On Sunday afternoon, after camping all weekend on the rim and running Jeep trails down in Sedona, we went out in search of Secret Cabin via the Secret Mountain Trail. The trailhead is shared with the Loy Canyon Trail #5, beginning at the end of FR 538. The trail to the cabin isn't too strenuous and is around 1.6 miles one way. It begins with a great lookout view, a 300ft elevation drop and then an equal climb back up. Almost every tree along the trail is marked with a cutting, some of the scars looking very old. Out of no where, old signs of inhabitance begin showing. An old heavy iron object leads the eyes to old fencing that were at first perceived as downed trees. Then if you look closely in the creek, 3 dams can be spotted each more progressively well built. The first made of only rocks dirt and trees, gives way to a second of well stacked rocks, seamed with a tar substance. The last looks to be of cinder with a concrete coating. Just beyond this dam and down the hill lies the cabin and corral (34.964083 / 111.898972). While most of the ones we've found are made from railroad ties or plank board, this one is made only with notched log. The roof is unfortunately completely gone but the find for us was still a great one. The only info I could find was that it was either used as a horse thief hideout or inhabited by a mormon polygamist family.
We headed back after the cabin.
After reaching the beginning, we drove down to Hidden Cabin just a mile back down the road.