Karabou Adventure + Travel hopes to inspire outdoor adventure while providing knowledge and skills to do so safely- for both individuals and furry companions. Share. Our advice for Sedona is not to worry about temperatures or busy trails, but focus on finding free parking spots. Read more in ourdisclosure policy.*. Print/PDF map. 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. On this path, you will notice many smaller washes branching off the main one. Spring and Fall represent the two best seasons for visiting Sedona in general when hiking conditions are most comfortable. 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. We visited Sedona in December and it was surprisingly busy in town. Going next weekend, being that it is the weekend after thanksgiving Im worried about how busy it will be in parking areas. If you plan to hike more trails around Sedona over a period of 2 7 days, you should buy the 7 day pass because you will need it at many other trailheads in the area. You can get far enough back inside the formation. Here are the 40 best things to do on and off the Las Vegas strip and the 15 best things to do in Valley of Fire State Park nearby. Because you will need to climb a high, slick wall to get into the Keyhole Cave. Park at Posse Grounds park & ride for the most stress free access to Soldier Pass trailhead. Most moderately experienced hikers should be fine, but we would not recommend beginner hikers attempt the hike to Subway Cave. Generally considered a challenging route. 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). Park at Sugar Loaf / Teacup Trailhead and walk up Teacup Trail for 0.3 miles until it joins with Thunder Mountain Trail. Perfect! In this guide we will show you: Where to park for Keyhole Cave Which pass you need to display Hideout Cave has a striking view over desert vegetation and red rocks, plus is it so far out of the typical touristy area of Sedona that you are almost guaranteed to have this cave to yourself. 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. People often bring ropes to help others up and down, which is a great idea. What Trailhead Do You Use to Access The Sedona Keyhole Cave The cave is accessed via significant off-trail hiking, which means forging a path through rugged desert wilderness. At the base of Keyhole Cave youll find that you need to climb a high, slick wall to get into it. There is a shuttle now to Soldiers pass and we cant drive. 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. In Sedona, there are at least 7 caves you can hike to and explore. The arch is actually the most striking and impressive feature along this hiking trail. 1.2K Likes, TikTok video from Desert Sistas (@desert.sistas): " Keyhole Cave via Sugarloaf Trail This hike is located in Sedona, Arizona and is ranked moderate. 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. Anyway, once you get into the cave, if you want to reach the iconic area where people sit inside the cave with views of the Sedona mountains outside, thats going to require you climb about 30 feet up and there are at least 2 ways I saw it being done. Please do not visit ruins with your pet. After you get on the Thunder Mountain Trail, you have two ways to reach the base of the Keyhole Cave in Sedona. Some visitors graffitied the cave walls- please do not draw or carve into the walls and leave them as is! 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. 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. The elevation gain of the Sedona Keyhole Cave is 520 feet. How to Find the Sedona Birthing Cave Required fields are marked *. Aim to be inside Soldier Pass Cave between 1pm and 5pm for the best light. Distance: 1.6 miles round trip (out and back) Time to Summit: 30 minutes to an hour. Keyhole Cave is the biggest and most adventurous cave you can hike to in Sedona. 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. We are kicking things off with the popular instagrammers favorite Sedona Subway Cave! You will go left and just follow Thunder Mountain Trail at this junction. Your email address will not be published. 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. This is a fun outing to scramble up above the cave and drop down the drainage that created the cave. Recommended A Complete Guide To Hiking The Seven Sacred Pools In Sedona. If parking is full at Sugarloaf / Teacup trailhead, try parking at Andante trailhead instead or worst case Thunder Mountain trailhead. I would not recommend this for anyone scared of heights, who dont have shoes with great grip or for the lesser athletic. 1. kate410. Its highly likely you already have an annual National Parks pass, which is also known as America the Beautiful or the Interagency Pass. Check out 5 of the best Sedona Caves and how to find them for more! 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. . A steep bank climb is required to get inside the cave but it is easy enough. Keep Sugar Loaf Mountain slightly left of center and follow the lightly beaten trails or wash back to the Teacup / Thunder Mountain Trail crossroads. I tried following these trails last year during my first attempt to find Keyhole Cave and was unsuccessful. This is one of the 4 main Sedona vortex sites. Social media channels such as Instagram and TikTok have increased awareness of the now not so hidden Subway Cave over recent years. 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. But they come with a higher price tag and more crowds. It is best to avoid hiking during or after flash floods season. This is when we hopped onto a trail on the left side of the wash and followed it directly to the base of the cave. Lets take a quick look at a comparison of what you can expect hiking either the wash or a direct route to reach Sedonas Keyhole Cave. You will go most of the 500 feet in elevation on this hike over the last 10-15 minutes of the hike. 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. As mentioned this is not for the faint of heart so if you are not a confident hiker/climber do not try to go up into the cave. Heres the Sugar Loaf Trailhead parking lot Google Maps location to use for beginning your hike to Keyhole Cave. One of the most dynamic trails to be added to the Sedona Hiking Trail System in years. Explore Keyhole, Sedona - view hand-curated trail maps and driving directions as well as detailed reviews and photos from hikers, campers and nature lovers like you. While this part is doable for most everyone, the real issue comes when you reach the cave and attempt to climb up into it. Find all the transport options for your trip from Brea to Sedona right here. It is pretty easy to get off trail so we recommend using AllTrails. Exclusively hiking the wash to Keyhole Cave will add on quite a lot of distance because it meanders like a zig-zag approach. Sedona is a beautiful place to visit and we have to keep it that way for our kids to enjoy in years to come. There are small natural foot placements in the sandstone rocks you use the entire way up the right side. 29. You'll 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. By browsing this website, you agree to our use of cookies. Use the placements in the rock to help you land easily. If you enter it into Google Maps it will take you right to it. Ideally come down on your butt and use all of the foot and hand holds at a nice slow pace. Keyhole Cave, Sedona Arizona Super exciting, I found one of Sedona's best kept secrets and it's truly magical! The hike to Keyhole Cave begins atSugarloaf Trailheadwhich is tucked back in a Sedona Neighborhood. 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. A great recommendation is the bring a good rope to help everyone up and especially down. 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. I apologize my directions couldnt get you all the way. Please let us know if you have any questions about hiking Keyhole Cave or your visit to Sedona in the comments below. 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. The hardest part of the hike awaits you here. 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. 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. Sugarloaf Trailhead: 34.8775908,-111.7969803. Consider taking the Sedona shuttle. The hike itself is easy to moderate but getting up into the cave can be quite sketchy. The Sedona Keyhole Cave hike is 2.5 miles round-trip, out and back. I found sticking to the wash is the easiest and most direct way to reach the cave. This leads to a short climb up rocks and a left turn will bring you around the north side of Hideout Cave. I had to help three people who were shaking and stuck or could not get down. Dont forget, there are also several beautiful hikes along the same Teacup trail you start to reach Keyhole Cave. Cathedral Rock Sedona is filled with amazing hikes but Cathedral Rock Trail is one of the most iconic. Be very careful as your coming back down! Set your Google Maps or Apple Maps to "West Fork Oak Creek Trailhead" or "Call of the Canyon Picnic Site". Your email address will not be published. Thank you for supporting the free content we provide! Subway Cave is east facing which means you should try to access the cave as early in the day as possible for best light. Want to visit Subway Cave? Difficulty | DifficultDistance | 2.60 miles RTElevation Gain | 529 feetType | Out & BackLocation | Sedona, AZTrailhead | Sugarloaf TrailheadDog Friendly | Yes, but not recommendedFees | Red Rock Pass or America The Beautiful. 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. If you click on one, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. 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