Caves

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There are two types of caves that can be found in ARK: Progression Caves and Resources Caves, the latter caves being found underwater on The Island and most regions of Ragnarok. Some are easy to explore, others extremely difficult. If you survive the dangers of the caves, however, they each contain a variety of resources to obtain.

Progression Caves

  • CaveC.jpg
    Artifact Of The Clever.png Central Cave
  • CaveNW.jpg
    Artifact Of The Skylord.png North West Cave
  • CaveLS.jpg
    Artifact Of The Hunter.png Lower South Cave
  • CaveNE.jpg
    Artifact Of The Devourer.png North East Cave
  • CaveUS.jpg
    Artifact Of The Pack.png Upper South Cave
  • Lava Cave.jpg
    Artifact Of The Massive.png Lava Cave
  • CaveSwamp.jpg
    Artifact Of The Immune.png Swamp Cave
  • CaveSnow.jpg
    Artifact Of The Strong.png Snow Cave
  • The Caverns of Lost Hope.jpg
    Artifact Of The Cunning.png The Caverns of Lost Hope
  • The Caverns of Lost Faith.jpg
    Artifact Of The Brute.png The Caverns of Lost Faith
  • Tek Cave Inside2.jpg
    Overseer.png Tek Cave

Locations

The Island Topographic Map.jpg
Difficulty: Green = Standard; Red = Hard
Cyan = Standard Underwater; Purple = Hard Underwater;
Orange: Unknown
Cave Artifact Lat Lon X Y Z Loot Crate Lvl
Central Clever ( Broodmother Lysrix) 41.5 46.9 -23038 -67442 -9 10 Green Crate.png, 25 Blue Crate.png
North West Skylord ( Dragon) 19.2 19.0 -247569 -245067 -11330 40 Yellow Crate.png, 55 Red Crate.png
Lower South Hunter ( Broodmother Lysrix) 80.2 53.5 28709 242292 -13245 10 Green Crate.png
North East Devourer ( Megapithecus) 14.7 85.4 283225 -281474 -13441 25 Blue Crate.png, 55 Red Crate.png
Upper South Pack ( Megapithecus) 68.3 56.1 49630 145933 -13404 25 Blue Crate.png
Lava Cave Massive ( Broodmother Lysrix) 70.6 86.1 288663 164598 -14126 25 Blue Crate.png, 40 Yellow Crate.png
Swamp Cave Immune ( Dragon) 62.6 37.2 -101583 101617 -5167 25 Blue Crate.png, 40 Yellow Crate.png, 70 Red Crate.png
Snow Cave Strong ( Dragon) 29.4 32.0 -144083 -164621 24 25 Blue Crate.png, 40 Yellow Crate.png, 55 Red Crate.png
The Caverns of Lost Faith Brute ( Megapithecus) 53.7 10.4 -315928 29403 -41974 50 Blue Crate.png, 60 Yellow Crate.png, 70 Red Crate.png
The Caverns of Lost Hope Cunning ( Dragon) 45.8 89.3 303017 -29089 -33983 50 Blue Crate.png, 60 Yellow Crate.png, 70 Red Crate.png

Creatures

Note that the Hard Caves spawn creatures at extremely high levels (often exceeding 250), and that these creatures are untameable. Creatures within The Caverns of Lost Faith are also untameable, but spawn at standard levels.

Terrestrial Entrances
Underwater Entrances

  • South East Cave (The Center).jpg
    Artifact Of The Immune.png Jungle Cave
  • North Ice Cave Room2a.jpg
    Artifact Of The Clever.png Artifact Of The Devourer.png North Ice Cave
  • South Ice Cave TC.jpg
    Artifact Of The Skylord.png South Ice Cave
  • West Lava Cave (The Center).jpg
    Artifact Of The Hunter.png Lava Oasis Cave
  • LavaCave (The Center).jpg
    Artifact Of The Massive.png Artifact Of The Strong.png LavaCave
  • SE Trench TC.jpg
    Artifact Of The Brute.png Southeastern Trench
  • The Center Cave Inside.jpg
    Artifact Of The Devious.png The Center Cave
  • Cliffside Cavern (The Center).jpg
    Artifact Of The Cunning.png Cliffside Cavern
  • UW TC.jpg
    Artifact Of The Pack.png Underground World

