Birthing Cave

Useful Information

Location:	Deadman's Pass Trail, Sedona, AZ 86336. 4 km northwest of Sedona, Arizona. SR 89A through West Sedona, at Layla's Bakery-Cafe turn right on Dry Creek Road, turn right on Long Canyon Road, parking lot on the left with trailhead. A 2.3 km/40 min hike uphill to the cave. (34.9130373, -111.8361720)
Open:	no restrictions. [2026]
Fee:	free. [2026]
Classification:	Erosional Cave
Light:	n/a
Dimension:
Guided tours:	self guided, L=3.2 km,
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Birthing Cave, Tel: +1-
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History

Description

Birthing Cave is a small erosional cave, actually more or less a shelter, as ther are no dark parts. But it is quite spectacular, with the great view, the rounded reddish sandstone, and the characterist form of an open vagina. The way how it formed is rather easy to understand, there was a vertical crack in the sandstone, which was widened by water and wind which moved through the crack and eroded the rather sandstone. The elliptical shape is quite obviously a result of such a process of widening a crack. However, it seems that such caves tend to be compared to female reproductive organs. It seems some New Age guys claimed that Native American women used this location to give birth. That’s nonsense, and the question if they are nuts depends on the question if they actually believe this or just made a joke.

Above the cave there are cliff dwellings, which were most likely dependent on the small spring at the rear end of Birthing Cave. Today there is not much water, but more than 700 years ago when this site was inhabited the weather was wetter. As this is also a cave, with a ruined cave house, we strongly recommend the 10 minutes hike up to the ruins. It seems most visitors are not aware of this place, and turn around after having seen Birthing Cave. However, the site is shown on the OSM map.

There are actually two parking lots at the road. The first one, with the Mescal Trailhead is rather big and well paved. However, the Long Canyon Trailhead is 700 m up the road, and obviously the hike is two times 700 m shorter if you start here. Drawback is the fact that this is actually just a dirt ledge along the road, quite slippery in wet weather, and the number of places is small, so it is often occupied.