Panorama Trail
What to Expect
Safety Advisory
The granite stairways near Vernal and Nevada Falls are dangerously slick when wet. Multiple fatalities have occurred from hikers leaving the trail near the river above the falls — stay behind every guardrail, no photograph is worth it.
The exposed climb out of Illilouette Creek can push temperatures well above 90 degrees in midsummer. Heat exhaustion is a real risk on this section — start early and take the shade breaks where you can find them.
Trail Details
Pro Tips
Run this as a point-to-point by taking the Glacier Point shuttle or tour bus up and hiking down to Happy Isles — you'll net about 3,200 feet of descent instead of climbing, and the views unfold in front of you the entire way.
Carry at least three liters of water. The climb out of Illilouette Creek is fully exposed and south-facing, and there's no reliable water source until you reach the Merced River near the falls.
At the junction where the John Muir Trail and Mist Trail split, take the Mist Trail down past Vernal Fall for the full experience — you'll get soaked by spray on the granite staircase, but the close-up power of that waterfall is worth every slippery step.
