I will reiterate do not try this unless you are athletic or a good hiker. West Fork Trail has its own dedicated parking lot around 10 miles north of Sedona on AZ-89A. WHAT IS THE ELEVATION GAIN OF THE KEYHOLE CAVE IN SEDONA? As I adventure around the Southwest I aim to inspire you to get outdoors while sharing knowledge and skills to do so safely! 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. Keep following the curving dry river bed for about 0.75 miles as it snakes north toward Keyhole Cave. 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. Soldier Pass Cave Soldier Pass Trailhead parking has 14 spaces which are snapped up instantly. Coordinates: 34.88717 N, 111.79926 W. Dogs Allowed: Yes, but NOT dog-friendly. At the Sugarloaf Trailhead youre actually able to spot Keyhole Cave way off in the distance. We personally think the cave is easier to photograph when there is no light inside between mid to late morning. Early morning the cave will be dark and you wont get those vibrant orange colors. We found the right side of the cave was easier to climb for it had foot holds and plenty of jagged rocks to hold on to. The cave is southwest facing, which means the gaping hole entrance will flood with more light in the afternoon. 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. Im not going to lie, I fell back on my butt on the way down this trail! 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. per adult (price varies by group size) Sedona Outback Trail Jeep Adventure. Instead, go direct and keep following lightly beaten paths where possible. You will have to use your hands, feet and core to pull yourself up. We are kicking things off with the popular instagrammers favorite Sedona Subway Cave! Are you a regular visitor to US National Parks and Monuments? 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. The elevation gain of the Sedona Keyhole Cave is 520 feet. Want to visit Keyhole Cave? Hi Samantha, glad to hear you're heading to Sedona! 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. On this path, you will notice many smaller washes branching off the main one. 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. 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. Photos (3,140) Directions. However, they are also the busiest times of year, which also means the most expensive. 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. The cave is accessed via significant off-trail hiking, which means forging a path through rugged desert wilderness. Hi Kara. Yes! Supposedly the shuttle only runs Thursday through Sunday but we met people in Sedona who claimed to have taken the shuttle on a Tuesday so look out for the bus running if you visit Mon Weds. Keyhole Cave is a southwest facing cave located in Coconino National Forest to the north of downtown Sedona. Subway Cave is east facing which means you should try to access the cave as early in the day as possible for best light. Getting down is harder than getting up and is a little unnerving even for the best of us. 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. Want to visit Soldier Pass Cave? 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. The elevation also catches up as you get closer to the cave, gaining about 500 feet in the last 20 minutes of the hike, making it more challenging with each step. We hiked part of the route inside the wash but most of it by going more direct to save time. Aim to be inside Soldier Pass Cave between 1pm and 5pm for the best light. 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. Was This Post Helpful? 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. Kachina Cave is the best kept secret of all so called hidden caves in Sedona. Check the weather and water conditions before you embark on the hike. Would you like to stay up to date with all my adventures? Your Travel Guide To The Grand Canyon State. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Hi! Teacup leads to Sugar Loaf Loop but it also continues on as far as Soldier Pass Trail 1.5 miles over to the east. Turn right onto a spur trail and follow it until you reach a steep bank. Keyhole Cave Park at Sugar Loaf / Teacup Trailhead which has 14 spaces. Try Andante Trailhead parking if you cant get parked at Sugar Loaf and it looks like you wont be able to any time soon. 