Heres a link to our interactive map featuring the locations of the 7 best caves and 1 bonus cave-like arch you can visit in Sedona, along with respective hiking trailheads. Recommended A Complete Guide To Hiking the Subway Cave In Sedona. Las Vegas Heading to Vegas on your Southwest adventure? Keep Sugar Loaf Mountain slightly left of center and follow the lightly beaten trails or wash back to the Teacup / Thunder Mountain Trail crossroads. The hike itself is easy to moderate but getting up into the cave can be quite sketchy. It's a relatively easy hike most of the way, with a steep climb at the end to reach the entrance. The shuttle works particularly well for accessing Soldier Pass Cave which is renowned as one of the worst places to get parked in Sedona. Zion National Park Zion is an adventure playground for adults, find the very best hikes in Zion and choose between 5 ways you can spend a one day in Zion itinerary. Easy 4.6 (2494) Coconino National Forest. It is always quieter because parking spaces are limited for the Long Canyon Trail. Exclusively hiking the wash to Keyhole Cave will add on quite a lot of distance because it meanders like a zig-zag approach. This is exactly what happened to me too. Recommended A Complete Guide To Hiking The Seven Sacred Pools In Sedona. The Sedona Keyhole Cave hike is 2.5 miles round-trip, out and back. Youll be traversing in a wash so be aware of the possibility of flash floods. 1.2K Likes, TikTok video from Desert Sistas (@desert.sistas): " Keyhole Cave via Sugarloaf Trail This hike is located in Sedona, Arizona and is ranked moderate. Going direct is the more exciting way to reach Keyhole Cave. At the Sugarloaf Trailhead youre actually able to spot Keyhole Cave way off in the distance. Hideout Cave is one of the caves that looks more attractive with light. We hiked part of the route inside the wash but most of it by going more direct to save time. If youre looking for an escape from the crowds at Cathedral Rock Trail and Devils Bridge Trail, head out responsibly into the Sedona wilderness and climb into Keyhole Cave. When researching which caves to explore in Sedona, we never saw any mention of Kachina Cave. Along the way you can even see the gaping window in the distance as you head towards it. Do you use any of the best hiking apps on the market for navigation on new or unmarked trails? The hardest part of the hike awaits you here. You can still get parked during the day but you might have to sit in a line or park a long way away from the trail you want to hike. . On weekends and holidays early starts become even more important. The trail to the Keyhole Cave starts at the Teacup Trailhead. No matter which season you visit, try to avoid weekends, holidays and the 10am-2pm rush. Be very careful and only more skilled hikers should try to get up into it. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Once you hop on the trail, though, the hike quickly becomes difficult because you have to climb the elevation up to the base of the cave. It is important to respect the wilderness areas you will be exploring. And on the pros and cons end of this hike: The first thing you need to do is find an official trailhead parking area but the thing I learned about this hike is that if you use Google maps to reach it (there is an official Keyhole Cave location), itll take you to the wrong location. You can of course split it up and take one of the many small trails back from the cave if you want more of an adventure and to not use the same wash trail you use to get there. Now there are 2 ways to navigate your way to this: 1) The first way is visual: Again, you will be able to see the cave from the parking lot and you can see the direction in which its at and keep heading in it. Keyhole Cave is stunning, but its one of many others which I will one day do a post on, but in the meantime, heres a few other hikes, including cave hikes you can try: I have more posts on Sedona which you can find by simply using the search on my site, but just know that if youre not feeling the hike to Keyhole Cave after what you saw here, dont do it as there are so many other cool and safer hikes to try out in Sedona. The pass can be purchased at the machine at the trailhead (credit card only). From city guides to itineraries and the best of the copper state, you will find useful and practical advice created to help you plan your adventures in Arizona. Ruins If you are interested in learning about the history around northern Arizona, you should visit all of the 5 ancient ruins near Sedona. After a while, the wash narrows a bit, but you keep moving alongside it navigating through the branches. Very few know about Keyhole Cave and even fewer take it on once they hear about the unmarked trail and climb. Solider Pass Cave Soldier Pass Trail. Luckily I missed the cactus and landed safely. See the Keyhole cave dangers as well as full directions in our article here. However, they are also the busiest times