OverviewThe National Park Service (NPS) is initiating a planning process for the Mist Trail Corridor in Yosemite National Park, one of Yosemite's busiest and most popular trails, which attracts approximately 85,000 visitors annually. The park is considering a scope covering the route from Happy Isles, sections of the John Muir Trail, the stock trail, Little Yosemite Valley, the Half Dome trail, and the Half Dome cables. The park aims to address safety, wayfinding, stewardship, and education to improve amenities to support sustainable visitor use. Yosemite National Park will kick off a 30-day comment period to gather input on October 24, 2024 through November 23, 2024. On November 13, 2024, we will host a virtual public meeting to explain the planning process, share its reasons, outline the planning area's scope, and discuss potential environmental concerns. Information obtained during this initial comment period will be used to refine the scope of the project, develop a reasonable range of alternatives, and ensure that we have the necessary information to move forward. Planning Process and TimelineThe initial public comment period for the Mist Trail Corridor Project is from October 24, 2024–November 23, 2024. The anticipated schedule for project milestones and additional opportunities for public review and input are as follows:
Project Background and HistoryThe trails in the Mist Trail Corridor are the busiest in Yosemite National Park. This historic trail corridor features legendary trails and landmarks, such as Happy Isles, the John Muir Trail, the Mist Trail, the Half Dome Trail, Vernal Fall, Nevada Fall, and Half Dome itself. Each summer since 2010, an average of 85,000 visitors use the trailhead near Happy Isles. From late-May to mid-October, up to 300 permit-holding hikers travel to the Half Dome summit, utilizing the cables. High levels of visitation contribute to this trail corridor being the busiest area of the park for visitor accidents and fatalities. In turn, these trails have high rates of search and rescue operations, which puts rescuers and park staff at risk. Over the past decade, safety mitigations and improvements in the trail corridor have been implemented. Public outreach and education in the form of stationed rangers and park staff and volunteers provide critical information through the park’s Preventative Search and Rescue program, supported by Yosemite Conservancy. Still, within the Mist Trail Corridor, the need for a larger, more comprehensive planning effort to address existing management and safety issues is clear. What is the Purpose of this Project?The purpose of the project is to enhance the visitor experience in the Mist Trail Corridor by addressing safety, wayfinding, stewardship, education, and improving amenities to accommodate sustainable levels of visitor use. Why is this Project Needed?The project is needed to address the following challenges along the Mist Trail Corridor: Safety. Some visitors do not recognize the danger of navigating steep trails, swift water, and the cables on Half Dome, resulting in injuries, fatalities, and dangerous rescue and recovery operations. Wayfinding/Orientation. The current trailhead is not adequately serving the needs of the high volume of visitors it receives. Hikers often miss the opportunity to plan their route and assess the difficulty of the trail system. Consequently, many set out on their journeys without the necessary information, unaware of the challenges that lie ahead. Stewardship/Education. Opportunities exist for educating visitors on the unique natural and cultural resources within the Mist Trail Corridor. An increased respect for and stewardship of the corridor’s natural and cultural resources is a key consideration of any physical improvement. Visitor Services. Existing visitor services do not adequately support the number of trail users within the corridor. Infrastructure imrprovements are needed to accomodate a variety of user groups. 
Preliminary Project AreaThe preliminary project area includes the following zones along the Mist Trail Corridor:
Public Outreach and Public MeetingsEngaging with the public is an important part of this planning process and is essential when exploring management alternatives. How to CommentWe want your feedback! As you prepare your comments, consider the clarity of the project purpose and need, potential opportunities to address challenges, what experiences, activities, and services should be available, and what environmental issues we should analyze. Submit comments online. This preliminary comment period closes on November 23, 2024. Potential Opportunities to Enhance the Mist Trail CorridorShare your experiences and challenges related to safely accessing and navigating the Mist Trail Corridor.
Public Meetings
StoryMapLearn more about this plan by reviewing the StoryMap.
Potential Environmental IssuesIdentifying significant issues related to a proposal is an important part of the planning process. In the context of this planning effort, “issues” or “environmental issues” can be problems, concerns, conflicts, obstacles, or benefits that could result from enhancements along the Mist Trail Corridor. These environmental topics could include, but are not limited to, the following:
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Last updated: November 13, 2024