Sedona - Soldier's Pass Trail

A nice side trip from the Flagstaff area is Sedona. It’s about 45-minute drive and a drop in elevation of a couple thousand feet so be prepared for much warmer weather. The drive itself is very entertaining. For a good 10 minutes, you twist and turn your way down. Breathtaking views abound as you leave the mountain forests for Red Rock country.

On this trip, we opted for a relatively easy hike on a trail called Soldier’s Pass. Follow 89A to Soldier Pass Road on the right. Go 1.5 miles to Rim Shadows Drive, then right 0.2 miles (keep straight ahead where Rim Shadows branches left) to a gated entry road to trailhead parking on the left. There’s room for about 15 cars to park, and you must display a parking pass, which can be purchased at numerous locations around Sedona.

Not far from the trailhead, perhaps a ¼ mile, is Devil’s Kitchen, a 100-foot deep active sinkhole.

Unfortunately, we lost the trail here and ended up on a Jeep trail. Several tour operators give Jeep tours around the Sedona area. Not to worry, the trails intersected again at the “Seven Sacred Pools” a short while later. The pools are carved in the sloping red sandstone that cradles a small stream here. Although these pools are small, because they hold water even in dry periods, they are important to the birds and animals of the area.

This was a great place for the kids, 4 & 2, to climb around and burn off some energy. It also afforded some wonderful views and photo opportunities.

The Soldier’s Pass trail is very moderate. In fact, our four-year-old hiked the entire 2+ hours, while the two-year-old spent most of the time riding on my shoulders and then eventually napping while being carried in a backpack.

The trail continues to some arches. We made it about ¾ of the way there before deciding to turn back. Overall, the trail is a little more than 2 miles roundtrip. It also connects with a couple of other trails to make a nice loop of the area.