However, to be honest you should be fine with this particular hike. Ironically, Subway Cave looks the most like a keyhole shape, but there is another cave in Sedona called Keyhole Cave which doesnt look much like a keyhole! 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. After you park in the lot, it is easy to find the trail and start at the Sugarloaf Trailhead. 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. You can still get parked during the day but you might have to sit in a line or park a long way away from the trail you want to hike. Difficulty: Moderate. 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. Getting to this Sedona cave isnt for beginner hikers or those afraid of the challenge to climb 10+ feet of slick rock. At just 2.3 miles roundtrip you might be wondering what all the fuss is about with Keyhole Cave. Keyhole Cave: There is a 2.7-mile round trip hike that is pretty difficult to get to this Sedona cave. Keep following the curving dry river bed for about 0.75 miles as it snakes north toward Keyhole Cave. Accessing the cave does not require any climbing or use of hands, but there is a steep bank to climb on the final approach. A steep climb up the northeast facing bank of Fay Canyon much be climbed to reach the arch. From the start of the Teacup trail you will hike just under .5 miles where there is a fork in the road. Check out 5 of the best Sedona Caves and how to find them for more! I tried following these trails last year during my first attempt to find Keyhole Cave and was unsuccessful. All other caves are located in the most popular hiking areas of Sedona and remain busy year round. 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. Entering Keyhole Cave isnt easy. I found sticking to the wash is the easiest and most direct way to reach the cave. Perfect! Once you are at the massive cave entrance you can see how gigantic Keyhole Cave is inside. From there is where it gets harder. Certain trailheads and parking lots in Sedona require you to display either a Red Rock Pass or America the Beautiful Interagency Pass on your vehicle dashboard. 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. While it is a tough hike, it is the least visited Sedona cave. It looks quite far away but it wont take you long to get back. In addition, thorns and cacti can cause problems and the trail is not marked. Are you planning to hike more trails in the area? You will begin your hike in Red Rock Secret Mountain Wilderness before passing into Coconino National Forest. 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. Later in the day the cave will be in deep and dark shadows. Check the weather and water conditions before you embark on the hike. Instead of one single cave opening, Soldier Pass Cave has 3 small but completely separate light sources. You will go left and just follow Thunder MTN Trail. You will pass by Seven Sacred Pools and Devils Kitchen sinkhole on the way to Soldier Pass Cave, which makes the overall experience much more complete. We hiked to Hideout Cave and arrived inside by 11.30am. We wouldnt recommend taking dogs to any of the caves as they are unsafe and often require climbing. Coordinates: 34.88717 N, 111.79926 W. Dogs Allowed: Yes, but NOT dog-friendly. This site uses cookies to offer you a better browsing experience. Keyhole Cave is southwest facing which means it will fill with light between mid to late afternoon. Experienced hikers and adventurers will be fine getting up. That trailhead is a popular destination and has a fairly small parking lot where maybe 10-15 cars can fit. If youre short on time, this is the adventure hike for you. This is perfect for getting an early start, hiking to Subway Cave first and then taking the spur to Kachina Cave on the way back timing it perfectly for both caves at best light conditions. Once you do reach the cave, hiking up to it to get the famous photo you may see of it is very dangerous (I did it, but I would not recommend it if you are scared of this stuff). Read our popular guide to the 50 best hikes in the USA next! Head over to our Arizona travel guides to explore the best of Grand Canyon, Sedona and beyond. If you click on one, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Hi I'm Vitaliy, creator of TheNatureSeeker.com, thanks for stopping by! document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Hi! It was quiet, off the beaten path, harder to access and felt like more of an adventure. Subway Cave is arguably the most famous and sought after cave to visit in Sedona. Private 4-Hour Sedona Spectacular Journey and Vortex Tour. Note that since it is a residential neighbourhood, you cannot park on the road. The hike to Keyhole Cave begins at Sugarloaf Trailhead which is tucked back in a Sedona Neighborhood. The climb up is very steep and slippery. You can actually see the cave in the distance from the beginning of the hike. Try Andante Trailhead parking if you cant get parked at Sugar Loaf and it looks like you wont be able to any time soon. 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. 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. As I adventure around the Southwest I aim to inspire you to get outdoors while sharing knowledge and skills to do so safely! Coming down you will want to go against that wall on the front of the entrance (down the Right side you came up). Along the way you can even see the gaping window in the distance as you head towards it. 