Happy Isles to Little Yosemite Valley via Nevada Falls Trail – John Muir Trail, Day 1
In June 2014, four friends and I embarked on a 3-day backpacking trip in Yosemite. We started our hike in Tuolumne Meadows and ended it in Yosemite Valley backpackers campground. Our journey through this spectacular national park was filled with awe-inspiring views and thrilling hikes. Little did I know that I would embark on an even more ambitious trip two years later.
In mid-July 2016, I returned to Yosemite with the same group of friends. This time, though, the trip was different in two significant ways. First, although we hiked the same route, we hiked the reverse direction this time from the backpacker’s campground in Yosemite Valley to Tuolumne Meadows. Second, and more importantly for Don and me, this section of our hike was just the tip of the iceberg. Don and I were preparing to embark on a 13-day, 220-mile thru-hiking adventure along the entire length of the John Muir Trail, stretching from Yosemite Valley to the summit of Mount Whitney, California’s highest peak.
Happy Isles to Nevada Falls
We started day one in a typical lazy fashion, leaving the Yosemite Valley backpackers campground at around 9:00 am. Nestled in the heart of Yosemite Valley, the backpacker’s camp is the perfect launching point for any Yosemite adventure. It is the ideal spot to kick off a backpacking trip from Yosemite Valley to Tuolumne Meadows, the first leg of our hike.
The five of us were excited to start the adventure hiking up to Nevada Falls, where we planned to eat lunch, from the Happy Isles Trailhead. Named after the Sierra Nevada Mountains, Nevada Falls is a 594-foot-high waterfall on the Merced River in Yosemite Valley. From the Happy Isles trailhead, the hike to the top of the falls is about 2.7 miles, over which you’ll gain about 1000 feet of elevation.
A combination of heat and the slow climb left the trail crowded with hikers struggling to reach the falls. We were just past our halfway point for the day. The hike from Happy Isles to Little Yosemite Valley, our destination, is the shortest hike we’ll experience on the JMT.
The roar of the falls continued to grow louder as we made our way up. The view from the top was breathtaking, and we took some time to take in the beauty of the Park. The misty spray of the falls was a welcome relief from the midday heat. We stopped nearby for about an hour to enjoy lunch under shade trees alongside the creek. While relaxing in the shade, I feasted on trail snacks and sipped some cool water from the nearby stream before refilling my water for hiking.
Nevada Falls to Little Yosemite Valley Campgrounds
We continued our hike from Nevada Falls, finishing mid-afternoon at Little Yosemite Valley Campgrounds. Over the next few hours, we swam in the Merced River, washed our clothes, and played several games of bridge before calling it a day.
The Merced River is a 145-mile long river located in Central California. It starts in the high Sierra Nevada Mountains and meanders through Yosemite National Park before emptying into the San Joaquin River. The Merced passes through several waterfalls in Yosemite Valley, including Yosemite Falls, Bridalveil Falls, and Vernal Falls. It’s also popular for swimming, fishing, camping, and rafting. As the sun set on our camp, we settled in for the night, exhausted but excited for the coming days.
My Backpacking Meal Plan
My ultralight backpacking food list for the day included oatmeal with milk and blueberries for breakfast, and Thai peanut noodles and tea for dinner. The Thai peanut noodles recipe was adapted from an original recipe by Andrew Skurka, a renowned long-distance hiker. Dinner was delicious and gave us the energy needed for the next day’s journey. I was looking forward to a good night’s sleep in the backcountry.
We were all looking forward to beginning our hike to Sunrise High Sierra Campground the next day. And I was especially looking forward to sleeping by the meadow under the stars with a full moon. But for now, we’d all have to settle for the soft trickle of the Merced River and the wind rustling through the trees blocking out the stars overhead.
Yay! You’re back!
Good thinking with the clothing line. Your hikes looks so much fun, I can imagine Nevada falls was amazing