Was This Post Helpful? Park at Long Canyon Trailhead among the trees or on the roadside. It is less about temperatures and busy trails, more about finding free parking spots. 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. Preparation saves lives. After you turn left to take the Thunder Mountain trail, there will be a wash on your right side. Now the real fun begins! 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. While this part is doable for most everyone, the real issue comes when you reach the cave and attempt to climb up into it. Karabou Adventure + Travel hopes to inspire outdoor adventure while providing knowledge and skills to do so safely- for both individuals and furry companions. All other caves are located in the most popular hiking areas of Sedona and remain busy year round. Distance: 1.6 miles round trip (out and back) Time to Summit: 30 minutes to an hour. Heres why you should visit these Sedona caves with just one day: Got your days planned out? Teacup Trail to Coffeepot Rock. Read our popular guide to the 50 best hikes in the USA next! Bell Rock Hike the Bell Rock Courthouse Butte Loop Trail for stunning Sedona views, a fun slick rock climb and our hidden loop half way up the formation. The hike to Keyhole Cave begins at Sugarloaf Trailhead which is tucked back in a Sedona Neighborhood. In Sedona, we used Gaia to find all of the hidden caves and didnt lose any time trying to figure out if we were on the right path. Please do not park in or near driveways of local residents. 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. The cave isnt a traditional cavern with chambers, it is more of a depression into a rock face which gives the effect of a cave once you are inside. Subway Cave is a tunnel shaped sandstone formation located on a spur trail in Boynton Canyon. 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. Thanks Great Directions. You can get amazing photos from the bottom of the cave too. Disclosure | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use, Copyright 2023 | Where Are Those Morgans. Instead of buying a Red Rock Pass for your visit to Sedona you can simply display your America the Beautiful Pass at every hiking trailhead. You are going to hike directly straight ahead beyond the wooden sign heading for the red rock formation on the horizon. 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. Sugar Loaf Trailhead is the best parking lot to use for hiking to Keyhole Cave in Sedona. Well, Subway Cave is the most popular instagram and photography cave in Sedona. The Sedona Keyhole Cave hike is 2.5 miles round-trip, out and back. The hike to Keyhole Cave begins at Sugarloaf Trailhead which is tucked back in a Sedona Neighborhood. Park at Boynton Canyon Trailhead and walk 2 miles until you reach a big, burnt, black and gray tree trunk. Ropes can come in handy at this point, especially if you are in groups to help one another move around. We hiked to Hideout Cave and arrived inside by 11.30am. Cross a narrow ledge carefully on slick rock. Looking for Sedona Hotel? There is a shuttle now to Soldiers pass and we cant drive. 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. You will only walk on this trail for a handful of steps before you come to a wash and you will follow that up to the right. WHAT IS THE ELEVATION GAIN OF THE KEYHOLE CAVE IN SEDONA? Your hike will start nice and easy and flat. If you have 2WD, you must walk up the 4WD road to begin. There are only 4 parking spaces and it doesnt even look legit, but it is, and the caves are actually well worth visiting. Las Vegas Heading to Vegas on your Southwest adventure? I personally loved this hike, but its not for everyone and I hope these instructions (and warnings) are helpful to you! We always download offline maps onto Gaia GPS so we can track our exact location at all times. Do not graffiti or move the rocks around and respect the land. A short but steep elevation gain will carry you up a bank and into Birthing Cave. Other hikers simply head due north using multiple paths which all twist and intertwine like a maze. 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. 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. Uber has service in Flagstaff but not in Sedona. Bob Bear (formerly Fossil Springs) Hike With Secret Tips. Alternatively, try parking at around 2pm so you miss the busiest period. You still need to be organized and plan effectively otherwise youll spend your days frustrated about not being able to park anywhere. It is important to respect the wilderness areas you will be exploring. 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. Improve this listing Tours & experiences Explore different ways to experience this place. The best time to hike to Keyhole Cave would be spring, late fall, or even during winter if there isnt more than a light dusting of snow. Remember, there is no trail to reach it, and what you will be doing is starting on an official trail on Sugarloaf Trailhead (called Teacup trail), but going off trail to reach the cave. When we hiked Keyhole Cave there was a couple already inside who had rope and dropped it down for us to use just in case. So watch your footing and for cacti along the narrow trail. Want more Arizona content? 29. Looking for hiking inspiration? Youll need to watch your footing on the scree and for cacti along the narrow trail. Winter and Summer are comparatively quieter periods in Sedona but they are still overcrowded. This leads to a short climb up rocks and a left turn will bring you around the north side of Hideout Cave. Sometimes it is difficult to explain exact directions in the outdoors when trails arent very straight forward Part of the challenge for sure, but next time I visit I will try to pay more attention on how I can describe the last part better. Boynton Canyon Exactly how to find the famous Subway Cave on Boynton Canyon Trail, the most photographed cave in Sedona. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Going next weekend, being that it is the weekend after thanksgiving Im worried about how busy it will be in parking areas. Keyhole Cave Park at Sugar Loaf / Teacup Trailhead which has 14 spaces. Later in the day the cave will be in deep and dark shadows. 