Birthing Cave at Long Canyon Trail

I had to go back to the Birthing Cave. I woke up and my knees were stellar, so I headed out in the early morning. As I approached the trailhead, there was a young woman there. "Are you going to Birthing Cave?" She asked. "Yes, I am," I replied. There was absolutely no phone signal there so we couldn't access All Trails or the maps. But, I was prepared and had downloaded the map ahead of time. I asked her if she'd like to join me.

We headed down the trail. "We're looking for the wooden fence and we turn left there," I told her. We made one premature turn, but quickly got back on track. I could see Birthing Cave on the map and the GPS was working on my phone which allowed me to see exactly where we were on the trail.

She is from Oregon and goes on road trips, camping in her Ford Explorer as she travels. She looks young, early 20s maybe.

I told her about my hiking experience yesterday and how we were looking for the Birthing Cave. I told her I was a midwife and that's why I was so intrigued by the site. Well, it was almost like it was meant to be. This young Pilgrim who joined me on this trail is enrolled in a "midwife" program. She is enrolled in the Free Birth Society Birthkeeper's certification course. Apart from anyone's views on this newish trend in freebirthing, we could hold space together. She came to this place without ever attending a birth up to this day, but just knowing that birth should be a sacred space where a women holds sovereignty and power. We are here for the same reason.

I applaud her for her journey, so young. She is birthing herself, starting a new business preparing and delivering meals for postpartum mothers. Starting out in life, hoping she will have her own children one day. I'm ready to retire and pass the baton to another.

We make it to the top after a steep climb at the end which required careful foot placement and hand holding of rocks to steady and pull myself up, careful to avoid the cactuses.

Once atop, the sun was hot and bright. It was steep and the rock was slippery and difficult to find a place to grip myself. How did the Hopi women get here and give birth here? Not impossible, for sure. These were strong women. Resilient women who were used to living in the wild. Another young woman from Minnesota was there. She also travels alone, sleeping in her pop-up tent on top of her vehicle.

It was difficult to take pictures as the sun was so bright and I couldn't see the picture on my camera. I randomly snapped, hoping I would get a few good pictures.

After 20 minutes in the Birthing Cave, it was time to make my careful descent down the steep slope, backwards. "What is your name?" I asked her. Victoria and I shared info and hopefully she will look me up and contact me.

Thinking back, I wonder if Native American women did birth here or if they just named it Birthing Cave because it resembles a vagina. Well, it does!Read more