You’re flying over the Redwoods, stamina’s low, and your Pteranodon is huffing like it’s just ran a marathon. You need Cementing Paste. Not just a little bit, but enough to finally build that Chem Bench or the industrial forge that’s been sitting in your crafting queue for three days. You could grind up stone and chitin in a mortar and pestle until your fingers bleed, but let’s be real. Nobody wants to do that. You want the "wood piles." You want the jackpot. Finding beaver dam locations Ark The Island is basically the difference between progressing in the mid-game and being stuck in the stone age forever.
Castoroides—the giant beavers—are temperamental little architects. They don't just spawn everywhere, and they definitely don't build dams just because you showed up with a Megalodon and a dream.
Honestly, the most frustrating part isn't even finding the dams; it’s finding them empty. Or worse, finding a single piece of wood left inside by some person on your server who doesn't understand how respawn mechanics work. If you leave a single item in that dam, it won’t refresh. It just sits there, a hollow shell of disappointment, blocking new loot from spawning. Don't be that person. Empty the whole thing, drop the wood you don't need, and let the game's code do its job.
The Hidden Lake: More Than Just a Pretty View
Most veterans call it "Hidden Lake." Some call it "The Oasis." It’s that tiny, enclosed valley in the northeast part of the map, tucked away near the coast. If you’re looking for beaver dam locations Ark The Island, this is usually the first stop on the circuit. Why? Because it’s safe. Sorta.
The lake is surrounded by high cliffs, making it a natural pen. Beavers love it here. You can often find three or four dams tucked into the shoreline. But here’s the kicker: because it’s so popular, people love to build bases here. If someone puts a Foundation down too close to the water, the spawns break. Gone. Poof. No more dams. If you're on a private server, you're usually fine, but on official? It's a gamble.
When you drop down into the Hidden Lake, keep your eyes peeled for the "double-stack." Sometimes the game glitches—in a good way—and spawns two dams right on top of each other. You’ll think you’re looting one, and then suddenly there’s another 600 Cementing Paste underneath it. It feels like winning the lottery. Just watch out for the local Therizinosaurus that usually patrols the northern ridge. They don't like visitors.
The Southern Islets and the Footpaw
If the Hidden Lake is the high-end boutique of beaver dams, the Southern Islets are the local corner store. Specifically, the area where the river forks around the Footpaw (around 70, 40). It’s muddy. It’s swampy. It’s crawling with Sarcos. But the beavers? They’re there.
You’ll find dams tucked under the massive mangrove-style roots or sitting right in the middle of the shallow stream. The visibility here is terrible. You're squinting through the fog and the glare on the water, trying to distinguish a dam from a random log. Pro tip: use a Direwolf or a Thylacoleo if you’re doing this on foot. Their hitboxes and jump height make escaping an angry beaver mob much easier.
Beavers are fast in the water. Like, surprisingly fast. You grab that paste, and suddenly four of them are nipping at your heels. They do a surprising amount of torpor damage, too. If you get pinned against a rock by two angry Castoroides, you’re probably waking up in a respawn bed.
The Redwoods: High Risk, High Reward
The river system snaking through the Redwoods is arguably the most consistent spot for beaver dam locations Ark The Island. But it's a nightmare. You’ve got Thylas jumping off trees, Microraptors knocking you off your mount, and Alpha Carnos wandering the banks.
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Check the river that runs between the Redwoods and the Volcano. There’s a long stretch of shallow water where dams frequent. The beauty of the Redwoods is the sheer volume. Because the river is so long, you can often find a "train" of dams. Start at the Eastern end and follow the water inland.
- Coordinates to watch: 48, 63 (The pond near the edge of the Redwoods)
- The "Triple Waterfall" area: 42, 68
- The Western River: 55, 30
The Redwoods dams tend to be larger, or maybe it just feels that way because you're fighting for your life the whole time. If you have an Argentavis, use the "talon pick" method. Hover over the dam, hop off (staying on the bird's back if possible, or using a whistle to keep it close), loot everything, and then immediately fly vertical.
