Building custom homes in Soldiers Pass, where trail access meets residential privacy
Soldiers Pass is one of the few Sedona neighborhoods where you can walk out your door and be on a trailhead in minutes. It sits on the west side of Sedona proper, more residential and family-oriented than the resort corridors, with larger lots, mature juniper and pinon pine cover, and a pace that suits people who chose Sedona for how they want to live rather than just where they want to be. Fenn Rogers has active projects in the Sedona area and direct experience working with the City of Sedona's building and design review process.
What makes this neighborhood worth building in
The Soldier Pass Trailhead sits at the edge of the neighborhood. From there, you can reach Devils Kitchen, the Seven Sacred Pools, and Soldier Arch, all within a few miles of maintained trail maintained by the USFS Coconino National Forest. That trail access is not a marketing detail. It changes how people use their homes: the daily run before work, the afternoon hike with visitors, the habit of building a life around moving through a landscape that happens to be exceptional.
What Soldiers Pass offers that other Sedona neighborhoods do not is a residential character that accommodates that lifestyle without the resort overlay. There is no golf club, no gated community structure, no hotel-adjacent foot traffic. The neighborhood is largely established single-family homes on lots that run larger than what you find closer to Uptown. Mature vegetation, including juniper stands with root systems that predate most of the homes, gives the area a forested density that filters views and provides natural privacy.
Some lots remain available for new construction. Others come as teardowns or significant renovation candidates. The building process goes through the City of Sedona Building Safety department and, for exterior work visible from public areas or adjacent properties, the Sedona Design Review Board. Unlike Seven Canyons, there is no community-level architectural review committee layer on top of city review. One set of authorities, applied consistently across the neighborhood.
Trail-adjacent lot positioning. Homesites near the trailhead sit close to public land managed by the USFS. That adjacency brings privacy from the trail side, you are looking out at national forest, not a neighbor's wall, but also adds considerations around fencing, lighting, and any grading that might affect trail drainage. We account for these in site planning before any design work begins.
Larger lots than Uptown Sedona. Lot sizes in Soldiers Pass tend to run bigger than what you find in Sedona's more centrally located areas. That means more room for setbacks, outdoor living programs, and ancillary structures. It also means more mature vegetation to work around, and in some cases, to incorporate as a design asset.
Residential density without resort adjacency. The neighborhood sits close enough to Sedona's amenities to be convenient but far enough from the Uptown corridor to feel genuinely residential. That balance is harder to find in Sedona than it sounds.
Mix of architectural styles. Soldiers Pass is not a covenant-controlled community with a prescribed aesthetic. You will find traditional Southwest adobe adjacent to desert contemporary and more conventional residential styles. The City of Sedona DRB has design preferences, particularly around colors and materials, but the neighborhood itself carries less architectural uniformity than master-planned communities in the area.
What to know before you break ground in Soldiers Pass
The forested edge of Soldiers Pass sits within a Wildland-Urban Interface zone. That classification carries real implications for how you build, what materials you can use, and how the site is managed during and after construction. These are not obstacles, they are conditions that a builder with Sedona experience accounts for from the start, rather than discovering during plan review.
WUI fire code compliance. Arizona's Wildland-Urban Interface code applies to new construction in this area. Requirements include ignition-resistant construction (IRC-compliant roofing, siding, and vents), defensible space clearance around the structure, and ember-resistant zone management within five feet of the foundation. Working with Coconino County and city building staff on WUI compliance from the schematic design phase avoids costly late-stage plan revisions.
Mature vegetation, especially junipers. Juniper root systems spread wide and shallow. On a lot with mature trees, the buildable footprint is constrained not just by the drip line but by root zones that extend well beyond it. Grading, excavation for foundations, and utility trenching all need to be coordinated around root mass. We do site assessments that map this before any design work locks in the building footprint.
Drainage from higher elevations. Soldiers Pass sits at a grade that channels seasonal runoff from the higher terrain to the north and west. Lots that appear level or gently sloping can carry significant sheet flow after monsoon events. A civil engineering assessment of drainage patterns, and how a proposed structure will affect them, belongs in the pre-design phase of any project here.
Trail-adjacent privacy. Lots near the trailhead see foot traffic on the public easements. Good site planning positions the home's primary living areas away from trail sight lines, using grade changes, landscape buffers, and structure placement to create privacy without requiring solid walls that would read as out of character for the area.
City of Sedona DRB review. Sedona's Design Review Board has documented preferences around exterior materials, colors (warm earth tones, no high-reflectivity surfaces), roofline form, and how structures relate to their setting. We prepare DRB packages that address these preferences before the first submission, which shortens the review cycle significantly.
