Setting a new record for hikes led by me, 26 terrific Trailblazers and Stanford alumni set out from Jim Thompson Trailhead on a gorgeous spring morning.

The trailhead is named after a local pioneer. Jim Thompson, 1841-1917, was born in Ireland. He came to the United States and eventually to Arizona, where he married Maggie James in 1880 and lived at his Indian Gardens ranch in Oak Creek Canyon. There’s a Jim Thompson exhibit, and much more, at the nearby Sedona Heritage Museum.

We start on the Brins Mesa Trail, which winds through the forest on its way to a stone stairway which begins our big climb up the mesa. On our way, the Fin is helpful because we can gauge our progress by its changing appearance. When we see it edge on we are halfway to the stairs, and when we see its north side we’re almost there.

Amazing rock formations cheer us on the way up. We keep a sharp eye out for the Wilson Mountain barrelhouse on the right, and a little house on the hill on the left. Admittedly the house is a natural rock formation. But what a view!

Brins Mesa is the high point of our hike. The Brins fire in 2006 cleared much of the vegetation, but it’s growing back. A gradual descent takes us into the woods and the junction with the Soldier Pass Trail. Soldier Pass is mild-mannered at the top, but then the trail gets steep. Fortunately the steep parts are over bare rock.

Some of the caves on the east side turn out to be arches, open at the top. We’re there at the right time of day to see sunlight inside a prominent arch.

The trail reaches a Jeep road, then meanders along the east side of Soldier Wash on the way to the Seven Pools. There’s probably a place where you can take a picture of all seven of them, but I settled for one this time. From there it’s a short walk to the Devil’s Kitchen.

The Devil’s Kitchen is a sinkhole where minerals have dissolved and left a huge depression. Trees grow at the bottom and great boulders have fallen in. The Trailblazers are careful to stay back from the edge as they snap pictures and admire this natural wonder.

Rock surfaces are black with tire marks as daredevil drivers haul tourists in their Jeeps. We start walking east on the Jordan Trail.

“Both the Jordan Trail and the Cibola Trail will get you there,” I advise them, “But the Jordan Trail is twice as long, and the Cibola Trail has better scenery.” We continue eastward for Cibola Pass.

In 1540, Francisco Vásquez de Coronado led a thousand mile expedition from New Spain to seek the legendary Seven Cities of Cibola. Coronado was never here, but we walked up and over Cibola Pass and on down to the Jim Thompson Trailhead, where our hike ended.

Thanks to everyone who went with me on this hike! A leader couldn’t wish for finer companions on the trail.