Places and POI · Recreation Areas · Trailhead

Happy Isles (Yosemite)

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The Yosemite Valley trailhead for the Mist Trail, Half Dome, and the John Muir Trail.

37.7320°N 119.5580°WYosemite Valley, Mariposa County, California, United States6

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37.7320°, -119.5580°

Overview

Happy Isles, in Yosemite Valley, California, is one of the most famous and busy trailheads in the United States — the starting point for some of the most beloved hikes in Yosemite National Park, including the Mist Trail to Vernal and Nevada Falls, the cables route up Half Dome, and the legendary John Muir Trail that runs 211 miles south to Mount Whitney.

Set beside the Merced River amid the towering granite walls of Yosemite Valley, Happy Isles buzzes in summer with day hikers bound for the thundering waterfalls and ambitious climbers headed for Half Dome's iconic dome, as well as backpackers setting off into the High Sierra. As the gateway to the valley's most spectacular trails, Happy Isles is a hallowed launching point for adventures in one of the world's greatest national parks.

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Upper Pines Campground

Lower Pines Campground

North Pines Campground

Yosemite National Park

Yosemite National Park

Recreation Area

Yosemite Valley Welcome Center

Recreation Area

Half Dome Permits

Camp 4 (Yosemite)

Camp 4 (Yosemite)

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Added Jun 25, 2026

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