Hiking the Moqui Sand Caves Trail in Kanab, Utah
Distance: 1.2 miles / 1.9 km
The Moqui Sand Caves Trail, also called the Moqui Caverns Trail, in Kanab, Utah is a short, easy day hike just outside Zion National Park that leads to a beautiful, large sandstone cave just above the highway between the Mount Carmel Junction and the town of Kanab!
That said, the Moqui Sand Caves were once a local roadside secret, but over the years, the area and trail has changed again and again, giving us the well-marked and well-maintained trail with a large parking lot that we see today.
Regardless of the trail’s increased popularity, the Sand Caves just outside of Kanab never see nearly the same amount of crowds as Zion Canyon up the road, which is why the hike is one of my favorite adventures outside of the park, especially during the hotter summer months, as they make for a great, cooler place to hang out and get out of the sun!
Moqui Sand Caves Trailhead Parking
Parking for the Moqui Sand Caves is located in a large dirt parking lot directly off Highway 89, just outside of Kanab.
That said, the old roadside parking area directly across the highway from the cave is now illegal, and all hikers must use the designated trailhead or risk receiving a fine for parking illegally.
Google Maps Directions: Moqui Sand Caves Trailhead
Southwest Hiking Checklist
Here is a complete list of must-have things that you will want for any hike in the Southwest U.S.
Hiking the Moqui Sand Caves Trail
The Moqui Sand Caves Trail begins at the far western end of the parking lot, where it initially descends into a typically dry wash that it will follow for most of the hike to the sandstone cliff at the end.
This is where the Sand Caves Trail descends into the wash.
If there’s one thing I hope these photos show more than anything else, it’s that there is very little shade on the Sand Caves Trail, apart from a few Juniper trees and the cave at the end.
This is why I highly recommend hiking the trail in a hooded sun shirt, which can certainly be useful for countless different adventures across southern Utah and northern Arizona.
This is where the Save Cave starts to become visible in the cliff above the trail!
When the Moqui Sand Caves Trail reaches this fence, the start of the short hike up the cliff to the cave is not far ahead!
This fence was not always in place on the Moqui Sand Caves Trail, but in an effort to direct hikers to the easiest part of the sandstone cliff, the fence was installed to keep hikers on one path, ultimately making the trail easier and safer overall.
This is the start of the final ascent to the Moqui Sand Cave, which is now easier than ever because hikers can simply follow the trail markers on the sandstone that lead up the cliff to the cave shortly ahead.
After a short hike up, the trail switches back to the east to follow a flatter section across the sandstone cliff, directly toward the cave straight ahead.
Moqui Sand Caves
This is the end of the very short 0.6-mile (1.0 km) Moqui Sand Caves Trail and the beginning of the large cavern above Highway 89!
If you are trying to take photos inside the cave, I recommend using a wide-angle lens and hiking up with it already attached to your camera, as the fine sand inside the cave can cause permanent damage if you try to change lenses here—especially when it’s windy!
In any case, I recommend hiking up with some food and with the intention of staying a while, as the caves are one of the best places to hang out and enjoy some time out of the sun, especially considering how much less crowded they are compared to everything within Zion National Park up the road!
Arizona
Utah