Designing a home for the active outdoor lifestyle
A home in Soldiers Pass is a base camp as much as a residence. The people who choose this neighborhood tend to use it that way, and the best custom homes here reflect that from the floor plan outward.
Gear storage and mudrooms
A full mudroom with trail-ready storage is not a luxury in Soldiers Pass, it is the difference between a home that works for how you live and one that fights you every time you come back from a hike. We design entry sequences with bench seating, dedicated boot and helmet storage, hooks sized for packs and trekking poles, and flooring that handles red rock dirt without showing it. Adjacent utility areas can incorporate gear-drying function and charging stations for electronics.
Outdoor showers and wash-down areas
Red rock dust, trail mud, and the inevitable wet-dog situation all argue for exterior wash-down capability. A well-integrated outdoor shower with hot water, a dog-wash station with a low curb and non-slip deck surface, and a hose bib arrangement that makes rinsing gear straightforward belong in the preliminary design conversation, not as an afterthought during construction. See our outdoor living spaces guide for how we approach exterior programs in the Arizona climate.
Indoor-outdoor living built for the elevation
Sedona sits at roughly 4,500 feet. The temperature range is wider than the Phoenix metro, and the shoulder seasons are spectacular for outdoor living in ways that Phoenix never quite achieves. Covered outdoor living rooms, fire features, and covered dining areas extend the livable square footage meaningfully, particularly in spring and fall. We design these as integrated parts of the floor plan, not as add-ons bolted to the back of the house.
Honest numbers for a Sedona neighborhood build
Total project investment for a custom home or major renovation in this market typically lands between $3 million and $10 million and beyond, depending on lot scope, square footage, finish level, and the complexity of site work. We do not quote per-square-foot ranges because true custom work varies enormously between a primary residence with standard luxury finishes and a legacy estate with specialty stone, cantilevered construction, infinity pools, or detached casitas. We build to a fixed-price contract after the design is fully developed, so you have a locked total before construction begins.
Homes designed with significant outdoor living programs, natural stone cladding, or custom metalwork consistent with desert contemporary architecture sit toward the higher end. A straightforward new build on a flat lot with conventional framing and standard exterior finishes can come in below it. Our custom home cost per square foot guide for Arizona covers the full range of variables and what actually drives costs up versus what does not matter as much as buyers assume.
We build a fixed-price contract after design development is complete and permits are in hand. Not an estimate with large allowances that shift as you make selections. A locked number based on the specifications you approved. For a broader look at renovation and addition costs in the region, our Arizona cost guides library covers kitchen remodels, home additions, outdoor living, and more.
We are building in the Sedona area right now
Fenn Rogers currently has two homes under construction in the Sedona area. Our subcontractor relationships are active, our familiarity with current City of Sedona permit timelines is current, and our site supervisors know the terrain. A custom home in this market is a 24-to-36-month commitment from design through occupancy. It starts with a candid conversation about what you are trying to accomplish and whether we are the right fit for it.
If you want to look through completed work before reaching out, our project portfolio includes examples of the design-build approach we bring to every project. Our About page covers our background and the way we work with clients over a multi-year build. We take a limited number of new projects each year. If you are considering a 2026 or 2027 start, early contact is worthwhile to understand our current availability.
From first call to occupancy in Soldiers Pass
The full framework is on our custom home building process page. Here is how the Soldiers Pass-specific considerations fit into each phase.
Site evaluation and pre-design assessment
We walk the lot with you, map mature vegetation and root zones, assess drainage patterns from the higher elevations to the north, and confirm WUI zone classification and what that means for your specific parcel. If you have not yet closed on the lot, we can participate in that evaluation before you commit. Understanding the buildable footprint, accounting for setbacks, root drip lines, trail adjacency, and drainage easements, before design starts saves money and prevents surprises.
Design development with DRB in mind
Working with your architect or ours, we develop plans that satisfy your program and the City of Sedona DRB's standards. This means material selections, roofline form, exterior color palette, and how the structure relates to its setting, addressed at the schematic phase, not flagged as problems during review. We manage the DRB submission and respond to any comments. This phase typically runs three to six months, depending on design complexity and review cycles.
WUI compliance and permitting
We coordinate WUI compliance documentation with the City of Sedona Building Safety department and the Arizona Registrar of Contractors licensing requirements. Ignition-resistant construction details, defensible space plans, and ember-resistant zone specifications are prepared as part of the permit package, not added on after permit review returns comments.
Fixed-price proposal and contract
Once design is complete and permits are in hand, we present a comprehensive fixed-price proposal. Every material, finish, and specification is documented. You review and approve. We do not start construction until you have a number you can plan around. Learn more about our overall approach on the About page.
