Fortunately I had vocal help from someone who saw more than I did and told me where to put my hands and feet. 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. Arrive early to the lot in peak season for the best chance of snagging a coveted parking spot at Sugar Loaf Trailhead. The Sedona Keyhole Cave hike is 2.5 miles round-trip, out and back. Going direct is the more exciting way to reach Keyhole Cave. Stay at Greentree Inn Sedona from $186/night, Andante Inn of Sedona from $153/night, Sedona Village Lodge from $105/night and more. I needed to help 3/5 people get up and down who had gone into the cave. As Sedona grows in popularity, more and more hikers are visiting each year and there are nowhere near enough places to park at trailheads. However, you should take rope along if you have any doubts about being able to pull yourself up a steep rock face using small foot placements. Solider Pass Cave Soldier Pass Trail. There are no places you can park on the residential streets nearby. From there it is pretty simple with just three turns along the way! As while tricky at least there are significantly better foot and hand holds to use. Experienced hikers and adventurers will be fine getting up. Improve this listing Tours & experiences Explore different ways to experience this place. If you plan to hike a number of trails around Sedona over a period of 4 7 days, you should buy the 7 day pass to save money. Are you planning to hike more trails in the area? You must take the right turn at the split and climb a fairly steep gradient to gain access to Solider Pass Cave in Sedona. That means the sun will be directly ahead and fills Birthing Cave with light until late morning. The cave is accessed via significant off-trail hiking, which means forging a path through rugged desert wilderness. View full map. Later in the day the cave will be in deep and dark shadows. Would you like to stay up to date with all my adventures? All other caves are located in the most popular hiking areas of Sedona and remain busy year round. It is important to respect the wilderness areas you will be exploring. Your pictures are great. Why Hike To The Sedona Soldier Pass Cave? You definitely dont need ropes to get into the cave, just some guts to climb up and down it! Set your Google Maps or Apple Maps to "West Fork Oak Creek Trailhead" or "Call of the Canyon Picnic Site". Read our complete guide to hiking Fay Canyon Trail with optional climbs to Fay Canyon Arch and a fun end of trail ascent. 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. Also, be on the lookout for rattlesnakes! You can either climb the left side or right side to access the upper chamber of Keyhole Cave. Suggest edits to improve what we show. But do not count on others being able to help you climb into Keyhole Cave. 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. We recommend only climbing up inside the cave if you are a seasoned hiker, athletic and have ropes and do not mind heights. Your Travel Guide To The Grand Canyon State. 29. Pin It For Your Hike! Your email address will not be published. WHAT IS THE ELEVATION GAIN OF THE KEYHOLE CAVE IN SEDONA? @Mark and Kristen Morgan, Hiking Sugarloaf Mountain via Teacup Trail. You can use Sugar Loaf Mountain as your landmark to aim for on the hike back. You will go left and just follow Thunder Mountain Trail at this junction. Photography Are you more interested in capturing stunning images? 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. Without a rope, do not try to come down the middle part of that Right side you came up as it is so slippery and there arent any solid holds. Sedonas red rock scenery becomes more and more impressive with every step. In this guide we will show you: Where to park for Keyhole Cave Which pass you need to display At just 2.3 miles roundtrip you might be wondering what all the fuss is about with Keyhole Cave. You will make it without issue as long as you keep heading north and keep your eyes peeled for glimpses of the cave opening. 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. The views from the grand entrance of the caves are surreal and much better than the pictures you see. So watch your footing and for cacti along the narrow trail. Most importantly, wear a good pair of hiking shoes that will facilitate an easier hike overall. 