View Happy Isles in a larger map
Distance: 0.5 miles (0.8 km) round trip from trailhead
Trailhead Elevation: 4,000 feet (1,220 meters)
Elevation Gain: Practically none
The road you can see curving past the trailhead isn't open to private vehicles, but the free shuttle buses make regular stops, and the trailhead is also an easy walk from Curry Village or the Trailhead Parking lot, both visible if you scroll to the northwest (look for the giant silverware setting and letter 'P', respectively).
The popular Mist Trail proceeds parallel to the Happy Isles trail along the other side of the Merced River; the northern parts of the trail are easily visible here. You should also be able to spot the roof of the Nature Center about halfway along the trail, and to the southwest of it, lingering evidence of the 1996 Happy Isles rockfall. Scroll three or four screens to the left and you'll see the Glacier Point area, with a blue Google balloon marking the spot. You can hike there from the valley via either the Panorama or 4-Mile trails, although some people, no doubt unaware of these options, choose to drive instead.