Soldiers Pass Trail: How to Find the Hidden Cave
Heading to Sedona, Arizona? Get ready to be amazed by the beauty of the red rock landscape and incredible outdoor adventures. We were stunned by all the special features of the Sedona hikes, and the Soldiers Pass trail is no exception.
The Soldiers Pass Trail Sedona features one of the most remarkable shaped caves in AZ. But the beauty didn’t stop there. Along the trail, you will also find several other cool features, like the seven sacred pools Sedona, which will keep you fascinated during the entire hike. If you haven’t guessed yet, hiking the Soldiers Pass trail is an absolute must-do in Sedona.
The trail itself is fairly easy, but unfortunately finding the Soldiers Pass Cave will be a little more tricky.
In this post, we have shared what to expect on the Soldier Pass trail with step-by-step directions to finding the unique Soldiers Pass Cave, trail information, and our best all-around tips to make your hiking experience on the Soldiers Pass trail as easy and smooth as possible.
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Our Other Resources for Sedona:
- 19 Can’t Miss Hikes in Sedona
- Devils Bridge Sedona: Detailed Hiking Guide
- Hike Cathedral Rock Sedona: The Complete Guide
- Finding the Secret Birthing Cave Sedona
- 15 Best Things to Do in Sedona, Arizona
What to Bring: Top 5 Hiking Essentials
Insulated Water Bottle: We found out very quickly that having a good insulated water bottle makes a world of difference on our hiking trips. l Hydro Flask
Durable Hiking Footwear: Hiking on different terrain requires sturdy hiking boots you can trust. We totally count on the Newton Ridge Plus Waterproof Hiking Boot. l Columbia
Comfortable Hiking Socks: Trust us, a quality hiking sock with a good cushion can make a huge difference in how your feet will feel after any hike. l Darn Tough
Photography Gear: Peak Design with its many smart photography accessories makes capturing our adventurous hiking moments so much easier. l Peak Design
Read the Full Guide: What You Should be Packing for a Hike: The Essentials + Extras
Getting to the Soldiers Pass Sedona Trailhead
Soldiers Pass Trail is one of the easiest trails to access from the center of Sedona, with it only being 3 miles away.
From Sedona’s center, start by heading south on 89A. At the first traffic circle, take the 2nd exit to continue on 89A. Keep going until you reach the next traffic circle and continue straight on 89A.
After about 1 mile, you will turn right onto Soldier Pass Road. Continue for about 1.5 miles. You will be driving through a little neighborhood. Don’t worry, you are still on the right track to the Soldiers Pass trailhead.
Make another right-hand turn onto Rim Shadows Drive and continue for a short way on Canyon Shadows Drive. You will make a short left-hand turn into the parking lot on Forest Service 9904 Road.
Parking for Soldiers Pass Trail Sedona
Hiking to the Soldiers Pass cave starting on the Soldiers Pass Sedona trailhead is the easiest and fastest option. Unfortunately, it is a little tricky to snag a parking spot.
There is a tiny gated parking lot on Forest Service 9904 Road off of Canyon Shadows Road. The parking lot has only 14 parking spots and does not accommodate large vehicles. We were able to park our Ford E-250 van, which is about 18 feet long. However, vehicles any bigger will most likely not fit.
The Soldiers Pass trailhead parking lot tends to fill up within the first 15 minutes of the gates opening. Your best bet would be to arrive around 15 minutes before the gates open and wait to get in to find a parking spot.
Top Tip: Most hikers will arrive before 8:00 AM to get a parking spot. On average, people will spend 3 to 4 hours on the trail. Therefore your chances of finding a spot between 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM might be the best, since cars leave the lot every once in a while around that time.
We ended up arriving at the parking lot around noon on a weekday, due to an unexpected travel mishap. But luckily for us, a lot of people were leaving around that time and we were able to park our car. Don’t give up immediately, it is absolutely possible to find a spot later in the day.
The parking lot is open from 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM. Any time before or after, the gates will be closed. Make sure to get your vehicle out in time, otherwise, you have to spend the night without it.
Looking to start hiking before 8:00 AM or won’t be out by 6:00 PM? Consider parking at the Jordan Road Trailhead. Take the Cibola Pass trail to the Jordan trail which connects with the Soldiers Pass trail.
