This is a year round destination and supposed low seasons arent much quieter than peak season. 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. Sedona, AZ 86339 Open today: 6:00 AM - 11:00 PM Save Private 4-Hour Sedona Spectacular Journey and Vortex Tour 33 Book in advance from $288.88 per adult Check availability View full product details Z9866ZHnancyl Miami, Florida 85 28 Made it to The Subway Keyhole Secret Review of Boynton Canyon Trail Reviewed May 2, 2021 As while tricky at least there are significantly better foot and hand holds to use. Walk 0.2 miles to Devils Kitchen sinkhole, followed by a further 1 mile hike to reach Seven Sacred Pools. Dont try to cross this ledge in icy or overly wet conditions. You can get far enough back inside the formation. . Now this is again where I have to warn you about the dangers: I do not recommend climbing in this part of the hike. Birthing Cave Park at Long Canyon Trailhead. Fay Canyon Arch is a gigantic sandstone formation eroded into a towering red rock cliff in the shape of an arch. We personally think the cave feels more beautiful when the sun doesnt fill any of Birthing Cave with light so there are no heavy contrasts. I apologize my directions couldnt get you all the way. Ruins If you are interested in learning about the history around northern Arizona, you should visit all of the 5 ancient ruins near Sedona. If you want to get to the hard to reach places, you should hire a jeep.When to visit Spring and Fall are the best seasons to visit Sedona. Keep Sugar Loaf Mountain slightly left of center and follow the lightly beaten trails or wash back to the Teacup / Thunder Mountain Trail crossroads. Jeep Trails Comprehensive guide to the 9 best Jeep trails in Sedona Arizona, including both popular and hidden gem off road routes. You can actually see the cave in the distance from the beginning of the hike. But please be warned, the climb into Keyhole is not easy. Mark had to stop at one point to remove around 30-40 razor thin prickles that had penetrated a through pants and a hiking boot. Buy an annual pass if you intend to revisit Sedona in the next year. Its highly likely you already have an annual National Parks pass, which is also known as America the Beautiful or the Interagency Pass. Once you are at the massive cave entrance you can see how gigantic Keyhole Cave is inside. Decide which way to go down and take care with your footing when youre ready to leave Keyhole Cave. Keyhole Cave is the most adventurous of the popular hidden caves in Sedona. Soldier Pass Hike to Devils Kitchen and Seven Sacred Pools before climbing into Soldier Pass Cave on the family friendly Soldier Pass Trail in Sedona. Drop in from above. There are two sides to entering the cave, and both need climbing, most people take the right side as it is easier as there is space and many rocks to hold on to, which you need as the ground is slippery with loose rocks and sand. Once you are at the entrance, you can see how gigantic Keyhole Cave is and mystic. 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. Theres nothing quite like climbing into a cave glowing a deep orange as sunlight creeps in through rugged cracks and openings! Please let us know if you have any questions about hiking to any of the caves or your visit to Sedona in the comments below. After going up each of these a decent way (and I was nearly bitten by a snake), we ended up turning back. Keyhole Cave is the biggest and most adventurous cave you can hike to in Sedona. Please take great care not to disturb rock formations or wildlife in any area you hike. Our advice is not to worry about being able to find Keyhole Cave. From the 4WD parking area, a trail dips into a V shaped valley and comes up on the other side. Turn right onto a spur trail and follow it until you reach a steep bank. This trail is very exposed and the climb up to it gets steep- I would not want to do this one in the summer! To make your way, you will have to use your hands, feet and core to pull yourself up. Hiking Sugarloaf Mountain via Teacup Trail. The views from inside the Keyhole Cave Sedona are spectacular, and rewarding after the climb. 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. Thank you so much for the response! Heres the right approach into Keyhole Cave: The right approach looks worse than it is. Soldier Pass Cave Soldier Pass Trailhead parking has 14 spaces which are snapped up instantly. For me, I started on a more official trail and then the map on Alltrails took me off it, and I began taking what looked like other mini trails in combination to reach the cave. The trail is entirely in the wilderness with no shelter, so it is not recommended to do this in the summer. Three awesome reasons a hike to Keyhole Cave should be an essential part of every adventurous wishlist of best hikes in Sedona. Teacup Trail to Coffeepot Rock. Keyhole Cave is accessed via Teacup Trail to begin but you will spend three quarters of this hike on unmaintained land with rough vegetation and no clear path. Youll have to duck to move around the cave network but you can shoot some interesting photos here. After a while, the wash narrows a bit, but you keep moving alongside it navigating through the branches. 