River gorge below. The JMT rejoins the valley path at Happy Isles at 1,225 m (4,020 ft), after which 1.22 km (0.76 mi) of flat valley walking returns to the Curry Village starting point. The full hike was completed in 2 hours and 49 minutes including stops, with approximately 2 hours and 32 minutes of moving time, recorded on October 2024. Main Hike Statistics Total Distance 13.63 km (8.45 mi) Cumulative Elevation Gain 815 m (2674 ft) Starting Elevation 1207 m (3960 ft) Highest Point Elevation 1819 m (5967 ft) This video is part of a series documenting a California hiking trip in autumn 2024. This video is optimized for high-resolution HDR displays. Creating this content requires significant work. You can support the channel by purchasing the original music at https://rubihammer.bandcamp.com/ or by buying me a coffee at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/rubihammer Video recording, hiking and traveling gear I use: Ultralight 4K Cinema Gear, For Hikes & Scenic Drive Video Recording (Amazon affiliate link): https://amzn.to/49FL2JK Immersive Audio & Field Recording for the Outdoors (Amazon affiliate link): https://amzn.to/3NISFq3 Ultralight Hike & Trail Run Essentials (Amazon affiliate link): https://amzn.to/4k6xZVi Technical Hiking and Trail Running Apparel (Amazon affiliate link): https://amzn.to/3LAuEkx Endurance Fuel & Trail Nutrition (Amazon affiliate link): https://amzn.to/4abmZCy Wilderness Tools & Road Trip Survival (Amazon affiliate link): ​​https://amzn.to/3ZwXCow Data Storage: Outdoors to Studio (Amazon affiliate link): https://amzn.to/4blosY4 DISCLAIMER: Links included in this description might be Amazon affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links provided I may receive a small commission, but without any additional charge to you. Video Chapters: 00:00:00 Geographic overview and opening title 00:00:58 Curry Village Trailhead to Vernal Fall Footbridge 00:18:40 Vernal Fall Footbridge to Top of Vernal Fall 00:38:00 Top of Vernal Fall to Top of Nevada Fall 01:18:00 Top of Nevada Fall to Clark Point 01:39:30 Clark Point to Vernal Fall Footbridge 02:01:00 Vernal Fall Footbridge to Curry Village 02:07:55 Back at Curry Village and hike statistics summery