What Should You Do if There is No Parking?
If you weren’t lucky enough to find a parking spot the first time around, you have some options:
1. Find a different parking option for the Soldier Pass trail (see below)
2. Check out another unique cave in Sedona. Just about 8 miles away, you will find another spectacular cave in Sedona, the secret Birthing Cave. This Sedona cave is not as popular as the Soldiers Pass Cave which makes it a fantastic hidden gem in the area. It is a quick and easy hike, but you will need directions to find it, otherwise, you will get desperately lost.
3. Explore more things to do in Sedona.
4. Come back later or another day to secure a spot and hike the Soldiers Pass trail Sedona
Different Parking Options for the Soldier Pass Trail
Finding parking at the actual Soldier Pass trailhead can be extremely difficult depending on the time of year and day. So if you are stuck without a parking spot or want to enjoy more hiking, here are some alternative options for you.
1. Find parking on the street
You are not allowed to park on any of the streets near the trailhead, but along Soldier’s Pass Road (<0.5 miles away from the trailhead). Make sure to read the posted signs along the road carefully to know where you are allowed to park. Sedona is very strict when it comes to parking restrictions. You don’t want to get back from your hike figuring out that your car was towed.
2. Jordan Trailhead
Jordan trailhead is also the starting location for the Brins Mesa Trail. This trailhead is about 14 minutes, roughly a 5 mile, drive from the Soldiers Pass trailhead in Uptown Sedona. It is located on the far end of West Park Ridge Drive.
At this parking lot, there are about 50 parking spaces available and a restroom facility. Although there are more spots, the spaces fill up quickly. You will need a Red Rock Pass Sedona to park here. Don’t worry if you don’t have one, there is a machine to purchase a Red Rock Pass Sedona right in the parking lot.
A big bonus to starting your Soldier Pass hike here is the lot is open 24 hours. So you can arrive as early and leave as late as you want without worrying. This is ideal if you are looking to beat the crowds.
3 OPTIONS TO GET TO THE SOLDIERS PASS CAVE:
- Option 1: Start out on the Cibola trail to Jordan trail to Soldier Pass trail to Soldier Pass Cave. This is the quickest option to get to the Sedona cave. This will add roughly 1 mile onto your hike.
- Option 2: Begin on the Brins Mesa trail to the Soldiers Pass trail Sedona to the Soldiers Pass Cave and loop around on the Soldier Pass trail to Jordan trail to Cibola trail back to the parking lot. This is the longest option for hiking to the Soldiers Pass cave. This would be roughly a 6 mile hike in total.
- Option 3: Take the Brins Mesa trail to the Soldier Pass trail to the Soldiers Pass Cave and complete it as an out and back trail to the parking lot. Although you can do the trail this way, we would not recommend hiking this way. In our opinion, option 1 and 2 are the better choices.
3. Drive on the 4WD Soldier Pass Road
Lucky enough to have a 4WD vehicle? Then you have the option to drive on the Soldier Pass Road. As we mentioned earlier, the Soldier Pass Road runs parallel to the Soldier Pass hiking trail. The road will provide you access to Devils Sinkhole and Seven Sacred Pools Sedona.
From there, you can park your vehicle and hike the rest of the way to Soldiers Pass Cave. This is a great option for individuals who are interested in seeing these natural wonders but don’t want to do a lot of hiking.
But if you are interested in this option, you will need a permit. It is a special Soldier Pass Motorized Use Permit that you will need. Permits are available all year for day use only on the Soldier Pass Road. Only 12 permits are issued daily which is allowed for 1 vehicle.
You can purchase the Soldier Pass Motorized Use Permit on the Recreation.gov website.
What to Expect on the Soldiers Pass Trail
General Information about Hiking Soldiers Pass Trail Sedona
Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 4.5 miles
Type of Hike: Out and Back
Time: 3 to 4 hours
Elevation Gain: 620 ft (about 800 ft if you climb to Soldier Pass Cave)
Location: Forest Service 9904 Road
Trailhead: Soldier Pass Trail No. 66 / Soldier Pass Trailhead
When to Hike: Hiking the Soldier Pass trail is perfect all year long. The best time to hike the Soldiers Pass Sedona is in spring and fall early in the morning.