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. We visited Sedona in December and some of the caves were busy. Devil's Bridge Trail Stats. Try this 2.7-mile loop trail near Sedona, Arizona. There are only 4 parking spaces and it doesnt even look legit, but it is, and the caves are actually well worth visiting. When researching which caves to explore in Sedona, we never saw any mention of Kachina Cave. Keyhole Cave is the best cave for adventure seekers to visit in Sedona. Please take great care not to disturb rock formations or wildlife in any area you hike. It is best to wear fully covered clothing as there are cacti with long and thick thorns and animals like rattlesnakes and other insects. The hike to Keyhole Cave is moderately difficult mostly become of the scramble and climb required to get into the cave. Take your time, watch your steps and you will arrive safely at the base of the cave. We took the right approach both on the way up and down. Pin It For Your Hike! Look for tree branches on the ground. February 15, 2019. Make your way slowly navigating through the tree branches occupying many portions, which will need you to use your hands along with placing firm and steady walk on the ground. See the Keyhole cave dangers as well as full directions in our article here. I will check it out. Looking for Sedona Hotel? Arrive early to the lot in peak season for the best chance of snagging a coveted parking spot at Sugar Loaf Trailhead. Most visitors are hiking on the more popular trails to the north and southeast of town. I had to help three people who were shaking and stuck or could not get down. Parking: Parking is limited. Still, a beautiful area with wonderful sights wherever you trek. Very few know about Keyhole Cave and even fewer take it on once they hear about the unmarked trail and climb. Do not graffiti or move the rocks around and respect the land. This way you can benefit from perfect hiking and light conditions. Sedona is a beautiful place to visit and we have to keep it that way for our kids to enjoy in years to come. A steep climb up the northeast facing bank of Fay Canyon much be climbed to reach the arch. Have a great time! Going next weekend, being that it is the weekend after thanksgiving Im worried about how busy it will be in parking areas. Hike through the red rocks to explore some of Sedona's more spiritual side. We always download offline maps onto Gaia GPS so we can track our exact location at all times. Take this wash and it will lead you all the way up to the base of Keyhole Cave! Easy 4.6 (2494) Coconino National Forest. Other (safer) hikes to explore in Sedona: After you get on the Thunder Mountain Trail, you have two ways to reach the base of the Keyhole Cave in Sedona. After you park in the lot, it is easy to find the trail and start at the Sugarloaf Trailhead. 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. Winter and Summer offer quieter periods in Sedona. Most importantly, wear a good pair of hiking shoes that will facilitate an easier hike overall. 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. But from here, the challenge begins as the wash is very rocky; plus, look out for rattlesnakes along the way. It is located along the popular Boynton Canyon Trail but 99% of hikers on this path are headed to Subway Cave and probably dont even know Kachina Cave exists. The hardest part of the hike awaits you here. Move around Keyhole Cave to the far right side. The hike up Teacup is flat and easy. Hiking Soldier Pass Trail To Soldier Pass Cave In Sedona, Hiking Robbers Roost Trail To Hideout Cave In Sedona. While it is not some crazy steep long way down, the issue is the lack of holds and slippery face as mentioned. Soldier Pass Cave is west facing which means you can visit later in the day to see light streaming into the cave from multiple sources. Hi! Personally we went for the right side both up and down, but we know others have taken the left route instead. 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. Thanks for sharing the map! I found sticking to the wash is the easiest and most direct way to reach the cave. Note that Ravens Caves is the only cave to the south of Sedona and Hideout Cave is a long way out to the northwest of Sedona. Read more in our disclosure policy.*. This route gets easier higher up on the climb. Raven Caves is a very easily accessed series of maze-like caves on the south side of Sedona. The tunnel shape has a 5 ft gap running exactly vertical from top to bottom as though it has been sliced in half by a wide knife blade. Once you do reach the cave, itll be a gigantic opening thats difficult to miss and you may likely find other people there too (I saw at least 2 people before others came as I left). A rope will help you come down safely. You will meander along the wash for three-quarters of a mile or so and you will know when to start going up to the cave as you will see it to your right when the time comes. The trailhead is in an old Sedona neighborhood, and the cave faces the town and Airport Mesa. No matter which season you visit, try to avoid weekends, holidays and the 10am-1pm rush. 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. Aim to arrive inside Birthing Cave between 12pm and 3pm for optimal light conditions. If full, try to park at Fay Canyon and hike along Aerie Trail to reach the trailhead. It is best to arrive early if you want to park here. During the busiest periods in Sedona from Spring through Fall you need to be at parking lots by first light to give yourself a chance at getting a space. 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