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. Here are 4 photos showing the inside of Keyhole Cave as we walked around the cave from left to right looking out: If you climb up the right side you will summit the cave at the place where the most popular instagram photograph is taken. Lets find and explore the best secret caves in Sedona, Arizona! Hiking Most of Sedonas caves are found by hiking into red rock wilderness, heres our popular roundup of all 20 best hikes in Sedona, Arizona. I would not recommend this for anyone scared of heights, who dont have shoes with great grip or for the lesser athletic. Now I have to make the following very clear once again: You will be off trail when you do this hike. Dont try to cross this ledge in icy or overly wet conditions. Or there may be rope left over from recent hikers. Half of the fun is finding the caves in the first place, the rest of the fun is figuring out how to climb into and photograph each of the Sedona caves. The view out of Keyhole Cave is spectacular and you can get far enough back inside the formation to easily frame the background through the cave entrance. Those with 2WD cars must park 1 mile from a second parking area suitable for 4WD vehicles. This lot is also known as Teacup Trailhead and is located in a residential area on Buena Vista Drive in north Sedona. Inside the cave (maybe its a vortex or magnetic issue), but my GPS started scrambling and adding about another 6 miles to my hike incorrectly. At the fork there is a sign to follow Teacup Trail to the right and Thunder MTN Trail to the left. 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. Most visitors are hiking on the more popular trails to the north and southeast of town. Sedona's Keyhole Cave is located right in the heart of 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. This popular hiking trail heads about three miles into a deep box canyon and includes ancient Sinaguan Indian ruins along the way. However, we would highly recommend against taking your dog on this trail due to rough desert vegetation throughout and the challenging climb into Keyhole Cave. However, be aware Soldier Pass Trail is one of the most popular hikes in Sedona so it is always busy. Lets take a look at some of the most asked questions about visiting caves in Sedona, Arizona. Thank you for sharing it will come in handy when we hike this in 2 wks. Hi! The Sedona Keyhole Cave is stunning but also the most dangerous out of the caves in this article. In this post Ive included all the details and directions you need to know in order to successfully find Keyhole cave and have a safe adventure. The trail is entirely in the wilderness with no shelter, so it is not recommended to do this in the summer. Keyhole Cave - Parking at Sugar Loaf / Teacup trailhead requires a pass Red Rock Pass You can buy a Red Rock Pass at this specific recreation.gov site in advance, or you can buy one from a ticket machine in select parking lots. Top ways to experience Teacup Trail and nearby attractions. They like to sit on the rocks to soak up some sun. Looking for hiking inspiration? Fay Canyon Arch is a gigantic sandstone formation eroded into a towering red rock cliff in the shape of an arch. Las Vegas Heading to Vegas on your Southwest adventure? Hiking Cathedral Rock: All you need to know, Hike to Devils Bridge in Sedona, Arizona, The Birthing Cave in Sedona- EVERYTHING you need to know, Hiking Sunrise Mountain Trail in Peoria, AZ, How To Spend One Day In Bryce Canyon National Park, Hiking Black Top Mesa In The Superstitions Is Worth It, Conquering Three Sisters Summit In The Superstition Mountains. The elevation gain of the Sedona Keyhole Cave is 520 feet. Hi Samantha, glad to hear you're heading to Sedona! Other Nearby Trails in . It is pretty common to lose your footing which will make you land on thorny cacti and rocks. Kachina Cave is the best kept secret of all so called hidden caves in Sedona. It is pretty easy to get off trail so we recommend using AllTrails. kate410. It is definitely worth visiting Keyhole Cave, the biggest cave you can hike to in Sedona on your itinerary. What can you do to take the stress out of parking? Lets find out all about hiking the Keyhole Cave right away. I would strongly recommend you wear fully covered clothing like pants because theres a good chance you may have this problem too, not to mention that there are animals like snakes in the area and just wearing more protective clothing is safer in general here. This is where you are headed! Winter and Summer offer quieter periods in Sedona. If youre fascinated by caves and the windows they create then youll love Keyhole Cave. The Sedona Keyhole Cave hike is 2.5 miles round-trip, out and back. 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. Hi Kara. 5 of the best Sedona Caves and how to find them, Hiking for Beginners 101- The Best Guide for New Hikers, Visit these 4 Sedona Wineries all in one day, Keyhole Cave in Sedona and EXACTLY how to get there. Soldier Pass Cave Soldier Pass Trailhead parking has 14 spaces which are snapped up instantly. Or you can buy one at a ticket machine when you arrive in person at either parking lot listed further in this guide. Kachina Cave is best visited in mid morning between 9am and 11am when sunlight will penetrate a narrow formation causing the lone tree and red rocks to glow. It has an unobstructed views stretching miles over desert vegetation with nothing to block sunlight. Boynton Canyon Trail (7.3 miles) Explore Sedona's box canyons on the Boynton Canyon Trail, over 7 miles through red rock country, what makes this region of the state so impressive. Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "adfe3c6c02b8a23ef7f876e875c76545" );document.getElementById("de46ec5a9a").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); I am Kara and I travel and adventure with my GSD, Monty. It is made up of 5 or 6 separate tunnel like caverns overlooking Oak Creek. 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