Inside Sedona’s Hidden Gems: A Guide to Hiking the Subway Cave
Sedona, located in Arizona, is a truly remarkable destination known for its red rock formations and scenic landmarks. Surrounded by the magnificent Coconino National Forest, Sedona welcomes nature lovers from all over the world, offering multiple trails and peaceful surroundings.
One of the most popular trails in Sedona is Boynton Canyon, which leads to Subway Cave- a scenic narrow space in the sandstone formations shaped as a subway tunnel. In this guide to hiking the Subway Cave, we are going to explain all the details you need to know in advance, so you can be well-prepared and stress-free while enjoying the trail!
Before you continue reading, please make sure you follow the 7 principles of “Leave no trace“. Wherever you’re visiting places like Sedona, make sure to reduce human impact:
- Plan ahead and prepare
- Travel and camp on durable surfaces
- Dispose of waste properly
- Leave what you find
- Minimize campfire impacts
- Respect wildlife
- Be considerate of other visitors
Exploring Boynton Canyon Trail and Subway Cave
Trailhead: Boynton Canyon Trailhead (34.907525893534654, -111.84844736964934)
Distance: 2.5 miles (5 miles in total)
Time: 3-4 hours
Difficulty: Easy to moderate with one short challenging part at the end
Best time to visit: Early in the morning, so you get a better chance for parking and the cave is not crowded yet.
Parking: Main parking lot is located on Boynton Canyon Road with three more options if overloaded.
Sedona Shuttle: No
Red Rock Pass required: Yes, machine available at the main parking lot.
Cost: $5 for a daily pass / $15 for a weekly pass
Where to park for Subway Cave in Sedona, Arizona?
The Boynton Canyon Trailhead parking is located on Boynton Canyon Road (34.907525893534654, -111.84844736964934), right after the intersection with Boynton Pass Road. If you want to get a spot there, you should aim for no later than 7 AM, as this lot can accommodate about 30 cars and gets pretty busy. Once you park, make sure you get a Red Rock Daily Pass from the parking machine (it’s located next to the restroom at the entrance of the parking). Right across the restroom, you will notice the big sign that marks the beginning of Boynton Canyon Trail.
If the parking lot is full, your alternative option is to park your car on the side of the road along Boynton Pass Road. After the intersection with Boynton Pass Road, continue straight and you will likely find other cars already parked there. Remember that even if it’s not a designated parking area, you still need a Red Rock Pass.
If those spaces are unavailable, your next options will be Doe Mountain Trailhead and Fay Canyon. They are approximately 1.5 miles and 0.7 miles away from the official parking lot, respectively. As walking on the side of the road can be unsafe, I recommend accessing the beginning of Boynton Canyon Trailhead via Aerie Trail.
We were at the main parking lot at Boynton Canyon Trail a couple of minutes before 7 AM. Luckily, early enough to find an available parking spot. After getting the Red Rock daily pass, we headed off to one of the most popular spots in Sedona- Subway Cave!
How to find the Subway Cave in Sedona, Arizona?
The beginning of the hike is flat and it allows you to walk pretty fast. Make sure you remain on the left side of the trail. Whenever you come across an intersection, continue to the left, following the sign for Boynton Canyon Trail.
After less than half a mile on the trail, you’ll come across a sign indicating the start of the Boynton Vortex Trail/Boynton Vista Trail. This path will lead you to one of the vortexes in Sedona, and it looks like this:
What is a vortex?
A vortex is described as a place of high electromagnetic energy concentration. It is believed that at these locations, the energy either enters the Earth or flows outward from it. There are two types of vortexes: feminine and masculine.
If you want to go up there, allow yourself 10-15 minutes to reach the vortex and add some time for checking it out (round trip is 0.4 miles). Be prepared for potential crowds and the possibility of waiting for photos. Keep in mind that this additional experience will extend your hike by approximately 30-40 minutes. However, if seeing the vortex from the trail is enough for you, you can continue following the Boynton Canyon Trail sign and proceed toward the cave. You can also visit the vortex on your way back.
Once you pass the intersection for the Boynton Vortex Trail and you keep left, you will notice some buildings on your left side and even hear some traffic from the road there. You’re walking around the popular Enchantment Resort. I found it a little odd to have these buildings so close while exploring this peaceful area, but it wasn’t something that took away from the overall experience. Keep your camera close and be prepared to capture the stunning views of the cliffs on your right.
The trail from the parking lot all the way to the cave is mostly moderate with small intermediate parts. Flat and steep take turns throughout the whole trail and there’s plenty of shade.
A little after the 2-mile mark (2.4 miles if you hiked the Boynton Vortex Trail) there is a pretty significant tree that you have to look for. This tree is where the Subway Cave trail starts. There won’t be any signs or other indicators to guide you and the secluded surroundings can easily distract you, so make sure you don’t miss it! Consider finding that tree the first of both challenges for this hike. We were literally “inspecting” every single big tree on our way and we almost missed the actual one we needed, as we were talking and didn’t acknowledge it. Only a few steps later, we realized that this was what we needed and made a right turn.
Identifying the tree is not hard- it’s a pretty big and dark one. If you’re coming from the main Boynton Canyon Trail parking lot, the tree will be on your left side. If you hiked the whole Boynton Canyon Trail first and you’re visiting the cave on your way back to the parking lot, the tree will be on your right.