Red Rock Pass Sedona, Arizona: Yes (Learn more about the hiking fees in Sedona below)
Ready to start your adventure? Then let’s get hiking the Soldier Pass trail Sedona to find the way to Soldiers Pass cave.
This description to hike to on the Soldiers Pass trail Sedona reflects hiking to the Soldiers Pass Cave from the Soldier Pass trailhead. If you plan to start at a different location or add additional trails to your journey, keep reading to see all the different options to hike to Soldiers Pass cave.
From the parking lot, you will want to head to the Soldier Pass trailhead which is easily recognizable by the trail map. Do not walk through the gate on the north end of the parking lot, this is the Soldier Pass 4WD road and not the Soldiers Pass trail.
One of the best things about the Soldiers Pass trail is that you will pass a lot of natural beauty along your way. There are so many highlights around every corner that we promise that you won’t get bored.
Here is what you should expect to see while hiking on the Soldiers Pass trail:
Devil’s Sinkhole
The Soldiers Pass Sedona trail is marked very well and you will find wooden signs, which will confirm that you’re on the right path.
Shortly after beginning the Soldier Pass trail (around a quarter of a mile), is when you see the trail marker for the Soldier Pass trail to the left and Jordan trail to your right, you will arrive at the trail’s first highlight, Devil’s Sinkhole. The sinkhole sits at the base of Sphinx Rock.
This is one of Sedona’s most active sinkholes due to the fact that it has collapsed on numerous occasions (1880’s, 1989, and 1995). The 150 ft long and 50 ft downhole is quite impressive.
Over time, the rain will continue to impact the Devil’s Sinkhole by continually dissolving the limestone and surface around it which will increase the size of the sinkhole more and more.
Who knows, maybe the next time you come back to Sedona, Arizona, the Devil’s Sinkhole will look completely different.
Seven Sacred Pools Sedona AZ
As you continue to hike on the Soldier Pass trail from Devil’s Sinkhole, you will eventually reach the second trail highlight after around 0.9 miles. The Seven Sacred Pools Sedona are a series of shallow pools that have been naturally carved out into the sandstone.
To see the pools in their full beauty, you should go on or after rainy days to see them filled with water and cascading into each other. When we went in the summertime, the pools were completely dry but still looked very pretty with the rock towers in the background.
Photography Tip: This is one of the top places to capture an eye-catching photo along the Soldier Pass trail.
Red Rock Secret Mountain Wilderness Area
After admiring the Seven Sacred Pools Sedona and snapping a few photos, continue to your right, up a little hill. The hiking trail will run parallel to the 4WD dirt road for a little until the jeep trail ends. For a short period of time, the jeep trail and Soldiers Pass trail will merge into one common trail.
You will see more outstanding panoramas of Sedona’s red rock formations, desert landscape, and a variety of desert plants on the trail.
Here you will be entering the Red Rock Secret Mountain Wilderness area. At this point, you will be able to connect with different hiking areas to extend your hike on the Soldier Pass trail.
How Do You Get to Soldiers Pass Cave?
The feature everyone comes to see on the Soldier Pass trail is the unique Soldiers Pass Cave.
To find the Soldiers Pass Cave, you will have to turn off the trail to a spur trail leading to the Soldier Pass Cave. Spotting the spur trail to Soldier Pass Cave is the most difficult. Especially if you are not paying attention while you are hiking. Most hikers get lost. We had a really hard time finding the tiny path even though we did a lot of research before we started our hike.
When you don’t know if you’re still on the right path, don’t hesitate to ask others for help. We ended up working together with some other hikers and made it all up to the Soldiers Pass Cave together.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR TO FIND SOLDIERS PASS CAVE:
The spur trail to the Soldiers Pass Cave is approximately 1.3 miles from the Soldier Pass trailhead.
0.9 miles after passing the Seven Sacred Pools Sedona successfully, you will see a fork in the trail. This is where you have to leave the main Soldiers Pass trail Arizona to find the secret Soldiers Pass Cave.
At the fork, the Soldiers Pass trail is on the left which continues to Brins Mesa and the spur trail leading to Soldiers Pass Cave is on the right.
