3 ‘Hidden’ Cave Hikes to Add to Your Sedona Itinerary
Oh Sedona, how much I adore that beautiful place. When I was living in Prescott, AZ on a travel nurse assignment I went to Sedona several times and did many hikes in the area. Even if it was for a short little sunset jaunt, it was always worth the hour drive to see my favorite red rock paradise.
I have three cave hikes listed below; I call them ‘hidden’ because they do take a little work to get to them, but in recent days these caves are not all that hidden. They’re actually getting pretty well known on the ‘gram LOL.
In this blog post I will tell you how to get to the caves, tips on visiting, and great photo opportunities along the way.
Like all hikes in Sedona, Arizona: it is important to respect these trails and do you very best to leave no trace. Please do not write on the rock walls, pack out your trash, and be respectful of the environment.
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Accommodation – Booking.com to find the best deals on hotels.
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Rental cars – DiscoverCars to shop around at multiple car rental agencies.
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Tours/experiences – Viator and Get Your Guide are great tour resources.
Robber’s Roost
Also known as Shaman’s Cave or Hide Out Cave. This cave really felt like a treat when I went and became one of my favorite hikes in Sedona. Me and my boyfriend started the hike around 8AM on a September weekday and were completely alone from start to finish. The inside of the cave is very large and there is a big hole where you can sit that provides a great photo op! The view of the surrounding red rocks of Sedona is also fantastic.
Visit this website for a trail map, latest conditions, and recent reviews.
Getting There
Part of the reason this hike is so secluded and less crowded is because it’s pretty our of the way from the main hub of Sedona. From the town of Sedona to the trailhead, it is almost an hour drive. I personally think the view is very much worth the drive.
You will take Highway 89A to Forest Road 525C. Check out the directions here. The forest road is dirt that gets pretty bumpy; I’m not sure how a sedan would fair. We drove my Honda Cr-V down it just fine though.
Trail Stats
Moderate: 3.0 miles & 462 ft. elevation gain.
At the very end, there is a ‘slick rock’ portion you walk on that has a bit of a steep drop. I’m pretty scared of heights and felt very comfortable on this hike.
Looking for more to do near Sedona? Check out my blog post on the most epic campsite in Arizona, or my 3 day trip to Phoenix & Tucscon!
Birthing Cave
The name of this cave and the shape really amused me. You can see what I mean by the pictures and once you put the name of the hike behind it! Apparently Indigenous Hopi women actually used to come here when it was time for them to give birth. I really feel for those ladies- it’s a pretty steep climb to get into the cave at the end!
We happened to be here for sunset on a weekday in August and there were 5 people in the cave when we arrived. But by sunset it cleared out and when we were able to enjoy the cave by ourselves and take lots of cool pictures!
It is pretty hard to walk on the rock of this cave; its that slick rock that many red rock hikes have. It can be hard to have a good grip and worse if you’re afraid of heights. Just move quickly and stay low. 😉
This cave is really big too! If you’re into photography bring your wide angle lens- you’ll need it to capture the whole cave.
Visit this website for a trail map, latest conditions, and recent reviews.
Getting There
Check out the directions from the town of Sedona to the Birthing Cave trailhead here. It is a small parking area, so I would get there early.
The trail can get a bit confusing, since you need to follow a turn off of the main trail to get to the cave. About 0.6 miles into the hike, you will get to a fork. Go to the left that is blocked by a log. Here’s some pictures for reference:
Trail Stats
Moderate: 2.0 miles & 291 ft. elevation gain.
Overall this hike itself is an easy, flat walk. It isn’t until the very end when climbing up to the cave that gets a little hairy. The last part to climb to the cave is very steep. I would wear hiking boots or shoes with good grip and long pants as there is cacti surrounding the trail.
Soldier Pass Cave
This is a very popular cave off of the Soldier Pass trail that also takes you to the Seven Sacred Pools- which were Seven Very Dry & Empty Pools when we went in November!
It’s pretty much imperative that you get to this trailhead as early as you can. The gate opens at 8AM but I would try to get there even earlier than that to make sure you get a spot. We tried to do this hike for sunset one day and we were waiting for a parking spot so long we had to forego the hike because we wouldn’t have gotten to the cave until after dark!
There is also strict no parking on the road next to the trailhead because it is in a neighborhood. There is a dog park you could park at down the street but it would add almost 2.5 miles to your hike roundtrip- and I’m sure that lot gets filled up too! A local woman runs a shuttle service out of her own car back and forth to the dog park as well- maybe she will be there when you are!
Visit this website for a trail map, latest conditions, and recent reviews.
Getting There
This is the closest of the hikes to the town of Sedona; check out directions here.
To get to this cave, you will go off the main trail. A little less than one mile from the Seven Sacred Pools, there is a tree marked with a C, and you will see a dirt path that goes to the right. This path will lead you to the cave! Just keep a lookout once you have gone 0.8 miles from the pool for that tree- it is easy to miss.
Trail Stats
Moderate: 4.3 miles & 800 ft. elevation gain.
This is a great, moderate hike that will get your heart pumping a little bit. Like the Birthing Cave, this cave will also require you to do a steep, slick rock climb up. If you’re not agile or very fearful of heights, this may not be easy for you!
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