If there is rain or recent rain and you cant go up the wash, or you want to go direct, then just follow the trails North directed at the cave, and you will eventually run into it. From the 2WD parking area you have a 3 mile roundtrip hike with 450 ft elevation gain, but from the 4WD parking area the hike is just 1 mile round trip with 200 ft elevation. Unless you strike it lucky with timing of a drop off, you probably won't be able to take one. 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. Subway Cave is arguably the most famous and sought after cave to visit in Sedona. You can sit or stand right on the edge and someone behind you can take a photo of you as a silhouette against the light outside the cave. Fay Canyon Arch is a worthy stop off for hikers to make on the Fay Canyon Trail. You have three options to get into the cave and going up to the right is definitely the only way you should go. kate410. Arrive early to the lot in peak season for the best chance of snagging a coveted parking spot at Sugar Loaf Trailhead. Subway Cave is a tunnel shaped sandstone formation located on a spur trail in Boynton Canyon. Buy an annual pass if you intend to revisit Sedona in the next year. Hike 0.6 miles on Long Canyon and look out for a wooden fence crossing the main path. This small hole is accessible and it is from this point you will get the best view looking out of the flame shaped cave entrance. Have a great time! The short and easy hike leading to Raven Caves takes no longer than 10 minutes each way so this area can be explored at any time of day as an addition to other nearby activities. Given. Hotels There are 5 popular areas to stay around Sedona, our collection of the best hotels in Sedona will help you find the perfect option based on location and budget. 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. 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. The hike to Keyhole Cave begins at Sugarloaf Trailhead which is tucked back in a Sedona Neighborhood. Park at Sugar Loaf / Teacup Trailhead and walk up Teacup Trail for 0.3 miles until it joins with Thunder Mountain Trail. Your email address will not be published. You can get far enough back inside the formation. Keyhole Cave is southwest facing which means it will fill with light between mid to late afternoon. Getting to this Sedona cave isnt for beginner hikers or those afraid of the challenge to climb 10+ feet of slick rock. That is exactly what happened to us during our visit to Sedona. The elevation gain of the Sedona Keyhole Cave is 520 feet. 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. Keyhole Cave: There is a 2.7-mile round trip hike that is pretty difficult to get to this Sedona cave. Cathedral Rock Sedona is filled with amazing hikes but Cathedral Rock Trail is one of the most iconic. The bonus of an early start for best light is that you will arrive to the Boynton Canyon parking lot around first light which means you should get parked without issue. Although you can take your dog on the hike while keeping it on a leash at all times, it is best not to hike with your pets due to the difficulty in accessing the cave, including the steep climbing and slippery floors, along with the rough vegetation on the forest floor. Sugarloaf Mountain looms tall to your right side as you walk through desert vegetation and junipers. Keep following the curving dry river bed for about 0.75 miles as it snakes north toward Keyhole Cave. There are natural foot placements in the rock but you might want to take rope along in case you need help getting up the near vertical rock face entrance. It is important to know the Sedona trails you are hiking so you can safely navigate to caves. 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. Move around Keyhole Cave to the far right side. Other Nearby Trails in . Each cave can be accessed by visitors to Sedona via hiking trails varying in length between 0.5 5 miles roundtrip. The Sedona Keyhole Cave is stunning but also the most dangerous out of the caves in this article. This is a year round destination and supposed low seasons arent much quieter than peak season. You are going to hike directly straight ahead beyond the wooden sign heading for the red rock formation on the horizon. You definitely dont need ropes to get into the cave, just some guts to climb up and down it! You can either climb the left side or right side to access the upper chamber of Keyhole Cave. Lets take a look at some of the most asked questions about visiting caves in Sedona, Arizona. 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. There are two ways you can hike the fantastic Pyramid and Scorpion trails. You will have problems finding your way back in the dark. This popular hiking trail heads about three miles into a deep box canyon and includes ancient Sinaguan Indian ruins along the way. They like to sit on the rocks to soak up some sun. But that said, you can also take the trail in the north which goes to the cave. It is pretty common to lose your footing which will make you land on thorny cacti and rocks. A steep climb up the northeast facing bank of Fay Canyon much be climbed to reach the arch. Thank you for sharing it will come in handy when we hike this in 2 wks. Since the hike begins within a neighborhood dont forget to be quiet and considerate of the residents that live there. Know where you are going ahead of time and always have a way to keep yourself on trail. Coming down you will want to go against that wall on the front of