To see both falls, travelers will spend five to six hours hiking. For a peek of Vernal Fall without the stairs, consider the Vernal Fall Footbridge – a nearly 2-mile round-trip hike with a steep ...

“Those who decide to walk down the stairs from Vernal Fall (rather than continue to Clark Point and hike down the JMT) are often uneasy on the descent,” he says, “and make the climb more ...