Locations

The Center Topographic Map.jpg
Difficulty: Green = Standard; Red = Hard;
Cyan = Standard Underwater;
Gray = unknown difficulty
Cave Artifact Lat Lon X Y Z Loot Crate Lvl
Lava Oasis Hunter 15.8 50.5 -44160 -139351 -10250 ?
South Ice Skylord 60.0 22.5 -312960 284261 -4150 ?
Lava Massive, Strong 11.2 67.4 118080 -183437 -2500 ?
North Ice Clever, Devourer 18.7 29.7 -243840 -111557 8000 ?
Southeastern Trench Brute 69.1 92.2 356160 371475 -120000 ?

Jungle Cave

Entrances Lat Lon X Y Z
Land 54.2 62.7 72960 228647 -3750
Ruins 46.3 63.1 76800 152961 -13550
Flyer-accessible 52.5 67.7 120960 212381 -3500
Underwater River 45.0 64.0 85440 140501 -19000
Ocean 50.8 71.3 155520 196088 -14500

The Center Cave

Entrances Lat Lon X Y Z
Top 35.9 34.4 -198720 53287 -4700
Beneath 1 40.3 31.1 -230400 95456 -25000
Beneath 2 36.4 35.0 -192960 58079 -25000

Cliffside Cavern

Entrances Lat Lon X Y Z
Flyer 36.0 2.0 -509760 54245 -61150
Land 1 58.1 12.8 -406080 266051 -53900
Land 2 21.0 13.5 -399360 -89514 -63700

Underground World

Entrances Lat Lon X Y Z
Flyer-accessible 34.9 65.8 102720 43703 4000
Ruins 1 34.3 53.3 -17280 37952 -13900
Ruins 2 53.5 53.8 -12480 221965 -10750
Underwater River 1 32.7 64.1 86400 22618 -16000
Underwater River 2 44.2 58.0 27840 132834 -16000
Underwater Ocean 66.1 51.7 -32640 343296 -45000

Creatures

Missing.

Small Caves


The Center Topographic Map.jpg
Small Cave Locations
Lat Lon X Y Z
01 29.7 54.0 -10560 -6134 -10250
02 26.1 64.7 92160 -40636 -9120
03-1 26.9 65.9 103680 -32969 -9850
03-2 26.4 67.0 114240 -37761 -11500
04 29.1 61.3 59520 -11884 -4520
05 30.0 63.0 76672 -3259 -9550
06 35.1 67.4 118080 45620 -12000
07-1 33.5 52.3 -26800 30285 -3683
07-2 33.3 50.0 -48960 28369 ?
08 38.5 64.3 88320 78205 ?
09 40.3 60.9 55680 95457 ?
10 40.9 57.9 26800 101207 ?
11 42.6 56.6 14400 117500 ?
12 46.9 14.0 -394560 158711 ?
13-1 89.4 38.5 -159360 566031 ?
13-2 96.9 38.6 -158400 637911 ?
14 82.5 53.5 -15360 499901 ?
15 94.2 68.7 130560 612034 ?

  • Grave of the Tyrants Interior ScE.jpg
    Artifact of the Crag.png Grave of the Tyrants
  • The Old Tunnels Catacomb ScE.jpg
    Artifact of the Gatekeeper.png Old Tunnels
  • Ruins of Nosti Void ScE.jpg
    Artifact of the Destroyer.png Ruins of Nosti

Locations

Scorched Earth Topographic Map.jpg
Green = Standard Difficulty
Cave Artifact Lat Lon X Y Z Loot Crate Lvl
Grave Of The Tyrants Crag 28.5 29.4 -164800 -172000 15700 ?
Old Tunnels Gatekeeper 58.8 47.9 -16800 70400 -15100 ?
Ruins Of Nosti Destroyer 77.9 75.7 205600 223200 -15100 ?

Creatures

Note that Achatina spawn as high-levelled varients, similar to the creatures found within The Island's Swamp and Snow caves. Unlike The Island however, these Achatina are tameable.