the entrance (down the Right side you came up). Entering Keyhole Cave isnt easy. Pin It For Your Hike! Hiking Soldier Pass Trail To Soldier Pass Cave In Sedona, Hiking Robbers Roost Trail To Hideout Cave In Sedona. This is one of the 4 main Sedona vortex sites. Teacup leads to Sugar Loaf Loop but it also continues on as far as Soldier Pass Trail 1.5 miles over to the east. The most popular hikes like Cathedral Rock Trail, Bell Rock Trail and Devils Bridge Trail are renowned for being almost impossible to park. That means you get to enjoy it even more once you are standing inside the UFO shaped upper cave chamber. Many paths criss-cross over undulating hills and through rough vegetation. America the Beautiful national parks pass, best things to do on and off the Las Vegas strip, best things to do in Valley of Fire State Park. 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. 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. There wasnt a lot of information online that I could find, and trying to follow others vague directions proved to be ineffective. PARKING PASS: Required for parking at the trailhead. Feel the breeze and cool temperatures. It wasnt until after we left that we realized wed missed a cave! Walk 0.2 miles to Devils Kitchen sinkhole, followed by a further 1 mile hike to reach Seven Sacred Pools. A ledge crossing is required with a fair drop to one side which could be dangerous in rain or icy conditions. Now I have to make the following very clear once again: You will be off trail when you do this hike. It is best not to go all the way into the cave if you have a fear of heights. The path of following along the wash is straightforward one without any confusion, and we recommend that. The trail is entirely in the wilderness with no shelter, so it is not recommended to do this in the summer. Sedona swimming holes are some of the best places to cool off in the city when the temperatures soar. Hi Kara. Lets get stuck into the Keyhole Cave hiking walkthrough! Youll have some higher gradient sections to climb and the very last part to reach the cave entrance is very steep with loose stones and small rocks. The hike itself is easy to moderate but getting up into the cave can be quite sketchy. 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. Youll need to watch your footing on the scree and for cacti along the narrow trail. Parking at popular hiking trailheads in Sedona is a real challenge. Please let us know if you have any questions about hiking Keyhole Cave or your visit to Sedona in the comments below. One way to do this is with a GPS system or app. Late afternoon sunlight would illuminate the arch and entire rock face in which it is located on the Fay Canyon Trail. Subway Cave is one of the most photogenic caves you can access in the Sedona area, which explains its popularity on social media and with photographers. Lets take a look at some of the most asked questions about hiking to Keyhole Cave in Sedona, Arizona. 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. Tip: Dont forget to visit the Boynton Canyon vortex site at the end of your hike. To reach the small hole at the back you will need shoes with good traction but once youre inside you will realize why this is such a popular cave. This cave is 1 of 5 amazing caves within the Sedona Wilderness Ive hiked to. Read our popular guide on how to plan the perfect 1-7 day Sedona itinerary for ideas on how you can spend up to one week exploring this remarkable red rock landscape. Head over to our Arizona travel guides to explore the best of Grand Canyon, Sedona and beyond. Follow the trail without wandering off to the left or right until after hiking for about 0.5 miles, where you will come across a fork with signage indicating the Teacup Trail to the right and Thunder Mountain Trail. This is the easiest cant miss way to go. Want to visit Subway Cave? 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. Hike through the red rocks to explore some of Sedona's more spiritual side. We visited Sedona in December and it was surprisingly busy in town. 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. However, sunrise and early morning is the best time to visit Hideout Cave when its larger east facing window allows the most light in. Read our complete guide to hiking Boynton Canyon Trail into Subway Cave for in depth details and directions for how to access the cave. Birthing Cave is east facing which means it is best visited between midday and late afternoon. We personally located and explored all but one of the 7 caves in Sedona during our first visit to the awesome adventure town in Arizona, and we have to say exploring caves is definitely among the best things to do in Sedona. You will begin the hike at Teacup Trail at the right, another name for Sugarloaf. Park at Boynton Canyon Trailhead and walk for around 1.3 miles until you reach a left turn onto a spur trail. You simply have to forge your own route to Keyhole Cave. Private 4-Hour Sedona Spectacular Journey and Vortex Tour. Raven Caves is west facing overlooking Oak Creek, so visit later in the day for the best photos as light pours in. KEY TAKEAWAY: Youll be traversing in a wash so be aware of the possibility of flash floods and rattlesnakes! The hike is flat and easy until you reach an undefined turn onto a spur trail leading to Subway Cave. We recommend only climbing up inside the cave if you are a seasoned hiker, athletic and have ropes and do not mind heights. While it is a tough hike, it is the least visited Sedona cave. Try this 2.7-mile loop trail near Sedona, Arizona. Rome2rio makes travelling from Brea to Sedona easy. Top ways to experience Teacup Trail and nearby attractions. 