How To Hike The Birthing Cave Trail In Sedona by Mark and Kristen Morgan First Published: April 28, 2022 Last Updated: April 21, 2026 Share Pin It X LinkedIn The Birthing Cave hike in Sedona is a nice and easy 1.8-mile roundtrip trail. It begins at Long Canyon Trailhead and ends with a short but steep climb into a stunning cave. We think it’s one of Sedona’s best hikes and photo spots, so don’t miss it when you’re in town! In this guide we explain everything you need to know about Sedona’s Birthing Cave hike, based on our experiences. Read more about us. Kristen sat inside the Birthing Cave in Sedona We hiked Long Canyon Trail to the Birthing Cave during our week long visit to Sedona at the end of 2021. It was one of our favorite hidden Sedona caves because it was quiet, quick and incredibly picturesque. And visiting Sedona in December during the low season meant we had the entire cave to ourselves for the full 30 minutes we spent inside, which was awesome. Honestly, we found the hike, cave access and parking to be very easy. So in some ways it felt like the polar opposite to the famous Sedona Subway Cave which was harder to park, find and get inside. Okay, let’s begin! Note: Our content is reader supported and contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you and it helps us keep this site running. SEDONA Planning 📖 Ultimate Sedona Guidebook: Get our complete 50+ page offline PDF with everything you need for Sedona. 📞 Personalized Sedona Planning Call: Book a 60 minute call with Mark to have your questions answered, optimize your itinerary, avoid tourist traps and get our best insider tips. 💡 Still Planning? Read our essential first-timer’s guide to visiting Sedona. Table of Contents show Birthing Cave Trail Map Getting To Birthing Cave Trail Walkthrough 1. Park At Long Canyon Trailhead 2. Begin Hiking Long Canyon Trail 3. Mescal Trail Joins Long Canyon 4. Walk The Flat And Easy Path 5. Pass Seven Canyons Golf Course 6. Take A Left At The Wooden Fence 7. Climb A Short But Steep Hill 8. Enter Birthing Cave 9. Climb Into The Hole 10. Enjoy The View Pros And Cons Birthing Cave Trailhead Parking Best Time To Hike Birthing Cave What To Pack 5 Things You Need To Know Our Top 5 Tips The Morgan Conclusion Next Steps Birthing Cave Trail Map Photo map showing how to get to the Sedona Birthing Cave The map above shows your options for accessing the Birthing Cave from Long Canyon Trail. Simply follow the green and red lines to reach the cave. We recommend parking at Long Canyon Trailhead if you can find a free space. Otherwise park at Mescal Trailhead and walk the connecting trail to Long Canyon (orange line above). Map key: Green Line – Long Canyon Trail Red Line – Birthing Cave Trail Orange Line – Access path from Mescal trailhead to Long Canyon trailhead Hiking Statistics Distance: 1.8 miles roundtrip Elevation Gain: 270 feet Difficulty: Easy but moderate climb into cave Time: 1.5 hours Trailhead: Long Canyon Trailhead Best Time: Mid afternoon for best light Getting To Birthing Cave Follow the green arrow and Kristen in this photo to get onto the Birthing Cave Trail We actually found Sedona’s Birthing Cave super easy to find once we began hiking Long Canyon Trail. After following a very clear and obvious trail, we reached a wooden fence with three posts and here we took a left turn onto Birthing Cave Trail. Using our photo above for reference, you will follow the green arrow and walk in the direction you can see Kristen standing. Following the red arrow instead would keep you on Long Canyon Trail. Tip: When exploring outdoors, be sure to always practice the seven principles of Leave No Trace to preserve natural beauty so others can enjoy the same environments. Trail Walkthrough Let’s get into the Long Canyon and Sedona Birthing Cave hiking walkthrough. We are going to show you the entire trail step-by-step so you know exactly what to expect. 1. Park At Long Canyon Trailhead Find a parking spot on the roadside around Long Canyon Trailhead. It is important to know there are some spaces hidden away in the trees that can be hard to see from the road.Arrive early to give yourself the best chance at getting a free space or wait until later in the afternoon when the midday rush has passed. 2. Begin Hiking Long Canyon Trail Long Canyon Trailhead information board You need to be on the west side of the road for the Long Canyon Trailhead. Don’t take Chuck Wagon Trail on the east side of the road otherwise you will end up at Devils Bridge Trail instead.Almost immediately after leaving the parking area you will see a huge information board with maps and details about Red Rock Secret Mountain wilderness area. 3. Mescal Trail Joins Long Canyon Kristen hiking past the trail intersection Next, you will pass the intersection of Long Canyon and Mescal. This is where you will join the trail to Birthing Cave if you had to park at Mescal Trailhead.Be a...