Line © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), checked by Global Adventurer.
The hike
From the Soldier Pass Trailhead the trail dips across a wash and climbs to Devil's Kitchen, a deep sinkhole just to the right of the path, about a quarter of a mile in. It then crosses level ground, close to the jeep road, to the Seven Sacred Pools, a line of small basins worn into a slickrock gully on the left of the trail, which hold water after rain. Return the same way. The trail itself goes on to Soldier Pass and Brins Mesa.
It is 1.2 miles (2 km) round trip with 100 feet (30 m) of climbing; allow about 35 minutes. The grade is Easy: it is short and almost level.
The trailhead is gated and open only from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Its car park has 14 spaces, and it is closed whenever the Sedona Shuttle runs, from Thursday to Sunday all year and daily in some holiday weeks: park free at the Posse Grounds Park and Ride and take the free shuttle. There are no toilets or bins at the trailhead. The first stretch is busy, and jeep tours use the track alongside. Carry water, as there is little shade. Devil's Kitchen last collapsed in 1989, so keep back from its edge.
Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap paths (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.
Good to know
- Past Devil's Kitchen, Sedona's biggest sinkhole, which last collapsed in 1989
- The Seven Sacred Pools are a chain of potholes in the slickrock that hold rainwater
- The small car park is gated and fills fast; the Sedona Shuttle stops here
Getting there
Start: Soldier Pass Trailhead. 34.88426, -111.78379
Places to stay nearby
Rooms in and around Sedona: Booking.com → Expedia →
Affiliate links: if you book, Global Adventurer earns a small commission at no cost to you.
Paths change, and the weather decides the day. The line and figures come from OpenStreetMap and our own checks; take a map, check the forecast, and turn back if it isn't right.