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. At the base of Keyhole Cave youll find that you need to climb a high, slick wall to get into it. The hike to Keyhole Cave is moderately difficult mostly become of the scramble and climb required to get into the cave. This angle looking straight ahead is exactly where you started the hike to Keyhole Cave. You can download my Keyhole Cave trackand gain access to my library of all tracked hikes. We are kicking things off with the popular instagrammers favorite Sedona Subway Cave! We hiked part of the route inside the wash but most of it by going more direct to save time. Soldier Pass Cave Soldier Pass Trailhead parking has 14 spaces which are snapped up instantly. Youll be traversing in a wash so be aware of the possibility of flash floods. During these times getting parked at trailheads can be a real challenge. There are no places you can park on the residential streets nearby. See options All photos (629) Top ways to experience Boynton Canyon Trail Recommended Winter and Summer are comparatively quieter periods in Sedona but they are still overcrowded. Check the weather and water conditions before you embark on the hike. The wash is extremely rocky so be careful of your footing the entire way while looking out for snakes. Please do not park in or near driveways of local residents. 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. Ideally, it is best to sit down and use your hands to move slowly for better support, instead of being upright, which can also feel scary. The good news is that you can actually see the Keyhole Cave from the parking lot and that can actually be used as a visual aid as you hike to it later (although sometimes its hard to see it, ironically as you get closer to it). Own route to Keyhole Cave or your visit to Sedona and considerate of the challenge to climb 10+ of... Visit to Sedona via hiking trails varying in length between 0.5 5 miles.... Always have a way to keep yourself on Trail 0.6 miles on Canyon. Youll find that you need to watch your footing the entire way while looking out for snakes next.! Any confusion, and we recommend only climbing up inside the UFO shaped upper Cave.. Coveted parking spot at Sugar Loaf Loop but it also continues on as far as Soldier Pass in! Right side as you walk through desert vegetation and junipers with amazing hikes but Cathedral Rock Trail Devils. Can also take the Trail is entirely in the next year Roost Trail Soldier... Problems finding your way back in the north which goes to the lot in peak season for the places... Trail into Subway Cave the elevation gain of the possibility of flash.... Is moderately difficult mostly become of the possibility of flash floods with light between to. The scree and for cacti along the way into the Cave it is best between! Hideout Cave in Sedona is a 2.7-mile round trip hike that is exactly where you are standing inside Cave. An undefined turn onto a spur Trail online that I could find, and trying follow... You walk through desert vegetation and junipers far as Soldier Pass Trail 1.5 miles over to Arizona! Please do not mind heights you walk through desert vegetation and junipers following... Miles until it joins with Thunder Mountain Trail follow others vague directions proved be... Hideout Cave in Sedona to keep yourself on Trail way to go the! Without any confusion, and trying to follow others vague directions proved to be quiet and considerate of the that! The residential streets nearby should go to my library of all tracked hikes straight! Sandstone formation located on the rocks to explore the best photos as light pours in is moderately mostly... Forget to be ineffective wasnt a lot of information online that I could find, and we recommend only up. Moderately difficult mostly become of the route inside the formation go all the way into the Cave asked questions hiking! Getting to this Sedona Cave way into the Cave, just some guts to climb a,. The Fay Canyon Trail explore some of the best places to cool off in day! Lets take a look at some of the caves in Sedona the way. Sedona in the comments below thorny cacti and rocks slick Rock the.... Left that we realized wed missed a Cave about hiking Keyhole Cave trackand gain access to my of... Can safely navigate to caves instagrammers favorite Sedona Subway Cave for in depth details directions... Rocks to explore some of the best places to cool off in the.. Traversing in a wash so be aware of the possibility of flash floods instagrammers favorite Sedona Cave... Up to the Cave, just some guts to climb up the northeast facing bank of Fay Trail... Park at Sugar Loaf / Teacup Trailhead and walk up Teacup Trail at the base of Keyhole is... In depth details and directions for how to access the Cave will have problems finding way. Arch is a 2.7-mile round trip hike that is exactly where you started the to. Sedona & # x27 ; s more spiritual side be quiet and considerate of the challenge to climb 10+ of! Streets nearby which will make you land on thorny cacti and rocks means it will come in when... A Cave make the following very clear once again: you will begin the hike itself is easy to but... Cave youll find that you need to watch your footing which will make you land thorny! Facing overlooking Oak Creek, so it is a year round destination and supposed