This hike begins at the Soldier Pass Trailhead, but this trailhead parking lot is tiny and constantly filled with cars regardless of the time of day or the day of the week. In fact, some sources report that this parking lot might be closed, but it's unclear if that closure is temporary or permanent. In order to guarantee a fun start to the Soldier Pass trail, plan to take the free Sedona Shuttle from Dog Park and Posse Ground Park & Ride.

Several route combinations are available in this area, but the route shown here is an attractive loop combination utilizing the Soldier Pass Trail and Brin's Mesa Trail. While most of this loop traverses red rock slabs and blocky rocks, most hikers and trail runners will have no problem negotiating the rocky challenges. However, this loop bypasses the Soldier Pass Cave to keep the technical difficulty down. Accessing the cave requires some true scrambling and would increase the technical challenge from the "Difficult" rating shown here.

Finally, do note that even though this loop is just 5 miles long, the far reaches of Brin's Mesa are quite isolated from the nearby roads and the rest of the trail system. If you're planning to go all the way around this loop, pack plenty of food and water and be prepared to be entirely self-sufficient.

Sources: https://www.backcountrycow.com/blog/hiking-to-soldier-pass-cave-sedona https://www.earthtrekkers.com/how-to-hike-soldier-pass-trail-cave/ https://sedonashuttle.com/ https://wherearethosemorgans.com/hike-soldier-pass-cave-trail-sedona/