If you’re looking for something a little different from Sedona’s famous red rock hikes, Raven’s Cave Sedona is worth adding to your itinerary.
Instead of hiking to a summit or a large panoramic overlook, the main attraction is a hidden cave tucked into the hillside. The trail is short and relatively easy, making it a fun Sedona adventure that doesn’t require spending half the day hiking.
We really enjoyed Raven’s Cave because it felt different from the other trails we completed. The cave was fun to explore, the views through the natural openings were beautiful, and the entire experience only took us about 45 minutes.
This Raven’s Cave Sedona trail guide covers how to find the trail, parking, difficulty, what to bring, whether it is suitable for kids, and one overlook you should not miss before heading back down.
Finding Raven’s Cave was surprisingly easy.
The trail was well marked, and we had no trouble locating it. As you get close, you should see signs directing you toward the trailhead, so there isn’t much guesswork involved.
Getting to the trail also felt much less stressful than some of Sedona’s more remote hikes. We did not have to spend time wondering whether we were headed in the correct direction, which made this an easy activity to add to our day.
If you are building several short hikes into the same trip, my Best Easy Hikes in Sedona for Beginners compares Raven’s Cave with other manageable trails and scenic stops.
Parking was probably the only part that made me a little nervous before arriving.
The parking area is very small, with only a handful of spaces available. Fortunately, we visited in the mid-morning and were still able to find a spot without waiting.
Wendy’s Tip: Arrive earlier in the day if possible, especially during Sedona’s busier travel seasons. The lot can fill quickly, and getting there early gives you the best chance of finding a space.
A rental car is the easiest way to reach Raven’s Cave and combine it with other trails or viewpoints around Sedona. You can compare rates through Discover Cars.
Overall, I would consider Raven’s Cave an easy hike.
The trail itself is not particularly difficult and does not require advanced hiking experience. Most of the walk is manageable for anyone comfortable on a short outdoor trail.
The only section that requires a little more attention is getting inside the cave. You will need to watch your footing and have decent balance as you climb into it.
I would not call this section difficult, but it is a little trickier than the rest of the hike. Once you make it inside, you will quickly understand why so many people complete the short walk.
Travelers looking for another easy red rock hike with more flexibility in how far they walk may also want to read my Bell Rock Trail Guide: Everything You Need to Know Before Hiking.
The Raven’s Cave trail is only about half a mile round trip.
We spent roughly 45 minutes there, which included walking to the cave, climbing inside, exploring, taking photos, and stopping to enjoy the views.
You could complete the hike more quickly if you simply walked to the cave and back. However, I would leave enough time to explore the cave openings and continue uphill to the shaded overlook before returning to your car.
The short distance makes Raven’s Cave especially easy to combine with other Sedona hikes, viewpoints, or attractions on the same day.
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The trail was easy to follow at first, but I did get a little confused when we got close to the cave.
You will eventually reach a point where you can see red rocks in the distance. From there, go to the right and walk down a set of natural rock “stairs.”
Once you reach the bottom, look to your left. The cave entrance is near a tree and can be easy to miss if you are expecting it to be directly in front of you.
The cave itself is the main attraction.
One of my favorite parts was looking through the natural openings in the rock. The “peek holes” frame the surrounding landscape and create some unique photo opportunities that you do not find on most Sedona hikes.
You are not getting huge panoramic views throughout the entire trail. The scenery from inside the cave is what makes the hike memorable.
The openings also make the cave more interesting to explore because each one gives you a slightly different view of the surrounding red rocks and landscape.
Raven’s Cave is also included in my Best Photo Spots in Sedona: 9 Scenic Locations I Loved if you are planning your trip around photography locations.
I think Raven’s Cave could be a fun hike for families, but I would use caution with younger children.
The trail itself is easy, but there are a few drop-offs around the cave area. Older kids who listen well and are comfortable hiking would probably have a great time exploring it.
I would not let small children wander around the cave without close supervision. Parents will also need to help younger kids carefully climb into the cave and move around the uneven areas.
You do not need much gear for this hike.
I would bring:
Since the trail is short, there is no need to pack a large amount of hiking equipment. Comfortable shoes with decent grip will be useful when climbing into the cave and walking up to the overlook.
A compact small Osprey backpack would hold water, sunscreen, and your phone without feeling excessive for such a short hike. I also like carrying a Brita Water Bottle while traveling so I can refill it throughout the day.
If you are visiting during warmer weather, my What to Wear in Sedona in June includes the clothing, shoes, and practical items that worked for us during our trip.
One of my favorite discoveries actually came after we finished exploring Raven’s Cave.
Once you climb out, continue walking straight uphill until you reach a shady overlook. We thought it was a great place to cool down, relax for a few minutes, and take a few more photos before heading back.
Wendy’s Tip: This overlook is easy to miss, so don’t head straight back to the parking area after leaving the cave.
