7 Secret Sedona Hikes Most Visitors Never Find

Hidden high on a cliff face above Long Canyon, the Birthing Cave is a massive sandstone alcove with an opening that perfectly frames Sedona’s skyline. The cave earned its name from local lore suggesting it was used by indigenous peoples during childbirth, though there is no archaeological evidence to confirm the story.

To reach it, you’ll hike the Long Canyon Trail for about a mile before taking an unmarked spur trail that climbs steeply to the right. The spur is not on official Forest Service maps, and there are no signs pointing the way — only cairns left by previous hikers. The final approach involves a short, steep scramble up slickrock to the cave entrance.

Once inside, the reward is extraordinary. The cave is large enough to hold dozens of people, and the curved sandstone ceiling arcs overhead like a cathedral dome. Through the wide opening, you’ll see layers of red rock formations stretching to the horizon. The acoustics inside the cave are remarkable — whispers carry and sounds resonate off the curved walls.

Subway Cave is one of Sedona’s strangest geological features — a 50-foot-long tube carved through Schnebly Hill sandstone that you can walk straight through. The tunnel is wide enough to walk upright in most sections and opens at both ends, creating a natural subway passage through the rock.

The short hike from the pullout on Boynton Pass Road takes you across open desert terrain before dropping into a wash that leads to the cave entrance. Inside, the temperature drops noticeably, and the light filters in from both openings, creating an otherworldly atmosphere. The sandstone walls show intricate erosion patterns — swirls and pockets carved by millions of years of water flow.

This is one of the quickest secret hikes on the list, making it an easy addition to a day spent exploring the Boynton Canyon area. Pair it with a visit to nearby Fay Canyon or the Boynton Canyon Vortex for a full morning of off-the-beaten-path exploration.

Devil’s Kitchen is the largest sinkhole in the Sedona area — a gaping hole roughly 100 feet across that collapsed dramatically in 1989. The ground simply gave way, swallowing trees, boulders, and earth into the void below. Standing at the rim and peering down into the rubble-strewn pit is equal parts fascinating and unsettling.

The trail to Devil’s Kitchen also passes the Seven Sacred Pools, a series of natural tinajas (rock basins) carved into the sandstone that fill with rainwater. After monsoon season, these pools shimmer with reflected red rock and blue sky. Even when dry, the sculpted sandstone basins are a geological marvel worth stopping to examine.

Beyond Devil’s Kitchen, the Soldier Pass Trail continues to climb through increasingly dramatic terrain, eventually reaching a ridge with panoramic views. But the sinkhole itself, just over a mile from the trailhead, is the main attraction. The full out-and-back to the end of the trail covers 4.6 miles, but you can turn around at the sinkhole for a shorter 2-mile hike.

Tucked into a cliff face near Midgley Bridge, Robbers Roost is a hidden cave that local legend says was used as a hideout by cattle rustlers and outlaws in the 1800s. Whether the stories are true or embellished, the small cliff dwelling and cave are undeniably atmospheric — you can still see the low stone walls built across the cave opening.

To reach it, you’ll take a short spur off the Huckaby Trail that scrambles up to the cave. The route involves some easy rock scrambling and a bit of route-finding, but nothing technical. Once at the roost, you’ll have excellent views down into Oak Creek Canyon and across to the red rock formations on the opposite side.

The cave itself is shallow but sheltered, with a natural rock overhang that would have provided genuine protection from the elements. Sitting inside, looking out through the narrow opening at the canyon below, you get a real sense of what it would have been like to use this place as a refuge.

Palatki is one of the most significant archaeological sites in the Sedona area, featuring cliff dwellings and rock art created by the Sinagua people between 1150 and 1350 AD. The name "Palatki" means "red house" in the Hopi language, and the site includes two main areas: the cliff dwellings (alcoves with preserved stone structures) and the rock art panel (petroglyphs pecked into the rock and pictographs painted with natural pigments).

The rock art panel is particularly impressive, with layers of images spanning thousands of years — from ancient Archaic period symbols to Sinagua clan markings to more recent Apache pictographs. A Forest Service volunteer guide walks you through each panel, explaining the imagery and its cultural significance. The layers of history on a single rock wall are humbling.

Reaching Palatki requires driving a rough dirt road (FR 525) for about two miles. The road is passable in most passenger vehicles when dry but can become impassable after rain. The hike itself is flat and easy, with two short loop trails visiting the dwellings and the rock art.

Near the base of the towering rock walls in Boynton Canyon sits a small, hidden cave with a natural pool that collects rainwater at the base of the rocks. The cave is often called the Keyhole Cave because of the narrow, keyhole-shaped opening that leads inside. The natural pool at its base — sometimes called the Sacred Pool — is shallow and seasonal, but after rains it fills with clear water that reflects the red rock above.

The energy at this spot is considered powerful by locals and visitors who practice meditation and energy work in Sedona. Boynton Canyon is already one of Sedona’s recognized vortex sites, and this particular cave is said to be a concentrated point of that energy. Whether you’re a believer or a skeptic, the atmosphere here is undeniably peaceful and secluded.

The hike follows the Boynton Canyon Trail for about three-quarters of a mile before you need to leave the main path and explore the base of the canyon walls to the south. The cave is not marked, and finding it requires some exploration — which is part of the charm.

Bear Sign Canyon is one of Sedona’s best-kept secrets — a secluded, narrow canyon that sees a fraction of the foot traffic of nearby trails like Devil’s Bridge or Fay Canyon. Accessed via the Dry Creek Trail, the canyon gradually narrows as you hike deeper, with red rock walls rising higher on both sides until you feel completely enclosed in stone.

In winter and spring, a seasonal creek flows through the canyon bottom, adding the sound of running water to the already peaceful setting. The canyon floor is sandy and shaded in sections, with ponderosa pines and Arizona cypress providing canopy overhead. Wildflowers appear along the creek banks in March and April after wet winters.

The trail is less maintained than Sedona’s popular routes, which means you’ll encounter some route-finding and occasional scrambling over rocks and fallen trees. This is part of what keeps Bear Sign Canyon uncrowded — it requires a bit more effort and navigation sense than the manicured tourist trails, and it rewards you with genuine solitude.