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. Some of the caves are better with sunlight inside and others with no sunlight inside. The hike to Keyhole Cave begins at Sugarloaf Trailhead which is tucked back in a Sedona Neighborhood. You do not need a jeep to access any cave in Sedona. Winter is a fantastic time to avoid both.Where to stay in Accommodation is expensive in Sedona, but there are plenty of very high quality places to stay including Matterhorn Inn, Lantern Light Inn, Arabella Hotel, Whispering Creek B&B and The Suites at Sedona.Popular things to do Sedona is one of the best places to hike in the US, but it is also a wonderful place to get off-road in a jeep, shoot stunning photography, visit historic sites and drink wine. With that said, if there is rain or recent rain and you cant go up the wash then just follow the trails North directing at the cave and you will eventually run into it. We are kicking things off with the popular instagrammers favorite Sedona Subway Cave! Karabou Adventure + Travel is a participant of the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Cathedral Rock Sedona is filled with amazing hikes but Cathedral Rock Trail is one of the most iconic. 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. On this path, you will notice many smaller washes branching off the main one. Experienced hikers and adventurers will be fine getting up. After you park in the lot, it is easy to find the trail and start at the Sugarloaf Trailhead. Read our complete guide to hiking Robbers Roost Trail into Hideout Cave for in depth details and directions for how to access the cave. View full map. The good news is you will only be on Teacup Trail for 0.4 miles until you reach a trail crossroads with Thunder Mountain Trail. Cross a narrow ledge carefully on slick rock. However, to avoid needing to double-back or going the wrong way for a little just follow the wash the entire way to the base of the cave. The out and back hike to Keyhole Cave is moderately difficult, but a challenging scramble and climb is required to access the upper cave chamber. This site uses cookies to offer you a better browsing experience. This is perfect for getting an early start, hiking to Subway Cave first and then taking the spur to Kachina Cave on the way back timing it perfectly for both caves at best light conditions. Preparation saves lives. Make sure the cave appears at a distance as this will help you know you are going the right way especially if you get off track. On the teacup trail, you will see the majestic Sugarloaf mountain on your right and the views get prettier along with the distinct desert vegetation as you walk along the trail. The climb up is very steep and slippery. It is not a cave in the traditional sense of the word but the Sedona landscape can be framed from behind the arch similarly to that inside most of the caves on this list. April, May, September and October are peak tourist months in Sedona. At the bottom turn right and you will find the first cave. All the stops we make are close to the Interstate. Never the less, with these warnings aside, Ill be sharing the details about this hike and what to expect, so you can decide if you are up for it too. Find all the transport options for your trip from Brea to Sedona right here. Hideout Cave has both east and south facing windows allowing light to illuminate the its cavernous chamber. I would not recommend this for anyone scared of heights, who dont have shoes with great grip or for the lesser athletic. Robbers Roost Trail is located 21 miles northwest of downtown Sedona on Forest Road 525C. It looks quite far away but it wont take you long to get back. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. 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. The hike to Keyhole Cave is moderately difficult mostly become of the scramble and climb required to get into the cave. Photography Are you more interested in capturing stunning images? You must take the right turn at the split and climb a fairly steep gradient to gain access to Solider Pass Cave in Sedona. The cave is southwest facing, which means the gaping hole entrance will flood with more light in the afternoon. There may be hikers already in the cave who have rope. You use the Sugarloaf Trailhead, which starts with the Teacup Trail, it is located in a little neighborhood just 15 minutes from downtown. There are very few other top attractions nearby, which helps keep these two trails quiet. $288.88. Given the length of the trip we usually make short stops at Palm Springs, Blythe or Quartzite, and Phoenix (far side: Happy Valley) and then head on to Sedona. But that said, you can also take the trail in the north which goes to the cave. They are all located close to one another. 