This page only lists the Dungeons and important Caves of Ragnarok. For a list of all caves in Ragnarok please visit this page: Caves (Ragnarok)

  • The Monkey's Puzzle (Ragnarok).jpg
    Artifact of the Strong.png The Monkey's Puzzle
  • Fallen Redwood Cave (Ragnarok).jpg
    Artifact of the Brute.png Fallen Redwood Cave
  • Carnivorous Caverns (Ragnarok).jpg
    Artifact of the Cunning.png Artifact of the Immune.png Carnivorous Caverns
  • Ragnarok Jungle Dungeon.jpg
    Artifact of the Hunter.png Lava Elemental.png Jungle Dungeon
  • Ragnarok Frozen Dungeon.jpg
    Artifact of the Pack.png Iceworm Queen.png Frozen Dungeon
  • Life's Labyrinth (Ragnarok).jpg
    Artifact of the Skylord.png Artifact of the Devious.png Artifact of the Massive.png Artifact of the Clever.png Spirit Dire Bear.png Spirit Direwolf.png Life's Labyrinth

Locations

Ragnarok Topographic Map.jpg
Green = Standard; Red = Hard
Cave Artifact Lat Lon X Y Z Loot Crate Lvl
The Monkey's Puzzle Strong 24.6 25.0 -327500 -332740 1900 N/A
Life's Labyrinth Skylord, Devious, Massive, Clever 51.6 77.5 361050 21360 -2600 ?

Creatures

Note that all creatures inside these caves are high-leveled, untameable variants, similar to the creatures found within The Island's Swamp and Snow caves.

Despite having a large cave opening, dinosaurs classified as flying cannot be mounted within the cave. There are exceptions to this limitation however.

  • Desert Cave (Extinction).jpg
    Artifact of Chaos (Extinction).png Desert Titan.png Desert Cave
  • Extinction Forest Cave middle section.jpg
    Artifact of Growth (Extinction).png Forest Titan.png Forest Cave
  • Ice cave 4.jpg
    Artifact of the Void (Extinction).png Ice Titan.png Ice Cave

Locations

Extinction Topographic Map.jpg
Green = Standard; Red = Hard
Cave Artifact Lat Lon X Y Z Loot Crate Lvl
Desert Cave Chaos 87.4 70.4 163200 299200 ? ?
Forest Cave Growth 11.8 39.3 -85600 -305600 ? ?
Ice Cave Void 20.3 62.2 97600 -237600 ? ?

Creatures

  • Shoola Hollow (Lost Island).png
    Artifact of the Brute.png Shoola Hollow (Lost Island)
  • Sunset Cave (Lost Island).png
    Artifact of the Clever.png Sunset Cave (Lost Island)
  • Lost Ark Grotto (Lost Island).png
    Artifact of the Cunning.png Lost Ark Grotto (Lost Island)
  • Tumash Cave (Lost Island).png
    Artifact of the Hunter.png Tumash Cave (Lost Island)
  • Zaunaloa Depths (Lost Island).png
    Artifact of the Immune.png Zaunaloa Depths (Lost Island)
  • Gloom Grove Temple (Lost Island).png
    Artifact of the Devious.png Artifact of the Massive.png Gloom Grove Temple (Lost Island)
  • The Twisted Vine (Lost Island).png
    Artifact of the Pack.png The Twisted Vine (Lost Island)
  • Boskar Cave (Lost Island).png
    Artifact of the Skylord.png Boskar Cave (Lost Island)
  • Shoola Falls Cave (Lost Island).png
    Artifact of the Strong.png Shoola Falls Cave (Lost Island)

Locations

Lost Island Topographic Map.jpg
Green = Standard; Red = Hard; Grey = Unknown

  • The Snakepit (Fjordur).png
    Artifact of the Brute.png The Snakepit (Fjordur)
  • Molten Caverns (Fjordur).png
    Artifact of the Clever.png Artifact of the Pack.png Molten Caverns (Fjordur)
  • The Forgotten Caverns (Fjordur).png
    Artifact of the Cunning.png The Forgotten Caverns (Fjordur)
  • Mariana Caverns (Fjordur).png
    Artifact of the Devourer.png Mariana Caverns (Fjordur)
  • Drengrheimr (Fjordur).png
    Artifact of the Hunter.png Drengrheimr (Fjordur)
  • Mount Doom Caverns (Fjordur).png
    Artifact of the Immune.png Mount Doom Caverns (Fjordur)
  • Nidisheim Depths (Fjordur).png
    Artifact of the Massive.png Nidisheim Depths (Fjordur)
  • The Frozen Fortress (Fjordur).png
    Artifact of the Skylord.png The Frozen Fortress (Fjordur)
  • Bear Caverns (Fjordur).png
    Artifact of the Strong.png Bear Caverns (Fjordur)

