You're standing on a cliffside, Arthur Morgan is huffing from the climb, and you're staring at a crumpled piece of paper that looks like a toddler’s drawing of a lumpy potato. That’s the reality of hunting the Red Dead Redemption 2 Jack Hall Gang treasure. It’s the first real "treasure hunt" most players encounter after the snowy slog of Chapter 1, and honestly, it’s a bit of a wake-up call. Rockstar doesn't hold your hand here. If you were expecting a giant glowing waypoint on your mini-map, you’re in for a rough afternoon.
The Jack Hall Gang was a real bunch of outlaws in the RDR2 lore, supposedly active before the Van der Linde gang started making waves. They left behind some gold—two bars, to be exact—which equates to $1,000. In the early game, that’s an absolute fortune. It’s the difference between struggling to pay a $20 bounty and riding around with a fully upgraded camp and a shiny new Schofield Revolver.
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Where the Hell is Máximo?
Most people stumble into this quest near Flatneck Station. You’ll find a guy named Máximo Valdespino hanging out on a ridge. He’s an "explorer," which is 1899-speak for someone who talks too much and does too little. He offers to sell you the first map for $10. Buy it. Seriously. If you’re being cheap or you accidentally spooked him and he ran off, you can eventually find the map at a Fence later, but just give the man his ten bucks. It saves a headache.
The map he gives you depicts Caliban’s Seat. If you look at it, you’ll see a distinct rock formation that looks like a giant thumb or a broken tooth. This is just south of Valentine. It’s one of those landmarks you’ve probably ridden past a dozen times without thinking twice about it.
Scaling Caliban’s Seat
Getting up there is easy; getting across it is where people usually fall to their deaths. Once you’re at the top of the ridge, look for a path that leads down a narrow stone ledge on the cliff face. Arthur’s movement can be... clunky. One wrong tilt of the analog stick and you’re watching a ragdoll physics demonstration.
You have to shimmy along the ledge, jump a small gap, and then search a little crevice in the rock. This gives you the second map. No gold yet. Just more drawings of rocks. This is the "hook" of the Red Dead Redemption 2 Jack Hall Gang treasure hunt—it forces you to actually look at the topography of the world instead of just staring at the GPS line.
Cotorra Springs and the Path North
The second map points you toward Cotorra Springs. This is way up north in the Grizzlies, near the railroad tracks that cross the top of the map. It’s a beautiful spot, full of geothermal pools and yellowing rock. It’s also wolf country. Keep your head on a swivel because a pack of four can and will jump you while you’re trying to orient your map.
In the middle of this area, there’s a circle of stone pillars. They look vaguely like a miniature Stonehenge, but more "natural." The map shows these pillars from a specific angle. You’re looking for a specific pile of rocks. One of them is hollow or has a loose stone. Stick your hand in there, and you’ll find the third and final map.
Honestly, the atmosphere at Cotorra Springs is top-tier. Rockstar nailed the sound design here; the bubbling of the geysers and the distant wind make the hunt feel lonely in a way that fits Arthur’s character perfectly. It’s quiet. A bit eerie.
The Payoff at O'Creagh's Run
The final destination is O'Creagh's Run. This is a lake in the Grizzlies East, and it is arguably the most scenic spot in the entire game. It’s named after Hamish Sinclair, a character you might meet later if you’re doing the "Veteran" stranger missions. There’s a tiny island in the middle of the lake.
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You’ve got two choices:
- Swim. (Bad idea if your stamina is low or your horse isn't a beast).
- Grab a boat.
If you try to swim with a low-level Arthur, you might drown halfway there. Don't be that guy. Use your horse or find a rowboat on the shore. Once you get to the island, you’re looking for a small patch of dirt under a rock. Dig it up.
There they are. Two Gold Bars.
What to do with the Gold
Do not try to spend these at a General Store. They won't take them. You need to head to a Fence. There’s one at Emerald Ranch (if you’ve unlocked Seamus) or down in Saint Denis or Rhodes. Each bar is worth $500.
For a Chapter 2 Arthur, $1,000 is game-changing. You can upgrade the camp’s medicine, ammo, and food wagons. You can buy the leather working tools for Pearson. Or, you can just buy a fancy coat and a lot of whiskey. No judgment here.
Why This Hunt is Different
The Red Dead Redemption 2 Jack Hall Gang treasure stands out because it acts as a tutorial for how the game wants you to think. It’s not about speed. It’s about observation. The drawings on the maps aren't 100% accurate; they're sketches from a human perspective, meaning they have flaws and exaggerations.
Most players miss the subtle clues in the environment. For example, the pillars at Cotorra Springs are arranged in a way that mirrors the sketch perfectly only if you stand to the southwest. If you’re looking from the north, it looks like a mess. Rockstar reward patience here, which is a recurring theme in the game.
Common Mistakes and Misconceptions
People often think the Jack Hall treasure is tied to the main story. It’s not. You can finish the whole game without ever touching it. However, if you're going for that 100% completion trophy, you absolutely have to do the Explorer challenges, and this is the easiest way to kickstart that progress.
Another big one: you can’t just skip to the end. You can’t ride straight to O’Creagh’s Run and expect the gold to be there. The "trigger" for the gold spawning is having the final map in your inventory. I’ve seen people spend hours digging at the island because they saw a YouTube video, only to realize they never picked up the map from Cotorra Springs. It won't work. The game is smarter than that.
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Actionable Steps for the Hunt
- Check your inventory for the "Collector" tab if you've already met Máximo. Sometimes people buy the map and forget about it.
- Bring a horse with good stamina to O'Creagh's Run. The swim is deceptive, and the water is cold. Cold water drains your cores faster.
- Use Eagle Eye (pressing both sticks in). While it won't highlight the treasure from a mile away, it helps you spot the "disturbed ground" or "searchable" prompts once you are in the general vicinity of the rock piles.
- Save your gold for the "Legend of the East" satchel components. Buying the upgrades from Pearson is a much better long-term investment than just blowing it all on a customized volcanic pistol.
- Visit the Fence at night if you have a high bounty. Emerald Ranch is usually the safest bet for a quick sell-and-run without getting spotted by lawmen.
Selling those bars early allows you to ignore the grind of looting every single body after a shootout. It lets you play the game with a bit more freedom. The Jack Hall Gang might have been a bunch of losers who got caught, but their legacy is essentially the "Get Out of Poverty Free" card for Arthur Morgan. Just watch your step on the cliffs at Caliban's Seat. Seriously. One slip and it’s a long way down.