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. Fay Canyon Arch is a worthy stop off for hikers to make on the Fay Canyon Trail. Eventually you will find that the wash narrows a bit and becomes filled with fallen trees and rocks to climb over. We're Mark and Kristen Morgan, former career scientists turned travel, hiking and photography experts after an 18 month honeymoon around the world forever changed our lives. Report inappropriate content. If parking is full at Sugarloaf / Teacup trailhead, try parking at Andante trailhead instead or worst case Thunder Mountain trailhead. The hike itself is moderate but getting into the cave itself definitely takes it to difficult+. By browsing this website, you agree to our use of cookies. Please use this link that takes you to Google Maps and download it for offline use. The climb into Soldier Pass Cave isnt too difficult and the other trail landmarks make this one of the most popular cave trails for families visiting Sedona. This will definitely help you know you are going the right way especially if you get off track. Park at Boynton Canyon Trailhead and walk for around 1.3 miles until you reach a left turn onto a spur trail. Certain trailheads and parking lots in Sedona require you to display either a Red Rock Pass or America the Beautiful Interagency Pass on your vehicle dashboard. If you are looking for an easy hike, the Doe Mountain trail in Sedona is one of the best, If you are looking for the best Sedona Hot Springs, in this guide, we cover the best hot springs, The best breweries in Sedona should be on your itinerary whether you are a lover of beer or you, Enjoying the stunning Tucson sunset is the perfect way to end your day while exploring this beautiful city. Chances are high you will have Kachina Cave to yourself and the tree makes for a stunning subject to photograph surrounded by quintessential orange and red sandstone rocks. Lets find out all about hiking the Keyhole Cave right away. Keyhole Cave is in Sedona Arizona, specifically 1.1 miles north from Sugar Loaf trailhead. You can of course follow misc small trails North going at the cave and at some point you will get to it. While it is a tough hike, it is the least visited Sedona cave. Lets hike to the secret Keyhole Cave in Sedona Arizona! Grand Canyon Just 2 hours from Sedona is the incredible Grand Canyon South Rim, create your wishlist from the best hikes at Grand Canyon South Rim. I knew what it looked like and where it was, I just didnt know how to get to it- now Im glad Ive figured it out! You just never know when youll lose your footing on these desert rocks. Birthing Cave is east facing which means it is best visited between midday and late afternoon. Still, a beautiful area with wonderful sights wherever you trek. If you want to get to the hard to reach places, you should hire a jeep.When to visit Spring and Fall are the best seasons to visit Sedona, but they come with a higher price tag and more crowds. But trust us, after hiking almost every trail in Sedona, you can rest assured the hike to Keyhole Cave is one of the most fun experiences you will have in northern Arizona. Be advised, if not using the authors GPX files, the final leg may not be very clear. Alternatively, you can try parking at Andante Trailhead nearby, which is also a small parking lot. Keyhole Cave via Sugarloaf Trail Hard 4.5 (899) Coconino National Forest Photos (1,346) Directions Print/PDF map Length 2.2 miElevation gain 472 ftRoute type Out & back Head out on this 2.2-mile out-and-back trail near Sedona, Arizona. Stay at Greentree Inn Sedona from $186/night, Andante Inn of Sedona from $153/night, Sedona Village Lodge from $105/night and more. The hike to Kachina Cave is not recommended after rain or during snow and ice conditions in Winter. Posted on Last updated: December 18, 2022. 5. Since the route to get here is in a wash you want to be careful to not hike during or right after a rainstorm. New to hiking? Have a great time! If the lot is full you can try waiting a for a little to see if anyone leaves. There are two places you can park for hiking Robbers Roost Trail to Hideout Cave. I especially appreciate this trail because it is not for everyone and takes a level of commitment to truly the unlock the majesty of this trail. Arriving early to trailheads is essential for the best chance of getting parked. You may need to be extra cautious and plan things for this adventurous hike, but the challenge makes it more appealing adding it to the list of the best Sedona hikes. Hike To The Birthing Cave In Sedona Birthing Cave Hike Details. But with just one day in Sedona, we would suggest doing Subway Cave, Kachina Cave and Birthing Cave as a 3 cave hiking tour in that exact order. Wander In Arizona is a comprehensive resource for hiking, camping, and exploring Arizona. @Mark and Kristen Morgan, Sugar Loaf Trailhead is the best parking lot to use for hiking to Keyhole Cave in Sedona. Keyhole Cave is not for the faint of heart(afraid of heights) or beginner hikers as it involves challenging terrains, including climbing very high rocks and navigating through wilderness comprising cacti and rattlesnakes, as there is no maintained official trail. Your email address will not be published. kate410. It is a very narrow cave, almost like an arch formation that can be climbed with a hidden upper chamber. It is not big, with only a dozen spaces available and usually fills up most of the peak hours and days as most people hiking the Sugarloaf mountain also park here. Trailhead: 2065 Buena Vista Dr, Sedona, AZ 86336. This was the right time to get on an actual trail because we were close enough to the base and we could see it, so we knew the trail led directly to it. You can get amazing photos from the bottom of the cave too. The Sugar Loaf parking area has just 12 spaces and is often full. 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