Day Trip to Sedona: Seven Sacred Pools

While the weather was still hot in September, my friends and I decided to take a day trip to Sedona for a breather from school and a dip in the water! We planned on going to Slide Rock, which is a very popular touristy destination where there is an 80 foot long natural slip-n-slide, but everyone and their mother decided to go as well! The line was overflowing into the road to get into the park, and at one point they weren’t letting anymore cars get in line because it was starting to hold up traffic.

We still wanted to cool off in the water, so we decided to drive upstream to see if we could find another spot to explore. We drove about 1.3 miles north and found a parking lot near a cute bed and breakfast called Orchard Canyon. We had to buy a Red Rock Pass to park, which was only $5 for the day. After we parked, we started exploring and it seemed as if we were transported into another world. Sedona is very well known for its innumerable red rocks, however, off of the main road behind the parking lot, it felt like we were in a jungle! There were no red rocks in sight and we were surrounded by giant trees hovering over the stream passing through – this is not what you would normally picture when thinking of Sedona!

Upstream of Slide Rock State Park, Sedona, Arizona

One of my friends on the trip, Matt, has a photography brand and he did a little shoot for us at this spot! It was so much fun and the photos came out amazing! Check out more of his work here!

Little impromptu photoshoot sponsored by Burt Shots!

Afterwards, we were pretty hungry so we grabbed lunch at the Coffee Pot near by. The Coffee Pot is known for its extensive menu, ginormous portions, and 101 different omelets! Their menu has everything from omelets to pancakes, burritos, and soup! Basically, anything you might be craving, they definitely serve it. I am the type of person that needs a simple menu because I can never make a decision, so it was a little overwhelming for me but I eventually decided on their Huevos Rancheros! I dont have a picture of my meal because I was too excited to eat it, but I do have a picture of the plate after I basically licked it hahah. Their food was absolutely amazing and I totally recommend going there – I can’t wait to go back!

The remains of my lunch at the Coffee Pot

After lunch, we still wanted to do some hiking so we headed to a nearby trail called the Soldier Pass Trail. When we arrived to the parking lot, it was full, and we didn’t really want to drive to another trail since we had our minds set on this one. We parked the car outside of the parking lot waiting to see if anyone would leave, and luckily enough, a car left within 10 minutes! Another bonus is that our Red Rock Pass was valid at this location too!

The Soldier Pass Trail is a 4.7 mile loop trail that goes through an 830 feet elevation change. On this trail, you can see the Devil’s Kitchen, secret caves, and Seven Sacred Pools. We had only hiked 1.5 miles of the trail since we were a bit tired, especially after eating a huge lunch, but we were still able to see the Devil’s Kitchen and Seven Sacred Pools!

We also did another little photo shoot on this hike! I’m obsessed with this pictures, so enjoy a few more photos :)

After this hike, it was about mid-afternoon so we decided to head back to campus. It felt so nice to get away from campus and school work for a day! I never realize I need a break until when I actually take one. I am always in a better mood after, and I feel distressed and ready to get back to the grind.

What is your go-to restaurant when visiting Sedona? Let me know in the comments so I can try it next time!

Here are the coordinates for my two destinations from this trip:

Upstream of Slide Rock State Park : 34.961, -111.753
Soldier Pass Trail Head : 34.884, -111.784

Under The Sun