Why the Dams Stop Spawning
This is the part most players get wrong. They fly to a known location, see nothing, and assume the server is broken. Usually, it's one of two things. First: the "Stray Beaver" problem. If a beaver gets lured away from its spawn point—maybe it chased a Coelacanth downriver or got aggroed by a Raptor—it won't build a dam. The beaver needs to be in its specific "home" zone.
Second: the "Wood Gremlin" issue I mentioned earlier. If you leave 1 unit of wood in a dam, the game thinks that dam is still active. It won't despawn. It won't refresh. It’s a dead slot. If you want to be a hero on your server, clear the entire inventory. Drop the wood on the ground. The dam will break, and in about 30 to 60 minutes, a fresh one can spawn in its place.
The Chemistry of Cementing Paste
Why are we even doing this? Because at level 50+, everything costs paste. Polymer? Paste. Metal irrigation? Paste. Saddles for your Rexes? Paste.
A single beaver dam can hold anywhere from 75 to 900 Cementing Paste. In the time it takes you to find one dam, you’ve basically saved yourself an hour of grinding stone. Plus, you get Rare Flowers, Rare Mushrooms, and Silica Pearls. It’s essentially a supply drop that looks like a pile of sticks.
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There is a nuance to the "Rare Flower" part. If you're planning on taming a Moschops or making Battle Tartar, these dams are your best friend. But be careful. If you eat a Rare Flower by accident while trying to loot, every creature in the vicinity—including those beavers—will lose their minds and attack you simultaneously.
Practical Tactics for the Solo Player
If you're playing alone, looting beaver dam locations Ark The Island is a hit-and-run operation. Don't try to fight the beavers. It’s a waste of durability on your armor.
- Park your mount a few meters away, facing the escape route.
- Approach the dam from the side away from the beavers.
- Use the "Transfer All" button. Don't cherry-pick. Just grab it all.
- Sprint. Don't look back.
- Ditch the wood while you're in the air.
If you have a Maewing (if you've brought one over from another map) or a high-speed Procoptodon, this becomes a joke. But on a vanilla Island run, the Pteranodon is your best bet. Just watch your weight. Those Silica Pearls and the paste itself are surprisingly heavy. If you get encumbered while a beaver is chewing on your ankles, it's game over.
The North-Eastern River (The Hidden Gem)
Most people focus on the Redwoods or the Hidden Lake, but the river system that leads from the coast up toward the "Far's Peak" mountain (around 30, 70) is often overlooked. It's colder here. You might need some Fur armor or a decent Fortitude stat.
Because it’s a bit out of the way, these dams often stay unlooted longer than the ones near the southern spawn points. The water is clear, making it easy to spot the dams from high up. Just be wary of the Rexes that like to wander down from the mountains to get a drink.
Moving Forward with Your Loot
Once you've cleared a circuit of these beaver dam locations Ark The Island, you should have enough materials to bypass the "stone grind" entirely. Your next step should be setting up a dedicated "Paste Hut." This is just a small shack with a couple of Mortar and Pestles or a Chem Bench near your main base.
Don't store all your paste in one spot if you're on a PVP server. People raid for Cementing Paste more than they raid for Metal. It's the currency of the Island.
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If you find that the dams aren't spawning even after you've cleared the wood and checked for stray beavers, try a "Wild Dino Wipe" if you have admin perms (admincheat destroywilddinos). This resets the spawns and usually kicks the beaver AI back into gear. On official, you just have to wait for the next server restart or keep clearing out the predators in the area to make room for new spawns.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Run
- Check the Map: Start at the Hidden Lake (22, 68), then fly south to the Redwoods river (48, 63), and finish at the Footpaw (70, 40).
- Clear the Inventory: Always take everything out of the dam so it can despawn and respawn fresh loot.
- Weight Management: Keep an eye on your carry capacity; Cementing Paste is 0.01 per unit, but it adds up when you're carrying thousands.
- Dino Management: Kill any nearby predators before looting to ensure your getaway mount doesn't get ambushed while you're in a menu.
- Beaver Safety: If you don't want to kill the beavers, lead them away into a pen or across a river before doubling back to grab the goods.