The ~Vernal and Nevada Falls Trail~ starts near Happy Isles Bridge, 2.3 miles from Yosemite Village. The trail leaves the road at the right just beyond the bridge, or we may take the footpath through ~Happy Isles~, crossing the river on a foot-log and joining the main trail a quarter mile above. Ascending the canyon, the trail climbs 200 feet above the roaring Merced, which was here called by the Indians the "Yanopah" or "water cloud," referring to the mist of Vernal Falls. A quarter of a mile from the bridge is a fine spring. Here the ~Sierra Point Trail~ (Trail Trip 12) turns left. Rounding the base of ~Grizzly Peak~ we pass opposite the mouth of ~Illilouette Canyon~ and see ~Illilouette Falls~ (Drop 350 feet) at its head. The name is a corruption of the Indian name, Too-tool-a-we-ack. The small dam in the river below diverts water to the Happy Isles Power House. To the left of Illilouette Canyon is ~Panorama Cliff~, along the rim of which our trail runs after a three-hour climb by the Mist Trail (one hour longer by horse trail). Descending 100 feet the trail crosses ~Vernal Bridge~, from which is a fine view of ~Vernal Falls~, a half mile distant. Near this point was the old Indian Camp of Ap´-poo-meh. Straight ahead the horse trail climbs 1600 feet and then descends to the top of Vernal Falls. Pedestrians should take the much more scenic ~Mist Trail~, which turns left just beyond the bridge, saving thereby one hour and several hundred feet climb. Paralleling the river we pass ~Lady Franklin Rock~, from whence may be obtained excellent photographs of Vernal Falls. The trail mounts thru the boulder-strewn forest and finally rounds a rocky point on a narrow ledge. Use extreme caution on slippery wet rocks! We now enter the mist, traversing the luxuriant garden of flowers and grasses which gives the fall its name. Between 10 and 12 a.m. beautiful ~circular rainbows~ may be seen in the mist. Climbing the steep slope at the right we obtain fine profiles of the fall. The trail then swings beneath an overhanging cliff and mounts a steep narrow ledge to the top of ~Vernal Falls~ (Alt. 5049, Drop 317 feet). The Indians called the fall "Yan-o-pah," or "water cloud," which was also the name for the canyon below. Over the rim of the natural granite parapet we have an excellent outlook down the canyon. By climbing along the rim southeast of the falls we find a ladder and hanging trail descending to a grotto, from which a good view of Glacier Point is obtained. Above Vernal Falls we pass a glacial tarn called ~Emerald Pool~, at the upper end of which the Merced rushes down over smooth granite, forming the beautiful ~Silver Apron~ and ~Waterwheel~.