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 Sedona Keyhole Cave is stunning but also the most dangerous out of the caves in this article. Thank you for sharing it will come in handy when we hike this in 2 wks. 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. Required fields are marked *. The majority of it comes at the end when you hike up from the wash up the hill to the face of the cave. This is a year round destination and supposed low seasons arent much quieter than peak season. Or you can buy one at a ticket machine when you arrive in person at either parking lot listed further in this guide. Follow small white painted lines on rocks for directions. 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. Hiking to it is tough (its easy to get lost or stumble into thorns and cactuss which is what happened to me). Instead of going directly behind the sign at the Teacup / Thunder Mountain Trail intersection, turn left onto Thunder Mountain Trail and walk 150 feet until you see a dry bed to your right side. You can either climb the left side or right side to access the upper chamber of Keyhole Cave. Parking at popular hiking trailheads in Sedona is a real challenge. View full map. We personally think the cave is easier to photograph when there is no light inside between mid to late morning. We visited Sedona in December and it was surprisingly busy in town. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. You will have problems finding your way back in the dark. @Mark and Kristen Morgan, Set your Google Maps or Apple Maps to "West Fork Oak Creek Trailhead" or "Call of the Canyon Picnic Site". Teacup Trail to Coffeepot Rock. We hiked part of the route inside the wash but most of it by going more direct to save time. Learn more here. 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. But that said, you can also take the trail in the north which goes to the cave. What Trailhead Do You Use to Access The Sedona Keyhole Cave Fay Canyon Arch is southwest facing, which means it remains in total darkness if you arrive any time between sunrise and midday. Follow along for a little ways until you reach an intersection with Thunder Mountain Trail. Im sorry to hear you didnt make it to the cavebut I agree, the area is beautiful regardless. Unless you strike it lucky with timing of a drop off, you probably won't be able to take one. Luckily I missed the cactus and landed safely. 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 Rustlers hiking group of the Sedona Westerners is approaching the local phenomenon known as Keyhole Cave. Pin It For Your Hike! But do not count on others being able to help you climb into Keyhole Cave. Many paths criss-cross over undulating hills and through rough vegetation. To make your way, you will have to use your hands, feet and core to pull yourself up. Disclosure | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use, Copyright 2023 | Where Are Those Morgans, Cave Hikes Requiring A Parking Pass In Sedona, 4. 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. There may be hikers already in the cave who have rope. Heres the left approach into Keyhole Cave: The bottom section is almost vertical and its smooth which makes it hard to climb. Some visitors graffitied the cave walls- please do not draw or carve into the walls and leave them as is! New to hiking? The exciting hike to Keyhole Cave in Sedona is not on any map, the trail is not marked with signs and the cave access climb is challenging. 29. Now this is again where I have to warn you about the dangers: I do not recommend climbing in this part of the hike. If the lot is full you can try waiting a for a little to see if anyone leaves. Ive heard some people mention that the Keyhole Cave may actually have a vortex and Im inclined to believe that after seeing what happened to my GPS. This leads to a short climb up rocks and a left turn will bring you around the north side of Hideout 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. . Keyhole Cave Sedona How To Hike To This Adventurous Cave, BEST TIME TO HIKE THE KEYHOLE CAVE SEDONA, THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE HIKING THE KEYHOLE CAVE SEDONA, FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE KEYHOLE CAVE IN SEDONA, A Complete Guide To Hiking The Birthing Cave In Sedona, A Complete Guide To Hiking the Subway Cave In Sedona, A Complete Guide To Hiking The Seven Sacred Pools In Sedona, 15 Best Payson Hiking Trails For Waterfalls, Camping And More, How To Easily Hike The Seven Sacred Pools Sedona, 11 Sedona Swimming Holes To Cool Off Amidst Pretty Scapes, Hiking The Doe Mountain Trail In Sedona A total Guide, 5 Breweries In Sedona You Must Visit on your trip, 14 Tucson Sunset Spots To Admire The Stunning Views, 21 Best Swimming Holes In Arizona To Cool Off On Your Trips. Youll need to watch your footing on the scree and for cacti along the narrow trail. Report inappropriate content. 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. to the left. 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. Once downloaded, you can load it into your own trusty device for ease of mind! 5. It was still difficult due to the sand and slippery rock, though. 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. I found people dont stay here for very long since the trails are short so it is a fast turnaround! You will have to use your hands, feet and core to pull yourself up. 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