Do not follow the tall brown trail marker sign with an arrow pointing straight ahead at the top of the post.
Instead, watch out for the white and brown sign (circled yellow in the first picture) posted on a tree on the right side of a trail that says “National Forest Wilderness”.
Even though the entrance to the spur trail to the Soldier Pass Cave had rocks and broken branches in the way, this is where you have to turn right. Don’t let that confuse you. Just step over and head up to Soldier Pass Cave.
Follow the small path up the hill. Once on the spur trail, it is approximately 0.5 miles to Soldiers Pass Cave.
If you follow the wrong path accidentally, because the small path is easily missed, don’t worry. When you see a large yellow sign along the trail which welcomes you to the Red Rock Mountain Secret Wilderness, you have gone just a little too far.
You will want to turn back around and look for the small yellowish/brown sign on the tree.
After hiking up the small hill, you will now find yourself on an open mesa. Stay to the left when you cross it. This part of the trail is not shaded at all and you will definitely have to protect yourself from the hot sun.
Look up into the cliffs and you will be able to see the Soldier Pass Cave in the distance. You have almost made it. There is just a little more climbing to do!
The trail gets more steep and rocky and in some spots, you have to pay attention not to slip and fall into the cacti along the way.
When you get closer, you might get confused when you see two Sedona caves in the walls. The arched hole on the left doesn’t give you access to a cave. You can go and take a break over there but to reach the Soldiers Pass Cave, tend towards the right.
Once you have completed the rock scrambling section, you will be at the base of the cliff. Look up! You have found the Soldier Pass Cave.
HOW TO GET INSIDE SOLDIERS PASS CAVE:
There is just one more climb until you are actually in one of the most impressive Sedona caves in Az. Use the piled rocks, other hikers left, like stairs. It might look a little intimidating, especially when you are not the tallest person but try to make it into the Soldiers Pass Cave, even when you need some helping hands.
Now that you are actually in the cave, take some time to explore and snap a few pictures of this insanely cool-looking natural wonder.
When you go to the open end of the cave to your left, you can also climb up some more rocks to stand on top of the cave. When we visited the cave, it was a little too crowded, so we didn’t make our way up but we’ve heard that the vistas from atop are very stunning.
It is much cooler to spend your time inside the Soldier Pass Cave than outside.
In our opinion, getting out of the Soldier Pass Cave is more tricky than getting into the cave. You will have to use the pile of rocks you climbed up to get down.
Now that you have seen the Soldiers Pass Cave, what is next?
To return to the Soldier Pass trail, simply follow the way you came. Please make sure you are staying on the main spur trail back to the Soldier Pass trail as it is easy to veer off onto less-travel trails. This helps prevent unnecessary damages from happening to the landscape.
How to Finish the Hike
Once you have reached the Soldiers Pass trail, you have the option to continue your hike or end it by returning the way you came.
1. Continue Your Hike to Bring Mesa
If you decide to extend your hike, head right, to continue on the Soldiers Pass trail to Brins Mesa. Here, you will have an outstanding view looking into the canyon. The trail eventually meets up with the Brins Mesa trail which completes the Soldiers Pass Sedona trail.
Now you can either turn around or continue on to make a loop. The loop will bring you on the Brins Mesa trail to the Cibola Pass trail to the Jordan trail, ending at the Soldier Pass trailhead where you began.
2. Return to the Parking Lot
If you decide to head back to your vehicle after the Soldiers Pass Cave, make sure you take the Soldiers Pass trail all the way back to the trailhead and not the 4WD road. Keep a lookout for signs directing back to the Soldier Pass trailhead and follow them to the parking lot.
How Long Does it Take to Hike Soldiers Pass Trail?
You should plan about 3 to 4 hours for the hike. It is always good to have some extra time. We spent probably an hour just rejuvenating and taking photos in the Soldier Pass Cave.
Once you get into the Soldiers Pass Cave, you also have the chance to hike up even further. Keep that in mind when planning your day.
Top Tip: Are you looking for a similar hike in length and difficulty which will leave you speechless? Then you might also like Devils Bridge Trail in Sedona.
Do You Need a Permit to Hike in Sedona?
