I chose the western approach from Long Canyon Road to avoid the crowded Soldier Pass Trailhead. My 8.6 mile round trip hike is longer and more difficult but lots of solitude on the Chuckwagon and Brins Mesa Trails. From Long Canyon Road it is 1,014 feet of elevation gain, and took me 4.5 hours round trip. Basically my route is 3 times as long with twice the elevation gain.
The caves are formed in the Schnebly Hill Sandstone. It is a dark red sandstone 800 to 1,000 feet thick. The deep red color of the sandstone is due to hemetite (iron-oxide) which stains the normally white quartz sandstone.
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| Chuckwagon Trail |
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| Soldier Pass |
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| Approaching the caves. |
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| Soldier Pass Cave |
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| Soldier Pass Cave |
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| Soldier Pass Cave |
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| Soldier Pass Cave |
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| The purple track is my route. |
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