of year, which also means the most expensive. The Sedona Keyhole Cave hike is 2.5 miles round-trip, out and back with getting into the cave being the most challenging and dangerous part of all. Right at the very back of Birthing Cave is a sphere shaped like half a tennis ball which has eroded out of a smooth curving surface. Yes, the cave hikes in Sedona are pet friendly but all dogs must be kept on a short leash at all times. Note that since it is a residential neighbourhood, you cannot park on the road. Yes! Yes Keyhole Cave is a dog friendly hike in Sedona. from. Explore Keyhole, Sedona - view hand-curated trail maps and driving directions as well as detailed reviews and photos from hikers, campers and nature lovers like you. Coming down you will want to go against that wall on the front of the entrance (down the Right side you came up). Want to visit Birthing Cave? Once you climb the steep bank, walk behind Fay Canyon Arch and use a wide angle lens to frame green trees and red rocks behind the arch. Devil's Bridge Trail Stats. Have a great time! Birthing Cave on the Long Canyon Trail is one of the quietest caves you can visit in Sedona. Hideout Cave, also known as Shamans Cave, is by far the quietest and most secluded cave in Sedona. From there is where it gets harder. Hiking Sugarloaf Mountain via Teacup Trail. Enjoy the views of the grand Sugarloaf mountain and the desert landscapes on the horizon. Please use this link that takes you to Google Maps and download it for offline use. Overall, Birthing Cave is suitable for all hikers with a good level of fitness. Zion National Park Zion is an adventure playground for adults, find the very best hikes in Zion and choose between 5 ways you can spend a one day in Zion itinerary. Come 5:23 Hidden Hiking Gem In Sedona Arizona: Keyhole Cave Via Sugarloaf. At the bottom turn right and you will find the first cave. Was This Post Helpful? After the climb, you will land on a ledge, from where you will be in the cave. The trail is entirely in the wilderness with no shelter, so it is not recommended to do this in the summer. Alternatively, try parking at around 2pm so you miss the busiest period. Hike To The Birthing Cave In Sedona Birthing Cave Hike Details. All you have to do is sidestep or go back on yourself a few paces then try another path. Experienced hikers and adventurers will be fine getting up. Keyhole Cave, Sedona Arizona Super exciting, I found one of Sedona's best kept secrets and it's truly magical! In fact, here is a side by side comparison of how the trail should have looked on Alltrails and what it ended up looking like on my end: I say this because not only can it also happen to you, but dont mistake those added red lines of navigation when you have to go back from the hike. During the hike you pass into Coconino National Forest. This post tells you exactly how to find the Keyhole Cave in Sedona, including directions and hiking tips for this adventurous trip safely. As you get closer to the cave, most of the hikes elevation will take place here and its a little bit annoying, but nothing crazy. Type: Out and Back Difficulty: Moderate Dog Friendly: Yes Location: Sedona, AZ Trailhead: Devil's Bridge Trailhead Parking: Parking lot off Dry Creek road Permits: $5 Red Rock Pass. There is a way to climb out of the upper back cave portion to stand on top of the red rock formation containing the cave. No matter which season you visit, try to avoid weekends, holidays and the 10am-1pm rush. Did you know you can actually make it an all-time epic cave hike day by combining this with Soldiers Pass to see that stunning cave. The hike to Keyhole Cave begins atSugarloaf Trailheadwhich is tucked back in a Sedona Neighborhood. We visited Sedona in December and it was surprisingly busy in town. This trail is very exposed and the climb up to it gets steep- I would not want to do this one in the summer! The terrain turns a little steeper on your final approach to Keyhole Cave. It is truly an adventure finding this one, so keep reading to determine for yourself if youre up for the challenge! The Sedona Keyhole Cave hike is 2.5 miles round-trip, out and back with getting into the cave being the most challenging and dangerous part of all. Your email address will not be published. Below is a screenshot of my track from Keyhole Cave! Park At Sugar Loaf Trailhead And Display Or Buy A Pass, Hiking The Wash Vs The Direct Route To Keyhole Cave, What To Pack For Hiking Keyhole Cave Trail. On this path, you will notice many smaller washes branching off the main one. Why Hike To The Sedona Soldier Pass Cave? But do not count on others being able to help you climb into Keyhole Cave. Its highly likely you already have an annual National Parks pass, which is also known as America the Beautiful or the Interagency Pass. You are going to hike directly straight ahead beyond the wooden sign heading for the red rock formation on the horizon. The good news about a southwest facing cave is