Merced River at Happy Isles

This camera looks out over the Merced River at Happy Isles in Yosemite Valley, California — the trailhead where the John Muir Trail and the Mist Trail begin their climb toward Vernal and Nevada Falls. The Merced is the river that, with the help of glaciers, carved Yosemite Valley's iconic granite walls, and at Happy Isles it runs clear and cold over boulders beneath towering cliffs and forest. The river's character follows the seasons dramatically. Spring snowmelt (April–June) turns it into a roaring torrent and sends the nearby waterfalls to their thunderous peak. By late summer the flow drops and the river becomes calm and clear, with sandy pools. Autumn brings color to the valley's oaks and maples, and winter can dust the whole scene with snow. Yosemite is on Pacific Time, three hours behind Hawaii. Happy Isles is one of the most popular spots in the valley — the launch point for hikes to the Mist Trail's waterfalls, Half Dome, and the high country, and home to a nature center. From here the granite faces of Glacier Point and the surrounding domes rise thousands of feet. Black bears, mule deer, and Steller's jays are frequent visitors to the riverside forest.