I think Raven’s Cave Sedona is worth visiting if you want a short, easy hike that feels different from Sedona’s more recognizable trails.
If you are searching for a challenging hike with nonstop panoramic views, this probably is not the best option. The trail is short, and most of the experience centers around exploring the cave rather than hiking through constantly changing scenery.
However, Raven’s Cave offers a completely different experience from places like Bell Rock or West Fork Trail, which is exactly why I enjoyed it.
It works especially well for travelers looking for hidden gems in Sedona, families with older children, photographers, or anyone who wants a quick outdoor activity that does not take up most of the day.
Raven’s Cave ended up being one of the most unique hikes we completed in Sedona.
It was not the longest hike, the hardest hike, or even the most scenic hike (yet, still scenic). But that is not really the point. Exploring the cave and looking through the natural openings made it feel completely different from the other trails in the area.
I loved that it was quick, easy to reach, and did not require a huge time commitment. The shaded overlook above the cave was also an unexpected bonus and gave us another quiet place to stop before heading back down.
If you want to add an easy Sedona cave hike to your itinerary or experience something beyond the area’s iconic red rock viewpoints, I would recommend Raven’s Cave.
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I ate chilaquiles while a Cessna taxied past the window, and that’s just a normal Tuesday breakfast in Sedona.
@mesa_grill_sedona sits right beside the Sedona Airport Scenic Lookout, so along with your food you get red rock views stretching in every direction and a front-row seat to tiny planes lifting off. Chef Mercer Mohr runs the kitchen, serving up Southwestern comfort food from breakfast through dinner, chilaquiles, elevated diner classics, burgers, steaks, seafood, all of it.
The view is what pulls people in the door, but the food actually holds its own. Good enough that this place stays packed with locals, not just tourists passing through on their way to the lookout. It also picked up the 2025 Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice and OpenTable Diners’ Choice awards, so it’s not just me saying it.
Indoor seating if you want the AC, a pet-friendly patio if your dog’s along for the trip. Either way, get there before plane-spotting turns into a wait for a table.
Link in bio for the full Sedona breakfast roundup ✈️🌵
Confession: my newsletter is where the good stuff lives. Not the polished, edited-for-the-grid stuff, the “here’s the hole-in-the-wall I almost skipped” stuff, the packing lists I actually use, the “don’t book this hotel” warnings before you waste your money on them.
The newsletter is basically me texting you before a trip instead of after one. Sign up and you’ll be the first to know where I’m headed next, plus a few things I’ll never post here.
Link in bio if you want in. ✈️
Yes, it’s only July. Start planning anyway. Fall books faster than people expect, and a few of these destinations are worth getting ahead of. Here are five places worth putting on your radar right now.
Ireland: Cooler temps, moody skies, dramatic coastline fall was made for it. Tourist crowds drop, the green stays, and the whole country feels a little more like itself.
Great Smoky Mountains, TN/NC: Fall foliage in the Smokies is the real thing. The color peaks mid-October and the views from the ridgelines are hard to argue with. It’s also one of the most visited national parks in the country, so going on a weekday makes a real difference.
New York City: Fall is NYC at its best comfortable temps, the energy of the city shifting into a new season, and every neighborhood doing something worth showing up for. It’s also just a great walking city when it’s not brutally hot.
Japan: Fall foliage season is as good as spring cherry blossoms and somehow less talked about. The colors are dramatic, the temples and gardens are stunning, and it’s worth planning around peak dates by region.
Mystic, Connecticut: Small, walkable, genuinely charming Mystic in fall feels like exactly what a New England autumn is supposed to look like. Easy to pair with a broader New England road trip if you want to extend it.
Full guides linked in bio 🍂
There are two kinds of travelers: people who plan a trip and then figure out where to eat, and people who book a restaurant and then build the rest of the itinerary around it.I am the second kind. I will not apologize for this.
The reservation gets locked in first. The hotel search happens within the same 24 hours. The flights get compared around the restaurant’s hours of operation. The rest of the trip exists to fill the days before and after the table I actually came for.
If this sounds unhinged, I completely understand. It has also resulted in some of the best meals of my life, so I’m going to keep doing it.
Drop a 🍽️ if you plan your trips around food too.
Let’s talk about when to actually book that Dubai trip you’ve been pinning for two years. I get asked this constantly, so here’s the honest breakdown: October through April is your window. Anything outside that and you’re basically touring in a sauna!
October and November give you warm days and cooler nights, which is basically the sweet spot for wandering around without melting. December through February is peak season: gorgeous weather. March and April are the quiet insider pick, right before summer heat shows up and ruins everyone’s plans.
Saving this for later? That’s what it’s here for. Full breakdown linked in bio.
Follow @travelwithwendyplummer for Beautiful Beach Destinations, City Guides, Foodie Spots, and Luxury Hotel Recommendations.