Locations

Fjordur Topographic Map.jpg
Green = Standard; Red = Hard

Creatures

Resource Caves

Cavern: A cave, or a chamber in a cave, typically a large one.


There are currently 12 Resource Caves on The Island, and are all found underwater. These caves can often be difficult to find, but often contain a dense collection of  Silica Pearls and  Oil, although the latter of which provide less oil than nodes found elsewhere in the game. The only indication of the position from the surface is a small flow of bubbles, appearing as a thin white line. On lower graphics settings, a grey box can be seen on the ocean floor from the surface around the cave's entrance.

The entrances to the resource caves also appears to be a spawn location for pairs of  Plesiosaurs, who tend to linger in the area, as well as a singular  Mosasaurus, which in turn tend to linger near to the  Plesiosaurs.

The Island Topographic Map.jpg
Resource Cave Locations
Lat Lon X Y Z
01 16.0 10.4 -316800 -272000 -37010
02 10.2 21.8 -225600 -318400 -41500
03 10.5 39.9 -80800 -316000 -41800
04 08.0 90.1 320800 -336000 -45000
05 36.2 91.1 -311200 800 -45300
06 50.1 11.1 334400 22400 -42560
07 52.8 91.8 -320000 266400 -45500
08 83.3 10.0 -291200 327200 -42000
09 90.9 13.6 -291200 327200 -45900
10 90.1 36.7 -106400 320800 -45000
11 90.7 71.4 171200 325600 -45000
12 87.1 90.2 321600 296800 -44800

Creatures

Resources

  • The Abyss (Valguero).jpg
    The Abyss
  • The Emerald Forest (Valguero).jpg
    The Emerald Forest

Creatures

The Abyss

The Emerald Forest

Resources

The Abyss

The Emerald Forest

Tips

Surface Caves

These are general cave tips. For tips on specific caves, please visit their individual pages.

  • Take  Stimberry or better yet  Stimulants and  Water Jars or if you are a high enough level  Canteen. Some progression caves require multiple  Canteens.
  • Hide or Fur armor is helpful for many, but not all caves. Chitin or Metal (Flak) is great if you have an available Smithy.
  • Set up a small base at the beginning of a cave with a  Simple Bed and a chest with tools, weapons, armor, a  Smithy and a  Refining Forge. If possible, in single player you can use a  Argentavis as a smithy IN the cave. Or on multiplayer you can use a  Castoroides
  • Most of the creatures found in caves are non-tamable (mostly  Achatina), except for a few cases or caves such as  Megalosaurus,  Dung Beetle or  Glowtail.
    • Because there are no  Achatina spawns outside of caves in Scorched Earth , caves are the only place you can tame them in. They do however provide higher max tame levels, meaning you won't have to feed them as much as when they were tamed on other maps.
  •  Grappling Hooks are useful for avoiding creatures, getting a good vantage point, and to not have to bring foundations and ceilings to bridge gaps. However, not all caves will permit its uses.
  • In some caves that are very tough, one may use a  Auto Turret on wild creatures to clear the cave to make it easier. However, be mindful as some respawn area will immediately respawn creatures the instant the area is brought to stasis.
  • Flyers brought into the cave under any method will not be mountable, even with saddle. Oddly, Climbers can still climb upwards.
  • Aberration  Climbing Picks and  Glider Suit are also a big help even though all caves can be traversed without these.
  •  Cryopod allows bringing of creatures into previously inaccessible area due to the opening of the caves. However, some creatures that are too big to fit inside will not be released out of the cryopod. This includes areas whereby the size are strictly fittable only for survivors and smaller.
  • Bringing a Parasaur and using its turret mode can be very helpful in identifying enemies and potential tames. For example, Megalania can be hard to spot without turret mode, and Dung Beetles may accidentally be killed if not identified first through turret mode.
    • Bring a friend if trying this so you can identify enemies on the move. A Parasaur is also very weak, so an escort is needed.
    • Since a Parasaur is a pack animal, it can also help bring out the valuable Crystal and Obsidian.