Construction and communication
Your dedicated project manager coordinates all trades and handles daily site management. Jeff Rogers and Brady Fenn remain accessible throughout. We hold regular update calls and document progress so you are never wondering what is happening on your lot.
Punch list and move-in
We do a thorough walkthrough with you before closing out the project. Every item is addressed before we consider the job complete. Then you move in and start using the trailhead five minutes from your front door.
Practical commitments for a project this size
Fixed pricing after design
We lock the number after design development and permitting, when every material and specification is known. We do not use large allowances as placeholders. If you want a different finish, we tell you what it costs before it goes into the contract.
Direct access to the principals
Jeff Rogers and Brady Fenn are reachable throughout your project. A build in Soldiers Pass is too significant an investment to be managed by someone who was not part of the original conversation.
Limited project volume
We do not take on more work than we can staff properly. Your project manager has genuine bandwidth for your build, not a dozen sites competing for the same attention.
Soldiers Pass, Mystic Hills, and the broader west Sedona area
Soldiers Pass is the right fit for buyers who want trail access, residential scale, and more lot size than central Sedona offers, without the resort overlay or community ARC structure. If you are evaluating options on Sedona's west side or across the broader area, a few comparisons are worth understanding.
Mystic Hills
Just south of Soldiers Pass on Sedona's west side, Mystic Hills shares a similar residential character and access to trail systems. Lot sizes and topography vary by parcel. Some areas carry their own CC&R restrictions, so review of the specific parcel's covenants matters before assuming the same design flexibility. Worth comparing directly if you are open to either neighborhood. Our broader Sedona luxury home building page covers the full landscape of neighborhoods and jurisdictions.
Back O' Beyond
On Sedona's south side near the Chapel of the Holy Cross, Back O' Beyond offers red rock views and proximity to different trail access than the west side. The area has a distinct character, more estate-scale lots and fewer established residential streets. If privacy and view corridors matter more than trail-adjacent living, it is worth evaluating alongside west Sedona options.
Seven Canyons
If you want golf community structure, a managed common environment, and the specific character of the Boynton Canyon area, Seven Canyons adds a community ARC layer on top of city review, with corresponding standards that protect long-term community value. A different kind of project than a Soldiers Pass neighborhood build. See our Seven Canyons custom homes page for a detailed comparison.
Recent Fenn Rogers projects
There are so many cool features at our Skyview 5 project, like the floating steel staircase to access the bedrooms upstairs right off the kitchen. Stay tuned as we are nearing completion on this amazing custom home 🙌🏻
We’ve wrapped up the framing portion of phase 2 at our Mariposa Estates project. Phase 2 consists of building a game room to connect the main house to the casita with a game room as well as adding 3 additional garage bays 👊🏻
Most people would look at this project and say you should’ve just scraped the house and started from scratch! But this home has sentimental value to our clients so we are preserving as much as we can 🙌🏻
Design: @homesmithdesign
🎥: @hoppinphoto
Pool & Landscape: @worthdevelopmentaz
With the heat starting this week…I’ll be dreaming about this soon to be finished pool!📍 Gilbert, Arizona.
#gilbertarizona #arizona #customhomes #dreamhome
There are a lot of finishing touches being installed at this project. One of our favorites is the contrasting paver boarder around the walkways and driveways, installed by @sherwood_outdoorsaz.
The kitchen of your dreams 😴 💭
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@burdettecabinetco @alishataylorinteriors @summitstoneaz @sunlighting_official @reecebathandkitchenusa @subzerogroupsw @armed_electric_llc @pinnacleconceptions
This modern farmhouse is a timeless classic, and a magnificent showpiece in the neighborhood. @alishataylorinteriors designed the most beautiful home that fit our client’s lifestyle perfectly. We are extremely grateful to all of our trade partners and their hard work to assemble this masterpiece! THANK YOU! 🎥 @hoppinphoto
Foundation is poured at 69th 🙌
Design: @britanysimon
Architecture: @pinnacleconceptions
Build: @fennrogers_customhomes
Listing: @jamartaylor_
Video: @select.media.co
Golden hour at this beautiful property 👌 👌
@sherwood_outdoorsaz @visionmakersinternational @alishataylorinteriors @ocwindowanddoor @windsor_windows
#customhomes #arizonahomes #fennrogerscustomhomes #dreamhouse
I could watch these guys install wood floors all day! Really cool entry way detail, designed by @alishataylorinteriors.
Phase 1 of our Mariposa remodel is all wrapped up and turned over to the design team for furnishings. We are beyond thrilled with how this project turned out!
