In Sedona, Arizona, this was the trail I had most desired to hike. It might not be as well-known or suitable for younger hikers as other hikes. However, this is the hike to take if you have older children who are willing to go on an adventure with you to a secret cave for some interesting vistas! 

This place in Sedona is known as the Subway Cave, and access to it is via a detour off the Boynton Canyon Trail. It’s not particularly kid-friendly (unless you have adolescents or younger kids that listen well), and I had heard it was difficult to find (which it kind of was!). However, the walk to this hidden cave is definitely worth the few hours it takes.

Gorgeous views from the Subway Cave interiorHere’s how to hike Sedona’s Subway Cave:Hike the Boynton Canyon Trail in order to get to the Subway Cave. Hiking the 6.1-mile Boynton Canyon Trail is said to offer fantastic views at the summit. I say “supposedly” since we only completed half of the hike because we were eager to explore the Subway Cave. Trailhead access from the parking lotSigns directing you from the parking lot to the trailhead will be visible. To access the Boynton Canyon Trail, follow the signs. You’ll come to a turn-off for the Boynton Vista Trail after a short walking. It takes an extra ten minutes to hike up this trail. If your main objective is to go to the Subway Cave, I suggest using the Boynton Vista Trail on your way back out of the hike.  Follow the Boynton Canyon Trail signage to get to the Subway Cave.If you keep going straight, you’ll pass across stunning red sand dunes and see towering red cliffs in the distance. You’ll stroll past the Enchantment Resort on your left.You will eventually reach four painted crosses in a little clearing on the left. There will be a small shift in the path and an increase in the number of trees around you. Even if it can seem like you’ve gone too far, keep going. The Enchantment Resort is situated behind these four painted crosses.You will come at the Subway Cave trail turn-off after roughly two miles. Even after reading blogs and reviews to figure out how to get there, I wasn’t sure I understood where it was. We met folks who told us to walk another mile when we thought it was the turn-off. More deeply than we had anticipated.  It is said that you should search for the Alligator Juniper Tree, whose bark resembles an alligator’s skin. This is a picture of it. Take a screenshot of it so you may review it while out on the trek. Even though we were moving at a steady clip, it took us far longer than we had anticipated to get to this tree—about an hour. You need to look for this tree! The two children I am sitting with are right up on the path.We continued spotting trailheads that headed off to the right, as well as other trees that looked similar, before we arrived at this tree. But many of those routes were overgrown, and they were smaller. You’ll know this is it when you get to this tree. Ask other hikers who are by if you are still unsure. Everyone we passed was delighted to assist when we asked them to make sure we wouldn’t miss it.There will be a passage to the right directly across from the alligator tree. Fortunately, someone created a rock arrow to aid guide. However, you shouldn’t rely just on the arrow because it can not be present during the hike.