You're standing on a tropical beach, a weird diamond-shaped implant is pulsing in your wrist, and a Dilophosaurus just spat green goop in your eyes. Welcome to the Island. Most players spend their first twenty hours punching trees and building thatch huts, but the real game—the high-level loot, the Boss Tributes, and the sheer terror of the dark—is hidden underground. Finding all cave locations Ark the Island offers is basically a rite of passage. If you don't go into the holes in the ground, you aren't really playing Ark; you're just playing a prehistoric landscaping simulator.
Caving in Ark is brutal. It’s not just about the coordinates. It’s about the fact that the game’s physics engine loves to glitch your favorite Sabertooth into a wall while a level 150 Mega Rabies-infested bat chews on your face. You need the Artifacts to beat the bosses, sure, but you also need the high-tier blueprints found in those glowing crates. Let's get into where these death traps are actually located and what you’re going to run into when you step inside.
The Starter Caves (If You Can Call Them That)
Don't let the "easy" label fool you. The Lower South Cave is usually everyone’s first mistake. Located at 80.2, 53.5, it’s nestled in a ravine that looks almost welcoming. It’s the home of the Artifact of the Hunter. Honestly, you can run this with a decent Baryonyx or even a high-level Raptor if you’re feeling spicy. Watch the water, though. Sarcos love to hang out in the pools, and the Piranhas are surprisingly aggressive for fish that shouldn't be able to see in the dark.
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Then there’s the Central Cave near the volcano. You’ll find the entrance at 41.5, 46.9. This place is a vertical nightmare. It’s cramped. It’s damp. It’s full of spiders that want to web you into a snack. If you’re looking for the Artifact of the Clever, this is your stop. A lot of players try to bring a Carno in here, but take my advice: don't. The pathing is terrible. Use a Megaloceros or a Thylacoleo if you can manage to squeeze one through the narrow bits. The jump over the central pit is the primary "gear check" for new survivors. If you miss, you’re basically donating your inventory to the pit gods.
The Lava Cave: Bring Water, Not Just Weapons
The North East Cave (often called the Lava Cave) sits at 70.6, 86.1 on the Southeast part of the map. It's hot. Like, "my skin is melting" hot. You need Calien Soup or at least some high-tier Ghillie armor if you don't want to dehydrate in five minutes. This cave holds the Artifact of the Massive. The jumps here are legendary for ending "hardcore" runs. One lag spike while jumping over a lake of molten rock and it’s game over. Seriously, leave the bulky tames at home and bring a Grappling Hook. It’s the only way to be sure.
Why All Cave Locations Ark The Island Features Are Not Created Equal
There's a massive jump in difficulty once you head North. The North West Cave, located at 19.1, 19.0, is tucked away near the coast. It’s narrow. So narrow that you’re basically on foot for most of it. This is where you find the Artifact of the Skylord. The real danger here isn't the dinos—it's the terrain. There are instant-death pits everywhere. One wrong step and your body is unrecoverable. It’s a short cave, but it feels like a mile when you’re crouch-walking through a tunnel praying a Pulmonoscorpius doesn't turn the corner.
The Upper South Cave
Located at 68.2, 56.1, this one is often overlooked because it's "just another jungle cave." Wrong. It’s a maze. The Artifact of the Pack is hidden deep within a labyrinth of tunnels that all look exactly the same. You'll get lost. You'll run out of torches. You'll start hallucinating that the walls are moving. Bring a compass or a GPS, even if you think you're an expert navigator.
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The "Endgame" Terrors: Snow and Sea
If you haven't cried yet, the Snow Cave will fix that. Found at 29.1, 31.8, this is arguably the hardest cave on the Island. The enemies are "over-leveled," meaning you'll see Yetis and Polar Bears at level 300+. You cannot bring big tames inside without using cryopods (if your server settings allow them). If you're playing "Old School," you're doing this on foot with a riot shield and a lot of luck. It holds the Artifact of the Strong. Most people skip this until they have a fully mutated line of Direwolves. Even then, it’s a coin flip.
Then you have the underwater caves.
- Caverns of Lost Hope: 45.9, 88.9 (Artifact of the Devourer)
- Caverns of Lost Faith: 53.7, 10.4 (Artifact of the Brute)
These are not for the faint of heart. You need a high-level Basilosaurus. Why? Because Cnidaria (the jellyfish) will dismount you and stun-lock you until you drown. The Basilo is immune to that nonsense. The "Lost Hope" cave is particularly nasty because of the sheer density of Alpha Mosasaurus and Plesiosaurs. It’s a chaotic mess of blue water and teeth.
Swamp Cave: The Gas Mask Requirement
You cannot enter the Swamp Cave (62.7, 37.3) without a Gas Mask or a full set of SCUBA gear. The air is literally toxic. If your mask breaks halfway through, you have about thirty seconds to live. This cave is the best place on the map to farm experience, though. The Meganeura (dragonflies) spawn in massive clouds. If you bring a high-level Megatherium in there, you’ll become a god. The "Bug Buff" makes the Megatherium nearly invincible, shredding through the Artifact of the Immune guardians like they're made of paper.
Hardcore Navigation Tips
People always ask why their GPS isn't matching up. Ark's map is a bit wonky. Sometimes the entrance is hidden behind foliage that hasn't rendered correctly, or it's tucked behind a waterfall.
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- Check the coordinates twice. 2. Look for the glow. Most entrances have a specific atmospheric fog or a slight color shift.
- Listen. You can often hear the sound of bats (Onyc) before you see the cave mouth.
The Tek Cave and the Final Stretch
The Tek Cave is the finale. It sits at the very top of the Volcano (42.8, 39.2). You can't just walk in. You need to have defeated the three main bosses (Broodmother, Megapithecus, and Dragon) and have their trophies ready to open the door. This isn't just a cave; it’s a gauntlet. It’s a long, winding descent into a pool of lava that leads to the final boss of the game. You have a timer. If you don't make it through the door before it closes, you're locked out. If you die inside, your tames are gone. It is the ultimate "all or nothing" moment in Ark.
The difficulty spike here is absurd. You'll face Giganotosaurus, Rexes, and every other nightmare the Island has to offer in a confined space. Most tribes use a "Rex parade" strategy, whistling a long line of dinos to follow a leader. It's messy, it's laggy, and it's exhilarating.
Actionable Insights for Your First Run
If you’re planning to hit all cave locations Ark the Island provides, don't just wing it. That's how you lose a week's worth of progress in ten minutes.
- Tame a Baryonyx immediately. It is the undisputed king of Island caves. It can jump, it can swim, it heals by eating fish, and it fits through almost every entrance.
- Medical Brews are non-negotiable. Carry at least 20. The "Mega Rabies" from bats will drain your health faster than you can eat cooked meat.
- Grappling Hooks save lives. Always keep a crossbow with at least 10 hooks in your hotbar. Whether you need to escape a pit or reach a high ledge for a loot drop, it’s the most versatile tool in the game.
- Bring a spare set of armor. Arthropluera (the giant centipedes) have a spit attack that instantly breaks your armor. Fighting a level 100 wolf while naked is a bad time.
- Sleeping bags at the entrance. Always drop a bag before you go in. If you die, you want a chance to run back in and grab your gear before it decomposes.
The Island’s caves are designed to be unfair. They are dark, cramped, and filled with bugs that want to lay eggs in your armor. But they also hold the key to Ascension. Grab your torch, check your ammo, and watch your step. You're going to need it.
To prepare for the boss fights after collecting these artifacts, focus on breeding a line of Rexes with at least 20,000 HP and 600% Melee damage before attempting the Alpha versions of the Island guardians.