Create an account

Start your adventure today.

    0

    Already a member? Login

    Seven Sacred Pools via Cibola Pass Trail

    Difficulty
    This reflects the 10Adventures difficulty rating for each route. We aim to keep ratings consistent across regions.
    Easy
    Duration
    This reflects the estimated time the majority of users will take on this trail. If you are slower, add time to the top-end figure. If you are fast, then you may complete this route faster than this time range.
    1-1.5h
    Distance
    This reflects the return distance of this route as measured by the GPS file.
    4.5 km
    Elevation
    This reflects the total elevation gained throughout this route as measured by the GPS file. This includes all ascents and descents, and is higher than what is quoted in most route guides, which simply measure the distance between the starting-point and high-point of the route.
    123 m
    User Ratings
    These ratings are completed by users who have completed this trail and not subject to reviews by 10Adventures.
    Be the first to add a review!
    Directions to Trailhead
    Seven Sacred Pools via Cibola Pass Trail

    The Seven Sacred Pools in Sedona are a set of trickling blue pools that flow into one another as they fall over layers of ochre rock. The pools like between the Oak Creek Mountains and Sedona’s desert, providing a water source for wildlife. Deep green juniper trees frame the site, reminding you just how much the landscape can change the closer you are to water.

    While the pools are most often accessed using Soldier Pass Trail, you can take Cibola Pass Trail for a bit of a quieter trip with easier parking.

    You’ll also be able to see the Devil’s Kitchen sinkhole on this hike, and you can also opt to extend your trip to the Soldier Pass Cave if you want to explore further. Note that the road to this trailhead is a bit rough, so drive with plenty of caution if you’re in a low-clearance vehicle.

    Download the 10Adventures App

    View Seven Sacred Pools via Cibola Pass Trail on Map

    View Map

    Join our newsletter

    Get a weekly dose of discounts and inspiration for adventure lovers

    Route Description for Seven Sacred Pools via Cibola Pass Trail

    The Seven Sacred Pools are a natural work of art, with pastel-blue water trickling from one pool to the next over the layered red sandstone that lies between the Oak Creek Mountains and Sedona’s arid desert. This area is important both for human spirituality and for the needs of animals, who come to the pools to drink before venturing further into the dry surrounding landscape. A shield of juniper trees provides visual contrast and a reminder of how quickly the flora and fauna can change closer to a source of water in the desert.

    The pools are at their best in the springtime when there’s been a bit more rain. Try visiting in April or May if you can. Visiting in the heat of summer may mean the pools are less obvious.

    This area can be a touch confusing where the trail isn’t as obvious. We recommend downloading a GPS track ahead of time, especially if you plan to venture past the pools on Soldier Pass Trail.

    Additionally, keep an eye out for mountain bike traffic, which frequents this route.

    Beginning from the Cibola Pass Trailhead, head across the wash, staying straight through the first junction with Brins Mesa Trail and Jordan Trail.

    Climb up out of the wash and continue with Morning Glory Spire and Cibola Mitten to your right. You’ll hike straight on until you hit Devil’s Kitchen. Take a second to appreciate the sinkhole, which was largely created in two collapses, the first in the early 1880s and the second in 1989.

    From the sinkhole, keep right onto Soldier Pass Trail. From here, it’s a fairly quick journey, so take your time admiring the vibrant red earth beneath your feet, the agave and juniper growing alongside the trail, and the ever-present view of the surrounding mountains and buttes.

    Hiking alongside Soldier Wash, it’s less than half a mine from the sinkhole to the pools. At the pools, you can snap a photo from the overlook point and spend some time watching the flow of the water. The pools were created naturally by the gradual erosion of the water, each trickling into the next over the course of many years.

    You can either keep going on this trail to reach the Soldier Pass Cave or turn around and retrace your steps back to the Cibola Pass Trailhead.

    Trail Highlights

    Seven Sacred Pools

    In the strikingly beautiful area between the Oak Creek Mountains and the arid desert of Sedona lies the Seven Sacred Pools, a series of natural pools that waterfall into one another over layers of deep ochre sandstone. These pools are both an important spiritual site for humans and an important source of water for desert wildlife.

    Devil’s Kitchen

    Devil’s Kitchen is a sinkhole in Sedona, Arizona. The collapse began prior to the presence of Westerners, and the hole was widened with a huge collapse in the early 1880s that left the sky filled with dust and created a crash loud enough for most residents to hear. Another collapse in 1989 left the hole about a third wider than it had previously been.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How do you get to the Seven Sacred Pools in Sedona?

    The easiest and most direct way to the pools is via Soldier Pass Trail, but a small parking lot can make this trip difficult. Cibola Pass Trail offers an alternative route.

    Is Cibola Pass Trail hard?

    Nope! This route is a quick, easy hike suitable for beginners.

    Can you swim in the Seven Sacred Pools?

    While you could theoretically swim in the pools, they’re rather small. We don’t recommend swimming as it can disturb the animals and insects that use the pools- you’d be sharing the water with tadpoles!

    Insider Hints for Seven Sacred Pools via Cibola Pass Trail

    • There is a hefty fine in this area for having dogs off-leash.
    • We love a post-hike tamale at the Tamaliza Cafe.

    Getting to the Seven Sacred Pools via Cibola Pass Trail Trailhead

    The trailhead for the Seven Sacred Pools hike via Cibola Pass is at the end of Park Ridge Drive.

    Route Information

    • Backcountry Campground

      No

    • When to do

      Year-round

    • Pets allowed

      Yes - On Leash

    • Family friendly

      Yes

    • Route Signage

      Average

    • Crowd Levels

      High

    • Route Type

      Out and back

    Seven Sacred Pools via Cibola Pass Trail Elevation Graph

    Weather Forecast

    Check Area Weather

    Seven Sacred Pools via Cibola Pass Trail Reviews

    Add a comment

    You must be logged in to post a comment.

    Nearby Trails

    Nearby Regions

    Get travel inspiration and discounts

    Join our weekly travel newsletter