Near Slaughter Canyon Cave Trail
Start of the hike!
Near Slaughter Canyon Cave Trail
Slaughter Canyon Cave. Photo Courtesy of the NPS (Pam Cox)

Looking for more photos?

View All Photos
View Map
Driving Directions
Hike Trail

Slaughter Canyon Cave Trail

4.5 (2 Ratings)
Trail leads you up the southern side of Slaughter Canyon to the entrance of Slaughter Canyon Cave.
0.4
mi
Distance
345
ft
Gain
strenuous
Difficulty
BirdingCaveFamily FriendlyViewsWildflowersWildlife
Access Issues
Could close due to weather conditions. Slaughter Canyon Cave can only be accessed via a ranger-led tour; for more information, visit the park's website.

Route Details

Flatter
Steeper
0.38mi
Distance
345ft
Elevation Gain
0ft
Elevation Loss
35%
Max Grade
4,554ft
High Point
4,208ft
Low Point
Path Type
Point to Point
Description
The road leading to the trailhead is gravel and low clearance vehicles are not recommended for this road. Once you arrive at the parking area there are pit toilets and to the right of those is the trailhead for the Slaughter Canyon Cave Trail. It automatically starts to gain elevation as soon as you hit the trail. This trail is a steep semi-developed trail that leads you up to the entrance of Slaughter Canyon Cave. The trail is accessible to anyone who would like to travel it, however, the cave is only accessible to visitors that are signed up to go on the ranger-led tour of the cave. This trail offers awesome views of Slaughter Canyon from any point along the trail. Watch out for Barbary Sheep and other wildlife while hiking the trail. In the spring, it offers a very colorful experience with cacti and wildflowers blooming. Please visit www.nps.gov/cave to check park alerts and get more information on the tours offered.

Route Conditions

Report Conditions
No Condition Reports
Report Conditions

Nearby Hike Routes

Rattlesnake Canyon Loop

Hike Route

Rattlesnake Canyon Loop

Commonly Backpacked
strenuous
5.97 mi
+699 ft
Chihuahuan Desert Nature Trail

Hike Route

Chihuahuan Desert Nature Trail

Family Friendly
easy
0.79 mi
+72 ft
Sitting Bull Falls Loop Trail

Hike Route

Sitting Bull Falls Loop Trail

Cave
strenuous
9.66 mi
+1,870 ft
McKittrick Canyon: Lower Section to the Grotto and Pratt Lodge

Hike Route

McKittrick Canyon: Lower Section to the Grotto and Pratt Lodge

Views
easy
3.55 mi
+374 ft
The Notch Out-and-Back

Hike Route

The Notch Out-and-Back

Views
moderate
9.66 mi
+1,298 ft
Manzanita - Smith Spring Loop

Hike Route

Manzanita - Smith Spring Loop

Birding
moderate
2.45 mi
+390 ft
Contributors
Anonymous User