you can visit anytime between mid morning and late afternoon for the best light. Lets take a quick look at your parking options for each of the Sedona cave trails: Subway and Kachina Caves Boynton Canyon Parking lot. If you have an America the Beautiful Pass, you can use this as well. The elevation gain of the Sedona Keyhole Cave is 520 feet. Followed the wash 90% of the way up and it made for a really interesting hike. Thank you for your review, Jacob! Pin It For Your Hike! Or you can buy one at a ticket machine when you arrive in person at either parking lot listed further in this guide. If you plan to go until the end of the cave, it is best to bring a rope that will be extremely useful as the last part of the hike is complex and very dangerous. This approach in combination with a visual guide will help you. Sign up for access to all Karabou has to offer- GPX file library, Arizona Hike bucket list, and updates on posts and local news and events! Lets take a quick look at a comparison of what you can expect hiking either the wash or a direct route to reach Sedonas Keyhole Cave. Read our complete guide to hiking Soldier Pass Trail into Soldier Pass Cave for in depth details and directions for how to access the cave. Sedona is a beautiful place to visit and we have to keep it that way for our kids to enjoy in years to come. Want more Arizona content? The views from inside the Keyhole Cave Sedona are spectacular, and rewarding after the climb. All of which take a drastic upturn in difficulty from an otherwise straightforward hike. Early morning and early evening the sun will be too far to either side of the cave entrance and it will mostly be in deep dark shadows. One of the most impressive caves in Sedona, Try parking at Andante if Sugar Loaf Trailhead parking is full, Go direct off-trail to save time vs the wash, Take rope if youre not confident of climbing into Keyhole Cave, Keyhole Cave has the best light between lunch and late afternoon. Las Vegas Heading to Vegas on your Southwest adventure? Winter and Summer offer quieter periods in Sedona. Stay at Greentree Inn Sedona from $186/night, Andante Inn of Sedona from $153/night, Sedona Village Lodge from $105/night and more. The wash is extremely rocky so be careful of your footing the entire way while looking out for snakes. Get inspiration for travel, recipes & to follow your dreams. We now help over 2 million people each year to travel, hike and photograph their bucket list destinations. They are all located close to one another. However, having a jeep will get you closer to both Hideout Cave and Soldier Pass Cave, cutting out hiking time and distance. Rome2rio makes travelling from Brea to Sedona easy. Renting a Jeep in Sedona offers a multitude of benefits and one of those is cutting the hike to Hideout Cave down from 3 miles to just 1 mile. Social media channels such as Instagram and TikTok have increased awareness of the now not so hidden Subway Cave over recent years. However, sunrise and early morning is the best time to visit Hideout Cave when its larger east facing window allows the most light in. Going next weekend, being that it is the weekend after thanksgiving Im worried about how busy it will be in parking areas. Thank you for supporting the free content we provide! Once you do reach the cave, hiking up to it to get the famous photo you may see of it is very dangerous (I did it, but I would not recommend it if you are scared of this stuff). Keyhole Cave Access: Sugarloaf One of the largest alcoves in the area, Keyhole Cave can actually be seen from many places in West Sedona. Plus, we can keep an eye on our hiking statistics. Difficulty | DifficultDistance | 2.60 miles RTElevation Gain | 529 feetType | Out & BackLocation | Sedona, AZTrailhead | Sugarloaf TrailheadDog Friendly | Yes, but not recommendedFees | Red Rock Pass or America The Beautiful. Where Are Those Morgans LLC is a participant in the Amazon services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Park at the Fay Canyon Trailhead and follow the flat trail for 0.6 miles keeping your eyes on the rock formations to your right side. Along the way there are several off trails that lead back up to the same place or meander off somewhere else. If you enter it into Google Maps it will take you right to it. Share. Ive personally completed the Keyhole Cave hike in Sedona and in this post will be detailing everything you need to know to do it as well. If you do try to do Keyhole Cave around sunset, dont leave it too late because you need to get back to the parking area before darkness. From the 4WD parking area, a trail dips into a V shaped valley and comes up on the other side. As long as you see it and make your way towards it in the north, you will arrive at the base of Keyhole Cave. I found people dont stay here for very long since the trails are short so it is a fast turnaround! Cross a narrow ledge carefully on slick rock. 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