Hike Devil’s Bridge Peak and The Fin (Soldier Heights) Coconino National Forest, AZ

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Devil’s Bridge Peak and The Fin (Soldier Heights) GPX Track

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Feb 12, 2026 — Back to Sedona to wrap up a few exciting-looking summits, I began with a loop near Capitol Butte. Matt would join me for the second half of the outing, but this gave me a chance to snag Peak 5958 and check out the famous Devil’s Bridge along the way. Peak 5958 shares the northern ridgeline of Capitol Butte, but since I couldn’t find any reference to the name of the peak, I’m calling it Devil’s Bridge Peak as a reference due to its proximity to the feature. Matt and I would later link up for The Fin (aka Soldier Heights), located just north of Devil’s Bridge Peak.

I started out on the Mescal Trail, linking up with Chuckwagon Trail shortly after, and then continued to Dry Creek Road, used for the normal hike for Devil’s Bridge. My first obstacle was a lower cliff band, which started with some Class 3 that quickly escalated into two sections of Class 4. My friend Whiley sent me the route for an easier social trail option with Class 2 to overcome this cliff band, which is what I have used in the map/GPX track attached to this route instead.

Above the lower cliff band, I continued along the social trail up to a balanced rock feature. Past this the trail was much less clear and became more loose and brushy. The route then funneled into a steep and dirty gully with plenty of loose rock. Above it, I finally gained the ridge crest of Devil’s Bridge Peak, where things turned more fun again with some Class 3 and maybe a touch of low Class 4. I mostly stayed to the right (south) of the crest since the north side dropped off dramatically. Eventually, the terrain mellowed out, though it still threw in a few Class 2/3 obstacles to stay on theme. It was also just brushy enough to be annoying at times, and I got stabbed pretty hard by a large agave.

From the summit, I looked down at Devil’s Bridge itself, where a conga line of people waited for their turn to take the same photo. Before heading down to meet with Matt at our rendezvous point, I scoped out The Fin to the north, tracing the route we’d take along a suspiciously brushy-looking bench above a bright orange rock layer.

After soaking in views toward Witches Mountain and Capitol Butte, I headed back down, looping around the north side on a much more established social trail. Somehow, despite being very aware of Devil’s Bridge, I somehow completely walked right past it and just kept going down to Dry Creek Road like it didn’t even exist. Maybe it was my subconscious avoiding the crowd?

I met up with Matt for The Fin along Dry Creek Road, where we picked up a solid social trail that took us cleanly to its base. The trail continued up toward the sheer, extended northern headwall until it vanished there. We scrambled up a weakness in the headwall (Class 3) to overcome the ridge crest and popped out on the south side.

The Fin is surrounded by cliffs, and I imagine the approach trail we took leading to the western aspect is likely the only reasonable way to overcome the orange band at the base. However, the layer above this is too steep from the west, so the summit needs to be approached via tamer ground on the eastern slope. This means traversing east using a narrow bench. While the route that followed was cool in theory because of this, it ended up being a bit brushy and didn’t have all that much scrambling.

The route hugged a contour line, and we found ourselves often wrestling with bits of brush. The terrain was also uneven and undulated slightly, so we found it more tedious than expected. There was one notable exposed ledge move at a pinch in the bench, but otherwise just some Class 2 slabs. I looked back and realized how easy it would be to completely lose this bench on the return. Miss it, and you’re probably cliffed out somewhere unpleasant, so take note of the route.

Eventually, we reached the eastern reaches where the cliffs eased off and we could finally start ascending. After some light navigation, we reached a Class 4 move on slabby and downward-sloping holds that looked worse than it actually was. I didn’t love the light feeling of exposure on the way up, but it went more smoothly coming down. Funny how that works.

Above the crux, the terrain eased up significantly, and we cruised to the summit of The Fin. We backtracked and took the Chuckwagon Trail to complete a partial loop.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)

Peaks on hike

Elevation

Prominence

Peak 5958 (Devil's Bridge Peak)

5958 ft

398 rise

The Fin

5906 ft

866 rise

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Starting on the Mescal Trail to the Chuckwagon Trail. In the center you can see Devil's Bridge Peak, on the left is The Fin.

I took a right at the first junction. Devil's Bridge Peak seen left. You can see the first obstacle, the lowest cliff band. I took a direct Class 4 route up it, but my friend Whiley gave me a better (Class 2) route to include here, so I will present that route instead.

Class 3 and then Class 4 to overcome the lower cliff band (the route I took), but the map/GPX included on this report is for a Class 2 alternative.

Above the cliff band (perspective skewed since I got here via the more direct route). I kept to the right of the outcropping.

A social trail led to the base of a balanced rock.

The balanced rock. This is where the trail became far less good.

View back down, now on a much fainter trail. Fewer people clearly continue past the balanced rock and up to the peak.

The route enters this steep, dirty gully.

Above the gully I was on the ridge crest of Devil's Bridge Peak.

Class 3 move.

View back down at the Class 3.

Higher up, there were a variety of obstacles, some Class 3, maybe even a low Class 4 one. I definitely took a different route up than on the way down, but I generally stayed to the right (south) of the crest since the northern side was a sheer face.

Higher up the terrain became more tame, but there were still a few Class 2/3 obstacles. The Fin is seen left.

Sticking to the crest.

Approaching the summit of Devil's Bridge Peak.

Devil's Bridge Peak, view back along the crest.

Devil's Bridge Peak, view down toward Devil's Bridge and the conga line of people waiting to take a photo.

The Fin seen to the north (aka Soldier Heights). You can see the route we would take later, which traverses along this side of the peak above the bright orange rock.

Devil's Bridge Peak, view toward Witches Mountain (left) and Capitol Butte (right).

I backtracked and took a fairly established social trail around to the north side of Devil's Bridge Peak, ultimately to Devil's Bridge. I somehow managed to walk right past the bridge itself and just continued down to Dry Creek Road.

I met up with Matt, who had already done Devil's Bridge Peak, so we rendezvoused for The Fin (see top right).

We left Dry Creek Road using a very good social trail which took us without issue up to the base of The Fin (aka Soldier Heights).

The Fin's western aspect seen above.

Along the trail leading to the base of The Fin. We figured the trail is for climbers doing technical routes up the peak.

Some light scrambling on the way up.

The trail continued up to the headwall seen above.

The trail basically disappeared once we reached the major headwall.

We scrambled (Class 3) up and over a weakness in the headwall and began traversing east.

Close-up toward Devil's Bridge Peak (above, and Devil's Bridge (bottom).

The route basically followed the same contour, using a brushy bench.

View back along the bench.

An exposed ledge.

Some Class 2 slabs.

View back as the route became a bit brushier. It is very easy to miss the correct bench on the way back, but other options will lead to cliffs, so make sure to remember the route.

Finally we reached the point we could start ascending, since the cliffs gave way toward the eastern end of The Fin.

Matt seen approaching a Class 4 move that I didn't enjoy on the way up, but felt easier coming down. It's a bit slabby and the holds are all sloped downward, but is really only a couple of frictiony moves. The exposure seemed more severe than it probably was.

Past the Class 4 move, much easier terrain as we made our way to the summit.

Summit of The Fin (Soldier Heights), view west.

The Fin, view east.

Sedona below. We backtracked and took the Chuckwagon Trail back to form a partial loop.

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Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I’m not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!