You're wandering through the Vinewood Hills, minding your own business, when you see a tiny, unassuming cactus. You eat it. Suddenly, the screen wobbles, your character starts gagging, and—poof—you're a golden retriever. Or a seagull. Or maybe a Great White Shark. This is the psychedelic reality of Rockstar’s most bizarre scavenger hunt. Tracking down all peyote locations GTA 5 offers isn't just about completionism; it’s about experiencing the game from a perspective that isn’t just "man with gun." It’s weird. It’s often frustrating. Honestly, it’s one of the best things they ever added to the game.
The hunt consists of 27 plants scattered across the massive map of San Andreas. If you’re playing the enhanced versions (PS4, Xbox One, PC, or the newer PS5/Series X/S ports), these are permanent fixtures in the single-player story mode. They aren't just random props. Each one triggers a specific hallucination, turning Michael, Franklin, or Trevor into a member of the local fauna.
Why These Plants Matter More Than You Think
Most players treat these as a one-off joke. That's a mistake. Beyond the novelty of biting NPCs as a mountain lion, finding the full set is a requirement for the "Cryptozoologist" achievement. But there’s a deeper, more legendary layer here. The peyote plants are the gateway to the Sasquatch vs. The Beast easter egg—a multi-stage, time-sensitive hunt that had the r/ChiliadMystery community losing their minds for years. If you want to unlock the Bigfoot transformation for Director Mode, you have to start with the basics.
You need to know the terrain. San Andreas is huge, and these plants are tiny. You'll be looking for small green bumps with pink flowers. They don't glow. They don't make a sound until you're right on top of them and hear the faint animal noises—barking, chirping, or growling—emanating from the dirt.
Navigating the Land-Based Peyote Spots
The majority of the plants are on solid ground. These are generally the easiest to find, though "easy" is relative when you're looking for a three-inch succulent in the middle of the Grand Senora Desert.
The Urban Jungle
Down in Los Santos, the plants are tucked away in places you’ve probably driven past a thousand times. There’s one in Chamberlain Hills, right in a resident's backyard. It’s tucked behind a small wooden fence near some trash. It feels invasive, honestly, just walking into someone's garden to trip on cactus, but that’s GTA.
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Another is perched high up at the Gentry Manor Hotel in West Vinewood. You’ll find it in a large decorative planter on the upper balcony. If you haven't mastered the art of landing a helicopter on a narrow ledge, now is the time to learn. Or just take the stairs like a normal person, though where's the fun in that?
The Mountains and the Grit
Moving north, the terrain gets rougher. Mount Chiliad holds several. One is near the summit, not far from the cable car station. It’s cold up there. You'll likely turn into a hawk or a crow. Flying over the peaks of San Andreas at sunset is one of those rare moments where the game actually feels beautiful instead of chaotic.
In the Grand Senora Desert, look near the antennas. There’s a plant located just west of the airstrip. The heat shimmer makes it hard to spot, but it's there, nestled against a rock. This area is notorious for mountain lion attacks, so maybe don't go looking while on foot and low on health.
Down by the Raton Canyon, the peyote is situated on a rocky outcrop overlooking the valley. The view is spectacular. You’ll probably become a deer. Just try not to leap off the cliff immediately; the physics for four-legged animals in this game are... interesting.
Diving Deep: The Underwater Locations
This is where things get genuinely difficult. You can’t just walk to these. You need a boat, a submersible, or a very high lung capacity stat. Better yet, grab the scuba gear.
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The Pacific Ocean surrounding the map hides some of the best transformations. There’s a plant off the coast of Paleto Cove. It’s deep. Look for a large coral formation near the seabed. If you hit it, you might become a Hammerhead Shark. There is nothing quite as satisfying as terrorizing the swimmers at Vespucci Beach as a 10-foot predator.
Near the Humane Labs and Research facility, there’s another submerged plant. It’s tucked in the seaweed. Be careful—the guards at the facility don't like trespassers, even ones just looking for a snack. The water here is murky, making the search a real test of patience.
Another one sits at the bottom of the Alamo Sea. It’s gross. The water is gray and filled with God-knows-what, but the peyote is there, sitting in the silt. This one usually turns you into a stingray or a common fish. Not as glamorous as a shark, but hey, you're a completionist, right?
The Special Cases: Animals You Didn't Expect
While most plants give you a random animal from a specific pool (land, air, or sea), some locations are more iconic.
- The Dog: In the hills of Vinewood, near a park bench, there’s a plant that almost always triggers a canine transformation.
- The Cow: Head to the farms in Grapeseed. Eating the peyote near the silos will likely turn you into a heifer. Watching a cow sprint through the streets of Sandy Shores is peak GTA comedy.
- The Pig: Found near a shack in the Great Chaparral. It’s exactly as undignified as you’d imagine.
Practical Tips for Your Scavenger Hunt
Don't just wing it. If you try to find all peyote locations GTA 5 without a plan, you'll burn out by plant number twelve.
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- Use a Helicopter. The Buzzard or the Sparrow are your best friends. They allow you to hop from the city to the peaks of Mount Chiliad in minutes.
- Clear Your Wanted Level. Getting shot by the LSPD while you're hallucinating that you're a poodle is a quick way to lose progress.
- Listen Closely. Use headphones. The directional audio for the animal sounds is actually helpful. If you hear a faint "cluck," look for the cactus.
- Save Often. While the game usually saves after you find a collectible, don't trust it. Manual saves prevent heartbreak if your game crashes after a particularly long flight to the wilderness.
Common Misconceptions
A lot of people think you can only find these once. Actually, once you've collected all 27, they respawn. You can go back and re-experience the transformations whenever you want. Another myth is that you need to be a specific character. You don't. Whether you're playing as Michael, Franklin, or Trevor, the plants are there. However, the dialogue during the "trip" changes based on who you're playing. Trevor’s reactions are, predictably, the most unhinged.
The Path to the Wild Frontier
Once you've cleared the map, you haven't actually finished the "peyote journey." The real endgame is the Golden Peyote. These only appear after you’ve finished the main story, collected the 27 standard plants, and the weather is set to "Foggy" or "Snowy" at a very specific time of day (usually between 5:30 AM and 8:00 AM).
These golden variants are what allow you to play as Bigfoot. It’s a grueling process that involves listening for the growls of the Sasquatch and following a trail of bodies across the wilderness. It is arguably the most complex easter egg Rockstar has ever implemented, requiring actual detective work and a lot of driving.
Actionable Next Steps
If you're ready to start the hunt, here is exactly what you should do right now:
- Get the Scuba Suit: Go to your wardrobe or a clothing store and ensure you have the Scuba outfit saved. It makes the underwater plants 100% easier.
- Grab a Buzzard: If you don't own one, steal one from the Los Santos International Airport or the Sandy Shores airfield.
- Start at the Top: Start at Mount Chiliad and work your way south. It’s psychologically easier to finish the "hard" mountain climbs first and end with the urban spots in the city.
- Check Your Checklist: Keep a notepad or a digital map open. There is nothing worse than having 26/27 and having no clue which one you missed.
San Andreas is a big place. Finding these plants forces you to see parts of the map—underwater caves, mountain crevices, suburban alleys—that you would otherwise ignore. It's a weird, trippy, and essential part of the Los Santos experience. Go find that first cactus and see where the trip takes you.