This Wildly Popular Yosemite National Park Trail Is One Of America's Most Dangerous Hikes

The Mist Trail at Yosemite National Park is an extremely popular trail that takes hikers uphill past two fantastic waterfalls to see unbelievable views of the park. It's part of the trek up the iconic Half Dome and attracts many, many visitors annually to challenge themselves and appreciate the full beauty of this beloved park. In many ways, the Mist Trail is the trail within the park, and for many seasoned hikers, it's the primary reason to travel all the way to Yosemite.

However, despite the massive numbers of people who traverse it on a daily basis every summer, the Mist Trail is also considered one of the most dangerous hikes in Yosemite National Park and, frankly, in the entire United States. This reputation comes from a number of tragic accidents that have happened on the trail, including some that led to the deaths of hikers who fell into the river while climbing this dizzyingly high route.

While it's not the most technically difficult, the Mist Trail is the deadliest trail in the park. It has uneven areas, and, while it's not particularly narrow, it can be crowded. It's easier to end up close to the edge than you might think when you're avoiding other hikers. The most dangerous aspect, however, may be the nearby river. The current of the Merced River, which flows near the trail, is extremely fast and strong. Some hikers who've stepped into the water, either intentionally or unintentionally, have been swept away.

Yosemite National Park is home to some notoriously difficult trails — but despite its inherent dangers, the Mist Trail isn't necessarily one of them. Make no mistake: this is a seriously challenging route, especially if you continue up to Vernal Falls and, beyond that, take the switchbacks to Nevada Falls. But when it comes to the technical difficulty of the Mist Trail section, you wouldn't think that it was one of those national park trails that are best left to very experienced hikers.

If you do decide to hike it, then in addition to the usual hiking safety precautions like making sure to drink enough water, not pushing yourself, and taking breaks as often as you need them, you should be mindful of all signage. These warnings are there to prevent deaths on the trail and have often been posted because someone has been killed there before.

The riskiest thing you can do while hiking the Mist Trail is to try to go into the water. While you may see other hikers dipping their toes in, jumping on rocks, or even wading into the river, the current here is too strong to ever do so safely, as people have been carried over the falls. You should also think twice before taking a selfie on your hike. There are definitely some places along the Mist Trail where you can stop and snap a picture with your hiking buddies, but there are other spots where getting close to the edge of the trail and distracting yourself with framing the perfect pic can prove deadly. You should never jump over guardrails for a better view, either. The best way to safely hike the Mist Trail is to stay on the established path, follow all the safety precautions put in place by the park, and not take any unnecessary risks.