You might be lucky enough to see people coming from the cave, so get their confirmation that you’re on the right path. We met a bunch of people who had missed the tree and walked all the way to the trail’s end, only to realize they had to turn back.
We didn’t see anyone around the tree but once we took right, we were pretty confident that was the right path. Although, I couldn’t resist and asked some people coming our way later on. Once they confirmed the path was really leading to the cave, we were even more excited and relieved. No more keeping an eye out for specific trees 🙂
Knowing that we were going to reach the cave soon, we decided to stop for a short break and have a bite. Recharged and with full stomachs, we continued along the narrow, shaded path.
Soon we could hear the distant voices of people who were already in the cave- the closer we were getting, the louder they were as the echo was pretty inevitable in this secluded place. We didn’t even expect to be that close so soon. Now, it’s time to face the second and final challenge of this hike.
The hardest part of this trail is the last few feet leading to the cave. Once you reach the base of the cave, you’ll notice two distinct paths to get up. On the left side, there is a narrow crack that looks like a tiny stone ladder. On the right side, the surface is wide and smooth, which doesn’t give you many options to support your body. If you decide to take the left side, you can hop on it right away. If you decide to take the right side, you first need to climb up on the tall sandstone. Seeing that obstacle, I chose the left side. Only a minute later, I knew it was a mistake.
Claiming up through this narrow crack turned out to be way tougher than it seemed. As you go higher, it gets even narrower, reaching a point where switching feet becomes nearly impossible. And let me tell you, carrying a backpack full of water and food doesn’t make it any easier. The weight pulls you back, making it feel like you might roll over. There aren’t many spots to step on or hold onto either. I was getting pretty nervous and couldn’t help but think about how disappointed I would be if I made it all the way to the cave but couldn’t actually see it. After getting stuck in the left narrow crack, another person had to help me go back down safely.
I was back at the base of the cave entrance (as you can see in that photo) and I was already a little upset. I decided to try the right side. The truth is that the only hard part of it was to hop on the tall sandstone at the base. After that, it took me (and I’m not exaggerating) less than 20 seconds to climb up. Remember to keep your upper body close to the surface as you climb. You will be up there in no time.
Once you reach the cave, you begin to understand why the journey was so challenging. Nothing good comes without effort and struggle. Although the cave turned out to be smaller than I had imagined, it was absolutely breathtaking. Some experienced hikers were walking around the edges and exploring the other side of the cliffs. However, my fear of heights kept me in the actual cave, where I could still appreciate the stunning views. You can still see the beauty of Sedona and take amazing photos without going to the very edge.
We spent about thirty minutes up in the cave, which was more than enough for soaking in the scenic vistas and capturing some photos. Luckily, we arrived just in time, before it became crowded.
When you’re leaving the cave, you have two options- you can either go for the same right side I chose (which will be on your left when you’re up there) or you can try the middle of the incline. I had absolutely no doubts which way to take because the middle part looked pretty much like a slide, making your way back slippery and unsafe.
Going down turned out to be a piece of cake. We simply slid down and made sure our legs were spread wide to have a solid grip. One foot at a time. The only challenge was jumping off the tall part of the base (red pointer). If your legs are long, you’ll be just fine.
Once we made it down, we noticed a dozen people heading towards the cave, and we couldn’t be more thankful that we had woken up early and enjoyed the cave before the crowds arrived. The entrance of the cave became so packed that someone ended up getting stuck on the left narrow crack, blocking everyone from going both ways.
Still excited for the perfect timing, we got distracted on our way back and accidentally ended up on a slightly different path than the one we came from. We felt a bit lost for a few minutes, but soon enough we merged back onto the main trail and completed our hike right where we had started- the parking lot at Boynton Canyon Road.
Summary of hiking Subway Cave:
Arriving at the parking lot and starting off: 7 AM
Breakfast a little after we reached the 2 mile mark: 8:20 AM
Arriving at the cave entrance: 8:45 AM
Getting up: 8:55 AM
Leaving the cave: 9:25 AM
Back to parking lot: 11 AM
This hike took exactly 4 hours for us, including a quick breakfast break and about 20-25 minutes spent exploring the cave. We didn’t rush ourselves, we stopped multiple times for photo pauses, and we took a few breaks along the way to relax and stay hydrated. So if you’re more experienced and you don’t need to stop, you could probably complete the round trip in 3 hours or a little less.
My tips for hiking to Subway Cave:
- Wear sturdy shoes with a good grip. I can’t emphasize enough how important this is in Sedona.
- Start early so you can get a parking spot and avoid the crowds in the cave.
- Once you reach the entrance of the cave, take the right way up, in spite of how easy the left part looks.
- Bring plenty of water and snacks (sandwiches are perfect) to make sure you stay hydrated and energized.
- Don’t forget a hat and sunscreen during the hot months.
What is the closest airport to Sedona?
The closest big airport to Sedona is Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (about 120 miles away). There is also a smaller airport that services the area- Flagstaff Pulliam Airport.
Where to stay in Sedona?
Sedona provides a good amount of accommodation options. We were aiming for something to fully experience the peaceful surroundings of the area and decided to stay in Cornville. The home we booked was amazing and equipped with everything we needed, even more!
Enjoy the incredible Sedona and make sure you leave no trace!
- Plan Ahead and Prepare
- Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
- Dispose of Waste Properly
- Leave What You Find
- Minimize Campfire Impacts
- Respect Wildlife
- Be Considerate of Other Visitors