Underwater Caves

  •  Lazarus Chowder will supply you Oxygen while underwater for a certain amount of seconds, to allow you to dive for longer times, making it easier to find the entrance. A  SCUBA Tank or a powered  Tek Helmet could also help with this, then no oxygen is ever needed! Though, the  SCUBA Tank will slowly lose durabillity as it's in use, and element, for the  Tek Helmet.
  • Riding a  Megalodon can help against other Sharks and allows you very quick movement in the water. They are also a good way to spot the bubbles from the surface. It is advised to bring it with a pack, as wild Megalodon are never seen alone in underwater caves and with a pack boost, will easily shred even the most resilient of Megalodon.
  • If you have a Tribemate with a  Pteranodon,  Argentavis or  Tropeognathus, they can transport you directly to the location of the cave and drop you down, avoiding most of the swim, and with that, most of the Megalodons on the way to the cave. Once finished the Pteranodon, Argentavis or Tropeognathus can pick you up again from the water surface. This is also a very resource friendly method, as it allows you to go down with minimum armor and weapons, as fighting can be reduced to a minimum. That way, the loss of dying is less of a setback. This method does, however, require you to have found the entrance beforehand.
  • Riding a Sarco allows you to use a single mount as they can move quick both in water and on the ground. Moreover, it's faster than a Megalodon, has near instant stamina regeneration under water and can fit in most underwater caves, making it safer while gathering resources. Be wary of any Tusoteuthis that spawns within the cave, as their range can grab onto the Sarco.
  • Eurypterids can spawn in groups (3-5 at once) in even small underwater caves as of patch 246. Be prepared to deal with their stings!
  •  Cryopod allows bringing of creatures into previously inaccessible area due to the opening of the caves. However, some creatures that are too big to fit inside will not be released out of the cryopod. Care for the Cryo Cooldown though (due to possible constant uses), as wild dinos inside the caves that are aggressive will still attack dino under Cryo Sickness, which will result in a swift death due to damage multiplier towards dino under that state.
  •  Megachelon can give constant oxygen to land creatures that excels under water and requires to be constantly underwater, but does not have infinite oxygen (Good example is  Baryonyx. However, due to their sheer size, are only limited at certain areas underwater within the underwater cave, even with Cryopods).
  •  Bloodstalker swims fast for a land creature while submerged, but is incredibly frail (cannot attack underwater) and has lower oxygen that most other creature.

Notes

  • There is a large flat faced rock that looks like it could be a cave entrance on the South haven island cliff face. Could be another cave in the future.
  • Building a base in an underwater cave will stop resource spawning in that cave.
  • In the North Ice Cave on The Center, one of the two parts (the part with the Artifact of the Devourer) of the cave's crystal nodes are invisible (can still be farmed normally with a pick).
    • This is especially detrimental when trying to get to one of the places that spawns a loot crate, which is along a long, thin corridor that is littered with spiders, wolves, sabertooths, and Yetis (possibly one of the most concentrated areas of aggressive creatures in the game).
    • These nodes can block movement, bullets, arrows, etc. but can be helpful as it blocks some creatures against walls, while other nodes can act as walls, allowing you to be unseen as long as it is between you and a creature.
  • When holding H, Windows, or Touch Pad, you can see that each cave has its own location. The Tek Cave is “The Belly of the Beast.” The South East cave is “Lava Cave.”
  • In Aberration, there was supposedly a fourth cave planned, but was eventually scrapped after the DLC is released. The names still exist in the database, however. This makes it the first and only official cave to not be implemented into the official DLC map.
    • The Artifact that was supposed to be added into the cave was re-purposed for Crystal Isles DLC as an Alpha Crystal Wyvern Queen requirement.
  • All of the caves do not permit flying creatures inside, with the sole exception of  Desmodus.
  • A Managarmr can pounce into the pearl cave and easily wipe your base so build smart and survive.