Design: @alishataylorinteriors
🎥: @hoppinphoto
Ready to talk about your Soldiers Pass home?
We take a limited number of new Sedona-area projects each year. If the timing is right, the first step is a direct conversation with Jeff or Brady about what you are looking to build. No obligation. Use the form below or call us at (480) 699-3105. You can also request a formal quote here.
Start the ConversationQuestions about building a custom home in Soldiers Pass
What jurisdiction governs building permits in Soldiers Pass?
Soldiers Pass falls within the City of Sedona, so construction permits are issued by City of Sedona Building Safety. Exterior work visible from public areas or adjacent properties may also require review by the Sedona Design Review Board. Unlike Seven Canyons or certain other Sedona communities, there is no community-level architectural review committee on top of the city process. Contractors working in Arizona must hold a current license through the Arizona Registrar of Contractors.
Does the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) code apply in Soldiers Pass?
Yes. The forested edge of Soldiers Pass, with its juniper and pinon pine cover, places the area within a Wildland-Urban Interface zone. WUI code requirements for new construction include ignition-resistant construction (roofing, siding, and vents rated to IRC standards), defensible space clearance around the structure, and ember-resistant zone management within five feet of the foundation. These requirements are not optional and affect material choices, site planning, and vegetation management. We address WUI compliance from the schematic design phase to avoid late-stage plan revisions.
How do mature juniper trees affect the buildable footprint on a Soldiers Pass lot?
Juniper root systems spread wide and shallow, often extending significantly beyond the visible drip line of the tree canopy. Grading, foundation excavation, and utility trenching all need to be coordinated around root mass to avoid damaging trees that contribute to the character and privacy of the lot. We conduct site assessments that map mature vegetation and estimate root zones before any design work locks in the building footprint. On some lots, preserving a mature juniper is worth adjusting the floor plan to accommodate it. On others, removal is the better call. Either way, the decision belongs early in the process.
What does the Sedona Design Review Board look for in Soldiers Pass?
The Sedona DRB has documented preferences around exterior materials, colors, roofline form, and how structures relate to their setting. In general, the DRB favors warm earth tones consistent with the natural landscape, no high-reflectivity surfaces or colors that contrast starkly with the red rock environment, and building massing that responds to the topography rather than imposing on it. Soldiers Pass has no community ARC layer on top of the DRB, which simplifies the review process compared to gated communities in the area. We prepare DRB packages that address these preferences upfront.
What does it cost to build a custom home in Soldiers Pass?
Custom construction in Soldiers Pass typically runs in the $3M to $10M and beyond total investment range, depending on lot, scope, and finish level. Site-specific factors move the number within and beyond that range: the amount of grading required, WUI compliance measures, vegetation management around mature junipers, trail-adjacent privacy features, and finish specification all affect the final cost. Homes with significant outdoor living programs, natural stone, or custom metalwork sit toward the higher end. Our Arizona custom home cost guide covers what drives costs up and what does not matter as much as buyers assume.
How close are the Soldier Pass trails, and does trail proximity affect the build?
The Soldier Pass Trailhead is at the edge of the neighborhood, providing direct access to Devils Kitchen, the Seven Sacred Pools, and Soldier Arch, all managed by the USFS Coconino National Forest. Lots adjacent to the trailhead or public easements have trail visibility considerations: good site planning positions primary living areas away from trail sight lines and uses grade changes, landscape buffers, and structure placement to create privacy. Fencing options near public land may also be subject to constraints. We account for these in the early site planning phase.
Can Fenn Rogers evaluate a Soldiers Pass lot before we purchase it?
Yes, and we recommend it. Lot conditions in Soldiers Pass vary significantly: drainage patterns from the higher elevations, mature vegetation density, WUI zone classification, trail adjacency, and the actual buildable footprint once setbacks and root zones are mapped can all affect what the lot is worth to build on. We have steered clients away from lots that looked straightforward on paper after identifying constraints on site. A pre-purchase walk costs you an afternoon and can prevent a costly mistake.
How is Soldiers Pass different from building in Seven Canyons or Mystic Hills?
Soldiers Pass is a standard City of Sedona residential neighborhood with no community ARC layer, simpler review structure than Seven Canyons, which adds a community architectural committee on top of city review. Mystic Hills, just to the south on Sedona's west side, shares a similar residential character, though specific parcels may carry their own CC&R restrictions worth reviewing. Soldiers Pass is generally the choice for buyers who want trail access, residential scale, and design flexibility without the golf-community overlay. Our Sedona luxury home building page covers the full range of neighborhoods and what distinguishes each.