You will need a Red Rock Pass Sedona Arizona or an equivalent pass for this trail. A Red Rock Pass Sedona is a permit that is required when utilizing Sedona’s trails that are on National Forest Land. When a pass is required, it needs to be visible on your vehicle’s windshield.
The Red Rock Pass Sedona Arizona can be purchased at a self-serve machine that is located at many of the trailheads, Ranger Stations, the Sedona Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center, and at local businesses in Sedona. It costs $5 for single-day use, $15 for 7 consecutive days, and $20 for 12 consecutive months.
Other passes that are accepted are the America the Beautiful Interagency Pass, Golden Access Pass, and Golden Age Pass.
Top Tip: Make the most of using your pass and hike more of the 19 Can’t-Miss Hikes in Sedona.
Tips for Hiking on the Soldiers Pass Trail
1. Be an early bird
Waking up early in Sedona brings a lot of advantages. Your chances to catch a parking spot in the parking lot at Soldier Pass trailhead are way higher and the trail will be less crowded.
When traveling during the hotter months (May-September) temperatures will be at least in the high 80’s. You will be thankful you hiked early in the morning to avoid the sun beating on you.
2. Bring appropriate hiking boots and backpack
The Soldiers Pass trail is a moderate hike that doesn’t have a huge elevation gain. But when you leave the main trail to find the Soldiers Pass Cave, you will face some rugged terrain where you will need good hiking boots. We would definitely recommend wearing over the ankle hiking boots to give your ankle more support.
When you plan on climbing into the Soldier Pass Cave, you will need both of your hands to make your way up. So bring a backpack to be able to store all your equipment before you see the most fascinating feature on the hike.
3. Don’t forget sunscreen
Most of the Soldier Pass trail is actually shaded but in some spots, especially when you cross the mesa to get to the Soldier Pass Cave, there will be no shelter from the sun.
So bring your sunscreen and don’t forget to…
4. Pack lots of water
The hotter it is, the more liquids your body needs. Even though this hike isn’t the longest, be prepared and don’t spare. We saw people hiking the trail with nothing more than a 17 oz water bottle. We brought 64 oz each and barely had enough.
For extra cool water, we carry an insulated water bottle with us. Our Hydro Flask bottle keeps water cold for 24 hours.
Learn more about Hydration Basics to make sure you are packing enough liquids for your hike!
5. Have a snack break in the secret Soldiers Pass Cave
We love to enjoy a little snack in the middle of our hikes. It is a nice reward and it gives you some energy for your way back.
The perfect spot to take a break is at the base of the Soldiers Pass Cave or even in the cave itself. It is shaded, the temperature is lower and you can really regain some energy before hiking back in the sun. It feels a little like turning the AC on for a few minutes. Not to mention the out-of-this-world vistas of the red rock landscape and one of the most unique caves in Az.
6. Leave no trace
Anytime you enjoy the outdoors, it is imperative to follow Leave No Trace principles. The general idea is to leave nature the way it is so that the next generations can enjoy it too, especially when you are exploring the Soldier Pass Cave. We want to avoid destroying the inside, so explore it with care.
If you should get lost on your way, please don’t take shortcuts. Simply take the path you came from. That also helps not to get lost again.
Final Thoughts about Soldiers Pass Trail
Soldiers Pass trail with all its special features, like the seven sacred pools Sedona, is already a pretty cool hike but when you add the secret Soldier Pass Cave to your itinerary, you can be sure to have a blast. The sun shining through the different cracks of the cave walls makes it a natural wonder you can admire for hours.
The only bad side we experienced was the weather. Due to our car breaking down on us, we arrived late and hiked during the day on one of the hottest days in July. We wouldn’t do that again! It almost felt like we had a heat stroke and couldn’t fully enjoy parts of the hike because we were just too hot. Don’t make our mistake. When you arrive late, wait until the next day to start your outdoor adventures in Sedona.
Even though we just got lost a little, we met a lot of very frustrated hikers who had to take a long detour before they were able to find the tiny path leading to the cave. So make sure to save our directions not to be one of them. Now go ahead and experience this incredible landmark by yourself!
Did you get lost on your way finding Soldiers Pass Trail Cave? Were you also blown away by the beauty?
Share your experiences with us or drop a question in the comments below!
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