Description

The Soldier Pass Trail is one of the most famous in Sedona, thanks to the unique rock formations along the route, including the Devil's Kitchen sinkhole, the Seven Sacred Pools, and the ultimate destination of this hike: the Soldiers Pass Cave. Several route combinations are available in this area, but the route shown here is a simple out-and-back to the cave.

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](https://sedonashuttle.com/) from Dog Park and Posse Ground Park & Ride. Most of this hike is fairly easy and non-technical, despite traversing some red rock slabs.

However, the final pitch to reach the cave is steeper and rockier, and it can be quite slick when wet.

To get into the cave, you'll have to scramble up a rocky rubble pile that earns this hike a "Severe" FATMAP difficulty rating.

Remember that coming back down is always more difficult than going up. If you haven't had enough hiking yet, you can also extend this hike by making it a loop with the Brin's Mesa trail.

However, the loop option extends the hike from 3 miles to 5.5 miles, so only add on the bonus mileage if you've packed enough supplies. 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/