Birthing Cave Trail Preview

Should you hike Birthing Cave? What the film settles

An easy walk, a turn that is easy to miss, and footing that matters at the end.

The approach is flat. From the Long Canyon trailhead the film is soft red dirt between junipers, with the cliffs that hold the cave ahead on the left from 9:30 and a short slickrock patch at 11:20.

The turnoff is unsigned. At 13:10 a use trail leaves Long Canyon toward the cliff. It is easy to walk past, and the film shows exactly where it goes. The guide covers finding the social trail.

The spur and the alcove are where footing matters. The spur narrows and roughens from 15:00, climbs loose rock at 16:50 and reaches the alcove at 20:30. Inside, the slickrock is steep and polished, and getting back down it is the part to judge. Despite the name it is an open-air sandstone alcove, not a cave; more in the alcove experience.

Stay on Long Canyon if loose, steep rock or polished slickrock is a problem for anyone in your group. Birthing Cave difficulty, length and hike time

What the full film shows, chapter by chapter

Timestamps read from the full 22:24 film. Owners can jump straight to any chapter.

1. 0:00 Long Canyon trailhead The kiosk and the wide, flat start; about 4,510 ft.
2. 2:10 The flat Long Canyon Trail Soft red dirt between junipers (0.1–0.4 mi).
3. 9:30 Red dirt and junipers Still level; the cliffs with the cave are ahead on the left (0.5 mi, about 4,570 ft).
4. 11:20 Slickrock patch A short stretch of bare rock on the main trail (0.6 mi).
5. 13:10 The unsigned turnoff The use trail leaves Long Canyon toward the cliff at about 0.7 mi and 4,625 ft — easy to walk past.
6. 15:00 Broken rock on the spur The spur narrows and roughens (0.8 mi).
7. 16:50 The steep, loose spur Loose rock and a steady grade up to the alcove (0.9 mi, about 4,710 ft).
8. 18:40 The cave mouth ahead The alcove comes into view above the trail.
9. 20:30 Into the Birthing Cave Steep, polished slickrock inside the alcove — the part where footing matters (1.0–1.1 mi).
10. 22:00 The view from the cave 1.1 mi and about 4,760 ft on the overlay. The film ends here; the slide back down the slickrock is not shown.

Not in the film: the way back down the slickrock and the spur.

Planning the real hike? Read the full Birthing Cave trail guide for difficulty, parking, permits and route-finding details.