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. During these seasons you have more chance getting parked up without issue. Looking for a adventurous way to explore Sedona's Keyhole Cave? PARKING PASS: Required for parking at the trailhead. Another 1 mile heading north will lead you into a wash and eventually to a very obvious fork split in the trail. People often bring ropes to help others up and down, which is a great idea. Birthing Cave on the Long Canyon Trail is one of the quietest caves you can visit in Sedona. Required fields are marked *. Long Canyon has no facilities. Unlike the other Sedona Caves which require a bit of hike into the forest depths before seeing the cave, you can spot the Keyhole Cave Sedona way off in the distance, a giant hole amidst the mountains, which is the mouth of the cave. All you have to do is sidestep or go back on yourself a few paces then try another path. Private 4-Hour Sedona Spectacular Journey and Vortex Tour. Turn right onto a spur trail and follow it until you reach a steep bank. Heres the Sugar Loaf Trailhead parking lot Google Maps location to use for beginning your hike to Keyhole Cave. Hideout Cave is one of the caves that looks more attractive with light. Youll take Teacup Trail which starts right at the trailhead. From that parking lot are several hikes available, including the one to Keyhole Cave, but at the same time, Keyhole Cave is not an official spot on that list. 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. If you have 2WD, you must walk up the 4WD road to begin. Thank you for your review, Jacob! In Sedona, there are at least 7 caves you can hike to and explore. Try Andante Trailhead parking if you cant get parked at Sugar Loaf and it looks like you wont be able to any time soon. Ruins If you are interested in learning about the history around northern Arizona, you should visit all of the 5 ancient ruins near Sedona. *Please note this post may contain affiliate links. However, having a jeep will get you closer to both Hideout Cave and Soldier Pass Cave, cutting out hiking time and distance. From the 4WD parking area, a trail dips into a V shaped valley and comes up on the other side. Im so glad to hear you were able to make it to see the Keyhole cave! 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. The wash is extremely rocky so be careful of your footing the entire way while looking out for snakes. Are you a regular visitor to US National Parks and Monuments? I personally loved this hike, but its not for everyone and I hope these instructions (and warnings) are helpful to you! As youre hiking up the wash youll notice several trails that zigzag across it. If you only plan to hike to caves in Sedona and no other trails, you will need to display a pass for the following caves: 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. Your hike will start nice and easy and flat. Generally considered a challenging route. Wander In Arizona is a comprehensive resource for hiking, camping, and exploring Arizona. 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. Once you are at the entrance, you can see how gigantic Keyhole Cave is and mystic. However, the wash is flatter, more consistent and you wont have to go back on yourself at any point. They are all located close to one another. 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. 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. Or there may be rope left over from recent hikers. I had to help three people who were shaking and stuck or could not get down. The best time of day to hike Keyhole Cave is mid-afternoon as the light conditions are perfect at this time, especially the grand entrance of the cave since the cave is southwest facing. If you cant get into the most convenient lot, where will you park? But back to finding the keyhole cave! Read our complete guide to hiking Boynton Canyon Trail into Subway Cave for in depth details and directions for how to access the cave. This lot is also known as Teacup Trailhead and is located in a residential area on Buena Vista Drive in north Sedona. Preparation saves lives. You use the Sugarloaf Trailhead, which starts with the Teacup Trail, it is located in a little neighborhood just 15 minutes from downtown. If you're going on a road trip from Los Angeles to Sedona, we did the research for you and compiled some great stops along the way with Anaheim, Phoenix, Greater Palm Springs, Palm Springs, Scottsdale, Temecula, Laguna Beach, Prescott, Joshua Tree National Park, and Cottonwood and top places to visit like Wilson Creek Winery and Big Bear . If you want to find one of the stunning cave views in Sedona then you must hike the Keyhole Cave in Sedona. Since the hike begins within a neighborhood dont forget to be quiet and considerate of the residents that live there. When you see a huge arch at where the rock formation meets green trees on the hillside, this is where you need to begin climbing directly up the bank. Read our popular guide to the 50 best hikes in the USA next! Avoid going too early in the morning or early evening as the light will be away and the hike may be extra dangerous with little sunlight. While the trail is moderate the very end to get into the cave is extremely difficult and dangerous. Disclosure | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use, Copyright 2023 | Where Are Those Morgans. This angle looking straight ahead is exactly where you started the hike to Keyhole Cave. Alternatively, try parking at around 2pm so you miss the busiest period. 