Take a raincoat!

This post was in response to Vernal Fall

The Mist Trail remains our most memorable hike in Yosemite, Summer of 2010.

Two families with four kids 11-14 years old arrived at the Park in the afternoon and we wanted to do one hike that day. One of the adults had heard of the Mist Trail to Vernal Falls and we took the shuttle from our lodge to the trail head around 4:00.

We did two things wrong – went too late and did not take raincoats or warm clothes!

It was an amazing hike and seeing a rainbow as we rounded a curve on the trail was breathtaking. But, it was a bit slippery and wet and we had not prepared for that.

As we were descending, we all shivered. The sun was sinking behind all the granite mountains and so it was shady and chillier than it would have been earlier in the day.

The trail is a great experience, but a bit scary because there are no railings on the wet granite steps and it seems possible that one could slip.

We saw young children on the trail having no problem, but I would not bring a very young child there just in case!