Soilders Pass Arch/Cave

Weather:  67º, overcast, breezy

About this Hike:  Thanks to joining the Arizona Hiking Facebook group I discovered the Soilders Arch and cave along the Soilders Pass trail in Sedona.  As I read up on the hike, I realized it's not a very long or difficult hike. Good thing, because I was on time constraints today. I had strict orders to be back at my parent's hotel for a timeshare presentation this afternoon...some non-sense about me attending would get an additional free gift.  I'd much rather have been hiking.

I've traversed Soilders Pass trail several times, visiting the obligatory sinkhole and the Seven Sacred Pools of Sedona.  Each time parking at the tiny Soilders Pass trailhead has been very difficult.  On-street parking in the tony neighborhood that surrounds the trailhead is forbidden, as numerous signs point out. 

Angry and frustrated, I worked my way over to the Jordan Road trailhead.  This ended up being a blessing in disguise.  About one mile over dirt road is required, but it's in very good shape and passable with a passenger car.  Just exercise care on the smooth, flat rock portion that mimics pavement––toward the end are some nasty ruts. 

Jordan Road is a much bigger parking area than Soilders Pass.  An additional 20 - 30 minutes of hiking through relatively level, Arizona Cypress-dotted Sedona landscape is all that is required to reach Soilders Pass.  If you want some elevation gain, a shorter, steeper alternate trail deviates from Jordan and goes over Cibola Pass.

So on to the arches... If you use HikeArizona.com, be warned––it says the turn off for the arch/cave is 1/8 of a mile from the Seven Pools.  In reality it's at least a mile from there.  HikeArizona.com does get it right regarding the wilderness boundary sign.  It's small and on a tree, but it marks the well-defined fork in the trail.  At this point bear right and begin the steep ascent to the arch. 

I covered the majority of the ~1/4 mile climb to the arch in five minutes.  I have my Piestewa and Camelback climbs to thank for that, I suppose.  Toward the end it gets a bit treacherous and more care is required. 

Rock pile I wasn't climbing...

At the actual cave you have to step on a rickety pile of rocks and then hoist yourself up.  There are OK hand/foot holds cut into the rock, but standing on that quaking rock pile just didn't work for me.  Much as I wanted to go into the cave, I only poked my head in.  There is a tin box where you can sign the visitor log, and I actually saw another hiker doing just that.  While he admonished me to go into the cave because, "It's not that bad," I couldn't do it.  That rock pile took me back to the scene from Home Alone 2 when the burglars attempted to build a ladder of sorts out of household junk...
 
Regardless, the area around the cave is magnificent.  The centuries-old sandstone under the arches is laced with huge fissures.  Sunlight streams thru in places.  Gigantic boulders are caught in the fissures, dangling precariously.  Under the arches the sandstone has become so brittle as to peel like old wallpaper.

I've explored a lot in this area in recent years.  Discovering Jordan Trailhead was a silver lining in a frustrating situation early on.  I look forward to continued exploration along Soilders Pass, Jordan Trail, and Brins Mesa.

One of the smaller cave arches

Striated sandstone

Soilders Pass & The Seven Sacred Pools

Weather:  47º, overcast, misty

About this Hike:  I first experienced the Soilders Pass trail in September of 2016. This was during my weeklong hiatus in Red Rock Country. During that visit I made it a theme of the trip to explore the Dry Creek / West Sedona trails in depth.

Soilders Pass is a hike with early rewards. Starting off is Devil's Kitchen Sinkhole. Shortly thereafter are the Seven Sacred Pools of Sedona. In September when I visited they were filled with stagnant water and at least one had scary mutant-looking tadpoles swimming about.

Anyway, on this particular Friday parking was a nightmare. The small trailhead is in a ritzy residential neighborhood where you best not even think of parking on the street.  At the back of the trailhead is a turnaround area and a Jeep road.  I waited in this area for at least 30 minutes for a parking spot. Jeepers and ATVs were whizzing by dangerously close to my car.  Of course others were waiting too.  As the first batch of hikers came off the trail, I (politely) informed other waiters I had been there first. Surprisingly nobody gave me a hard time. As the previous hikers backed out I enacted the universal sign of a claimed parking spot—I sat their anxiously, turn signal flashing...

I hoped with all the recent rain the pools would be a little fuller/cleaner. They were better, and no tadpoles this time.  After the pools Soilers Pass gives way to red rock scenery and small arroyos. This opens up to magnificent cliffs as you start to ascend Brins Mesa.  Near the top of Brins Mesa U.S. Forest Service Rangers were trimming manzanita bushes. A misty rain was falling off and on. I didn't go far on Brins Mesa. Someday under better conditions I'd like to go further on Brins and see where it leads to.

Despite the parking wait time and somewhat soggy conditions, this hike was totally worth it. Soilders Pass is a great winter-day (or any time!) hike in West Sedona.

Soilder’s Pass & West Urban Trails

Weather:  82º, sunny (I got sunburned!)

About this Hike:  I explored Thunder Mountain Trail and Lizard’s Head today.  These comprise the “urban trail system” in West Sedona.  The trailheads are easily marked but are in residential areas.  Part of me was curious about reaching the summit of Thunder Mountain, but from what I read this is a treacherous hike and sounded like it could potentially ruin my vacation if something went wrong.

I also did the Sugarloaf Mountain summit which offered some nice views but not much else.  Underwhelmed, I went over to Soilder’s Pass Trailhead where I read there were Seven Sacred Pools. 

Soilder’s Pass ended up being the winner of the day.  Also part of the West Sedona area, it feels less urban as it ascends up the Brins Mesa and into the wilderness.  Along the way is  Devil’s Kitchen Sinkhole, which as the name implies, is a massive sinkhole.  Next up are the Seven Pools.  Nothing like the Seven Sacred Pools on Maui, these are stagnant pools carved into the red rocks. A few had tadpoles swimming in them.

The hike continues on through forest and many dry washes as it makes its way up Brins Mesa.  Along the way you’re afforded great views of Coffee Pot Rock and the backside of Thunder Mountain, which from the back angle is much smaller looking.  Atop the mesa the topography quickly changes to grassland.  There are nice views of the wilderness, but not much else. 

Satisfied from a full day of hiking, I started back from there. Along the trail I met a friendly guy who works as a tour guide in Sedona. (He was off duty and just hiking for pleasure.)  We had a nice chat, and then I found my way back to the trailhead.  There’s a side trail that is signed as “1.2 Miles to Trailhead,” but I have no idea if that’s the  Soilder’s Pass Trailhead or possibly Teacup Trailhead.  I stuck to the beaten path, although the explorer in me wanted to see what was down this side trail.

All in all, West Sedona offers some nice views and varying trails all with great no-fee parking areas.

Seven Sacred Pools of Sedona

Devil's Kitchen Sinkhole