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. 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. Its still a good idea to try getting parked early in the morning so you beat the mid morning rush. The terrain turns a little steeper on your final approach to Keyhole Cave. Read our guide on why America the Beautiful national parks pass is one of the best things you can buy if you plan to visit multiple parks in the next year. If you enter it into Google Maps it will take you right to it. Raven Caves is west facing overlooking Oak Creek, so visit later in the day for the best photos as light pours in. Consider taking the Sedona shuttle. You will want to come down via that wall side though as there is no way to really come down the middle with the lack of holds and how slippery it is. I always recommend tracking yourself or following an already made track so you can check in and be sure youre on the right path. 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. Youll start at Sugar Loaf trailhead and see the Keyhole Cave from there, then navigate to it by first going on the Teacup trail, then going off trail to reach it. Like all other caves in Sedona, the best time to hike to Keyhole Cave are the spring and the fall months and the early winter days provided there is no snow. 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. But that said, you can also take the trail in the north which goes to the cave. Heres a summary of the 7 caves and one bonus arch you can visit in Sedona: Before we get started with the best hidden Sedona caves, it is important to touch on etiquette. Plus, we can keep an eye on our hiking statistics. Recently, the Sedona Westerners' Rustlers hiking group on . 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. Sedona is a beautiful place to visit and we have to keep it that way for our kids to enjoy in years to come. Rome2rio makes travelling from Brea to Sedona easy. The arch is actually the most striking and impressive feature along this hiking trail. Lets find out all about hiking the Keyhole Cave right away. The hike up Teacup is flat and easy. You still need to be organized and plan effectively otherwise youll spend your days frustrated about not being able to park anywhere. 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. Read our complete guide to hiking Robbers Roost Trail into Hideout Cave for in depth details and directions for how to access the cave. Once youre done exploring this area, its just a matter of heading back down south to reach the parking lot to complete this hike. 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. Park at Posse Grounds park & ride for the most stress free access to Soldier Pass trailhead. This leads to a short climb up rocks and a left turn will bring you around the north side of Hideout Cave. Eventually you will find that the wash narrows a bit and becomes filled with fallen trees and rocks to climb over. This is the easiest cant miss way to go. What Trailhead Do You Use to Access The Sedona Keyhole Cave Once you have made the climb into Keyhole Cave, you find yourself in a UFO shaped upper chamber in which you can walk around in a semi circle (like a crescent moon) from one side of the cave to the other. You will find Subway Cave to be among the busiest on this list of best caves in Sedona but the natural beauty of this formation is well worth dealing with the crowds. You can either climb directly up a rock face but we recommend going left up the steep bank. However, to be honest you should be fine with this particular hike. It can get a little confusing but if you have a map you can see the trail intersection on it which makes it much easier. Look for tree branches on the ground. Read more in ourdisclosure policy.*. Zoom in and out to see hiking trail routes from trailhead to cave. Your email address will not be published. Keyhole Cave is the most adventurous, Birthing Cave is the quietest and Soldier Pass Cave has a more exciting trail with other landmarks to enjoy. Through rugged desert wilderness once you are at least 7 caves you can either climb the left side right. Of use, Copyright 2023 | where are Those Morgans help you climb into Keyhole Cave group on most hiking! Birthing Cave on the hike to Keyhole Cave is accessed via significant off-trail hiking, means... Cutting out hiking time and distance just three turns along the way fine getting up this is! Capturing stunning images Teacup trail which starts right at the Trailhead | where are Morgans! Forging a path through rugged desert wilderness will get you closer to both Hideout.... The north which goes to the 50 best hikes in the area and! Looks like you wont be able to help others up and down it park at Grounds. 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