Caves

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[]

Central Cave
North West Cave
Lower South Cave
North East Cave
Upper South Cave
Lava Cave
Swamp Cave
Snow Cave
The Caverns of Lost Hope
The Caverns of Lost Faith
Tek Cave

Locations[]

Difficulty: Green = Standard; Red = Hard
Cyan = Standard Underwater; Blue = Hard Underwater.

Cave	Artifact	Lat	Lon	X	Y	Z	Loot Crate Lvl
Central	Clever ( Broodmother)	41.5	46.9	-23038	-67442	-9	10 , 25
North West	Skylord ( Dragon)	19.3	19.0	-247569	-245067	-11330	40 , 55
Lower South	Hunter ( Broodmother)	80.3	53.5	28709	242292	-13245	10
North East	Devourer ( Megapithecus)	14.7	85.4	283225	-281474	-13441	25 , 55
Upper South	Pack ( Megapithecus)	68.2	56.2	49630	145933	-13404	25
Lava Cave	Massive ( Broodmother)	70.6	86.1	288663	164598	-14126	25 , 40
Swamp Cave	Immune ( Dragon)	62.7	37.3	-101583	101617	-5167	25 , 40 , 70
Snow Cave	Strong ( Dragon)	29.1	31.8	-144083	-164621	24	25 , 40 , 55
The Caverns of Lost Faith	Brute ( Megapithecus)	53.7	10.4	-315928	29403	-41974	50 , 60 , 70
The Caverns of Lost Hope	Cunning ( Dragon)	45.9	88.9	303017	-29089	-33983	50 , 60 , 70
Tek Cave	N/A	43.1	39.1	-87011	-54601	33489	N/A

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

Jungle Cave
North Ice Cave
South Ice Cave
Lava Oasis Cave
LavaCave
Southeastern Trench
The Center Cave
Cliffside Cavern
Underground World

Locations[]

The Center Topographic Map — Difficulty: Green = Standard; Red = Hard; Gray = unknown difficulty; Cyan = Standard Underwater

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[]

Small Cave Locations

Nº	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
Old Tunnels
Ruins of Nosti

Locations[]

Scorched Earth Topographic Map — 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
Fallen Redwood Cave
Carnivorous Caverns
Jungle Dungeon
Frozen Dungeon
Life's Labyrinth

Locations[]

Ragnarok Topographic Map — Green = Standard; Red = Hard; Gray = unknown difficulty

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.

Old Railway Cave
Hidden Grotto
Elemental Vault

Locations[]

Aberration Map — Green = Standard; Red = Hard; gray = unknown difficulty

Cave	Artifact	Lat	Lon	X	Y	Z	Loot Crate Lvl
Old Railway Cave	Depths	48.3	27.2	-178400	-13600	43000	?
Hidden Grotto	Shadows	55.2	65.9	127200	41600	18000	?
Elemental Vault	Stalker	82.4	48.2	-14400	259200	13500	?

Creatures[]

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
Forest Cave
Ice Cave

Locations[]

Extinction Topographic Map — Green = Standard; Red = Hard; gray = unknown difficulty

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[]

The Great Trench
The Lair
The Lost Temple
The Unknown

Locations[]

Resource Caves[]

Resource Caves are referred to as "Underwater Caverns" in ARK: Survival Evolved Mobile

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.

Resource Cave Locations

Nº	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[]

Eurypterid

Resources[]

The Abyss
The Emerald Forest

Creatures[]

Resources[]

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 Pick s 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.
- Alternatively using a Plesiosaur or Ichthyosaurus will allow you to travel much faster than a Megalodon. A tamed Plesiosaur can fairly easily take on a wild Megalodon and an Ichthyosaurus can easily outrun any wild animals. Be wary of any Mosasaurus nearby if you are bringing Icthyosaurus.
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, , or , 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.
A Managarmr can pounce into the pearl cave and easily wipe your base so build smart and survive.
If you are playing as a female character you can hear male character starving sound in caves on The Island, Aberration and Lost Island, though if using a male character they can't be heard. This is most likely because lore-wise the first survivor that comes after the original survivors left the ark is Bob