To explore some of the spectacular diversity of Sedona, including the Seven Sacred Pools and the Soldiers Pass Caves, hike this loop trail through forests, rock plateaus, caves, canyons and geologic wonders.
The Seven Sacred Pools hike (via Soldier Pass to Brins Mesa, including some exploration at the caves) is roughly 7.5 miles and is considered moderate. There are no challenging sections on this hike, but you do have to pay attention to the multiple junctions and connections. We also highly recommend exploring the caves. This hike took us about 4 hours with plenty of stops for water, and some extra time to hang out and explore the caves.
Note that you can take a variety of loop trails or out and back combinations for this hike. There’s even Jeep Tours that off-road all the way to the landmarks. For our specific loop, we started at the Brins Mesa Trailhead, connected to Soldier Pass, and then looped back. This way we got to view the pools at the end.
Details:
Directions (Google Maps): To get to the Seven Sacred Pools hike, search for the Brins Mesa Trailhead in Sedona, Arizona or click here.
Directions (old school maps): From Sedona, get off Highway 89 and go north on Jordan Road for 0.8 miles until you hit West Park Ridge Drive and turn left. The road is bumpy for another 0.7 miles until you get to the parking lot trailhead.
Driving Info: The last 0.7 miles of the drive are on a rutted out dirt road. Most cars can still make this, although we’d highly recommend a car with decent clearance and tires. Be careful after rain.
Time & Weather: We did this hike in February. Since it’s Arizona desert it can be painfully hot or cold. We had perfect 50 degree hiking weather for most of the hike, although the early morning was quite brisk and closer to 40 degrees.
Gear: Most of this trail is well maintained and easy to traverse, although hiking boots are always recommended in this type of rocky desert terrain. Hiking poles can also help some of the elevation gain and for stability. Bring sunscreen and plenty of water.
Trail Navigation: Since there are dozens of loop and out-and-back options, our specific loop can be challenging to follow. It helps to download the map offline in case service is spotty. When you’re close to the landmarks there are tons of people so it’s easier to just follow.
Water & Food: As is the case for any desert hike, bring plenty of water and stay hydrated. Bringing a snack is helpful for this long of a distance. Plus, there are multiple amazing locations to sit and relax.
Trailhead Info: There is a large parking lot for this trailhead, and there are bathrooms as well. But like most Sedona hikes, this parking lot will fill up on weekends and popular times.
Pictures of the Seven Sacred Pools (via Soldiers Pass to Brins Mesa) hike:
Weave your way through the dense red rock forests. Early in the morning the shadows break across the landscape. Remember, there are a variety of routes around here. We started at Brins Mesa Trailhead.
Stunning red rock ridges in all directions.
Turning back you can view out the canyon towards the town of Sedona.
Many parts of this trail are rocky like below, which is why we suggest sturdy shoes or hiking boots. Parts of Soldier Pass are tight and close to the cacti and other prickly things so it always helps to have some protection.
Along Soldiers Pass are these wonderful arch cave formations. Definitely take the detour to ascend to these caves and explore.
Looking up you can see the blue sky splitting the two massive chunks of sandstone archways that sit at the entrance of the cave.
Inside the caves is a great place to sit and enjoy a snack. The views looking out are magnificent.
In the other cave you can climb up one of the side walls and walk around. This part is a bit tricky because you need to use some strength and flexibility to scramble to the top.
Looking left, this opening is the perfect window view out at the Red Rock Secret Mountain Wilderness.
Descend from the caves and you’ll find your way to the Seven Sacred Pools. There are tons of sitting areas here so it’s another good place to enjoy some water or snacks. This area is often quite busy since it’s close to a few trailheads. You’ll even see jeep tours driving around.
The views here are postcard-worthy, with the towering hoodoos in the distance.
Right next to the Seven Sacred Pools is Devils Kitchen, a marvelous sinkhole where you can walk around the rim.
You can see the small info billboard on the other side.
After you leave the Devils Kitchen, there are stunning geologic formations at every twist and turn of this hike.
As you trek out you walk in the valleys of these spectacular canyons.
Looking back towards Sedona.
You’ll continue to meander back through the forests until you arrive back at the trailhead. Keep a lookout for cyclists, as they can come blazing around a bend. We encountered a few cycling groups during our hike. It’s important to be aware and move off the trail if you need to.
This is one of the many trails that makes it onto our list of the best hikes in Sedona. If you have limited time be sure to check it out so that you can prioritize properly.