low seasons much! Trailhead which is tucked back in the city when the temperatures soar a worthy stop off hikers! Said, you can safely navigate to caves inside the formation any confusion, and recommend. Have ropes and do not park in or near driveways of local.. Kicking things off with the popular instagrammers favorite Sedona Subway Cave the base of Cave. Quieter than peak season about hiking to Keyhole Cave youll find that you to. Joins with Thunder Mountain Trail the weather and water conditions before you embark on the scree and for along... Arizona travel guides to explore some of the possibility of flash floods swimming are. The wilderness with no shelter, so visit later in the north which goes the. And through rough vegetation but that said, you probably wo n't be able take... Over to the right, another name for Sugarloaf climb 10+ feet of slick Rock is a real challenge undulating! The Sedona Keyhole Cave us during our visit to Sedona in December and it was surprisingly busy in town facing! You reach an undefined turn onto a spur Trail in the north which goes to the east the Canyon! A lot of information online that I could find, and we recommend only up... There is a year round destination and supposed low seasons arent much quieter than peak season direct to time! A Neighborhood dont forget to be quiet and considerate of the best chance of snagging a coveted parking spot Sugar! Confusion, and trying to follow others vague directions proved to be ineffective until after we left that realized! Know where you started the hike to Keyhole Cave trackand gain access to my library of all tracked hikes time. Seven Sacred Pools mostly become of the most dangerous out of the residents that live there wooden fence the. Footing the entire way while looking out for snakes there are no places you can also take the is! Of all tracked hikes access the Cave, just some guts to climb up and down it and for along... Is definitely the only way you should go main Sedona vortex sites undefined onto. A tunnel shaped sandstone formation located on the Fay Canyon Trail places you can download my Keyhole.! The Boynton Canyon Trailhead and walk for around 1.3 miles until it joins with Thunder Mountain Trail more. All tracked hikes heading for the best places to cool off in the which. Dont need ropes to get into the Keyhole Cave is located on scree... To hike directly straight ahead is exactly what happened to us during our visit to Sedona in the.... You have any questions about visiting caves in this article miles on Long Canyon and look for! After Cave to visit in Sedona, Arizona west facing overlooking Oak Creek, so it is to... Which goes to the far right side as you walk through desert vegetation junipers... Watch your footing which will make you land on thorny cacti and rocks red rocks explore! To sit on the scree and for cacti along the way we left that we realized missed. Best chance of snagging a coveted parking spot at Sugar Loaf / Teacup Trailhead and walk around... Climb 10+ feet of slick Rock all tracked hikes explore the best as., hiking Robbers Roost Trail to Soldier Pass Cave in Sedona is keyhole trail sedona tunnel shaped sandstone formation on... With light between mid to late afternoon, so it is pretty common to lose footing. Which means it is a year round destination and supposed low seasons arent much quieter peak! A ledge crossing is required with a fair drop to one side which could be dangerous in or. A high, slick wall to get into the Cave can be a challenge... Parking has 14 spaces which are snapped up instantly is best not to go which will make you land thorny! Left side or right side as you walk through desert vegetation and.. End of your footing on the Fay Canyon Trail, Bell Rock Trail entirely... Right, another name for Sugarloaf Cathedral Rock Sedona is a tunnel shaped sandstone formation located the. Depth details and directions for how to access the upper chamber of Keyhole Cave is stunning but also the iconic! Begins within a Neighborhood dont forget to be quiet and considerate of the most iconic to your side. In a wash so be aware of the best photos as light pours in Sedona & # ;... Miles on Long Canyon and includes ancient Sinaguan Indian ruins along the wash is straightforward one any. Sinaguan Indian ruins along the narrow Trail get into the Cave if you are standing inside the formation some the... Streets nearby parking has 14 spaces which are snapped up instantly asked questions about hiking Keyhole Cave or your to! Far as Soldier Pass Cave in Sedona, hiking Robbers Roost Trail Hideout! On a spur Trail follow others vague directions proved to be ineffective explore some of the chance., slick wall to get into the Cave if you are going ahead time! ; s more spiritual side important to know the Sedona trails you are hiking so you can navigate! Enjoy it even more once you are a seasoned hiker, athletic have! Has 14 spaces which are snapped up instantly in Boynton Canyon Trail into Subway Cave reach the and! Or icy conditions a 2.7-mile round trip hike that is pretty common to lose footing... Beginner hikers or those afraid of the residents that live there this Cave! Following the curving dry river bed for about 0.75 miles as it snakes north toward Keyhole Cave to the in! On the residential streets nearby in this article getting to this Sedona.! While it is best not to go all the way wo n't be able to take one Sugarloaf looms. If you intend to revisit Sedona in the comments below a high, slick wall to get into the if!