Overview
The continent of Pywel in Crimson Desert is riddled with caves, caverns, and underground passages. These range from small mineral veins tucked into cliff faces to sprawling multi-room dungeons with boss encounters and unique loot. Caves are one of the primary sources of ores, crafting materials, and rare equipment that cannot be found anywhere else.
There is no single quest that leads you to every cave. Most are discovered through natural exploration, NPC rumors, or by spotting unusual terrain features like cracks in cliff walls, waterfalls that look walkable, or rocky pillars with visible openings. The game rewards curiosity: almost every dead-end trail and suspicious landmark in Pywel hides something worth investigating.
How to Find Hidden Caves
Not all caves are marked on your map from the start. Many only appear once you physically walk close enough to trigger discovery. Here are the most reliable methods for finding hidden entrances:
Controller Vibration: If your controller vibrates near a dead end or blank rock face, use Telekinesis to pull loose rocks away. This often reveals a hidden cave entrance.
Waterfalls: Many waterfalls in Pywel conceal caves behind them. Press RB+X (Xbox) or R1+Square (PlayStation) to stab through the water curtain and enter the hidden grotto.
Mind's Eye: Activate the Mind's Eye ability to highlight interactable objects and glowing exploration points in your surroundings. Cave entrances sometimes glow faintly when this ability is active.
NPC Hints: Tavern conversations, roadside encounters, and rumor board postings frequently reference hidden locations. Pay attention to directional clues like "south of the falls" or "behind the old camp."
Blinding Flash: The same sword ability used to find Abyss Cressets can also reveal nearby points of interest, including cave openings.
Cave Locations by Region
Below is a list of notable caves across Pywel, organized by region. This is not an exhaustive list, as new caves continue to be found by the community.
Hernand
Hernand is the first region most players explore, and it has the highest concentration of accessible caves early in the game.
Cave Name | Location | Notable Contents |
|---|---|---|
Hernand Highlands Cavern | South of Hernand City, in the Highlands | A narrow cave opening leads to a deposit of 10 Diamonds. The passage is tight and easy to miss from the main road. |
Anvil Hill Mines | Southeast of Hernand City, at the base of Anvil Hill | Primary early-game source of Copper Ore and Iron Ore. Multiple nodes respawn periodically. Used in Rhett's Request quest. |
Three Saints' Falls Grotto | Behind the waterfall at Three Saints' Falls | Garnet deposits line the walls. Access by stabbing through the waterfall. Also contains a treasure chest with a Golden Palmar Pill. |
Whispering Caves | Eastern woods, behind the largest Kliff bandit camp | Vertical platforming challenge. Contains high-tier Mercenary Armor and Ancient Pywelian Coins. Low stamina causes falls into spike traps. |
Riverbed's end, Hernand region | Walk through the waterfall to find a hidden grotto with an Ancient Obelisk that grants lore entries. | |
Near Karin Quarry Rest Area, northwest Hernand | Iron Ore and occasional Azurite deposits. Connected tunnels branch in multiple directions. Watch for cave-ins that block return paths. |
Demeniss
Demeniss is the second region players encounter. Its caves tend to be more dangerous, with tougher enemies and environmental hazards.
Cave Name | Location | Notable Contents |
|---|---|---|
Trembling Woods Cavern | Southern Demeniss, near the Trembling Woods ruins | Two bears guard the entrance. Inside are mineral deposits and a connecting passage to the nearby Abyss Cresset ruin. |
Ironwood Underground | Near Ironwood Farm, eastern Demeniss | A series of tight tunnels containing Bismuth Ore veins. Stoneback Abyss crabs patrol the deeper sections. |
Flame Knight's Cavern | Below Flame Knight's Castle, western Demeniss | Multi-level cave system accessible through the castle ruins. Contains rare crafting materials and a hidden chest requiring a lever puzzle to unlock. |
Kweiden
The Kweiden region features ancient ruins and deep underground networks. Many caves here double as puzzle dungeons.
Cave Name | Location | Notable Contents |
|---|---|---|
Cultist Sanctuary | Behind an illusion wall in the Kweiden Ancient Ruins | Break the false wall with Telekinesis. Inside is a cultist hideout with lore items, a treasure chest, and connections to the Abyss questline. |
Frozen Riverbed Cavern | Along the frozen river, northern Kweiden | Dense cluster of 8 to 10 Iron Ore veins embedded in ice. Bring fire-based abilities to thaw access points. |
Cultist Mine | Deep Kweiden, past the Cultist Sanctuary | High respawn rate for multiple ore types. Enemies include cultist soldiers and one mini-boss. One of the best farming locations in the game. |
Pailune
The Pailune region has fewer caves overall, but those that exist tend to hold valuable late-game resources.
Cave Name | Location | Notable Contents |
|---|---|---|
Skoghorn Tunnels | South of Skoghorn, Pailune | Winding tunnels with Scolecite deposits. A dead end conceals a breakable wall leading to a chest with rare alchemy ingredients. |
Torvak Bluff Cave | Southwest of Torvak Camp | Short cave with a single large chamber. Contains a Sealed Abyss Artifact challenge and two ore nodes. |
Delysia and the Crimson Desert
The southern and western regions of Pywel, including Delysia and the Crimson Desert proper, feature caves with extreme environmental conditions.
Cave Name | Location | Notable Contents |
|---|---|---|
Sunken Citadel | Southern border of the Crimson Desert, marked by a massive sinkhole | Pitch-black interior filled with venomous scorpions that apply poison damage over time. Bring torches or Fire Alchemy. Reward: "Desert Viper" dual-wield axes. |
Chittering Forest Cavern | Near the Chittering Forest Ironcrawler Station, Delysia | Insect-themed enemies throughout. Contains a rare armor set blueprint and connects to a surface exit on the opposite side of the forest. |
Crimson Wall Shrine Crypt | Below the Crimson Wall Shrine | An underground crypt with skeletal enemies and a puzzle lock. Completing the puzzle grants access to a chamber with high-tier weapon upgrade materials. |
Sanctums
Sanctums are a special category of underground dungeon that becomes available after unlocking the Witch faction in Chapter 5. Unlike standard caves, Sanctums must be "cleansed" by restoring power structures and defeating guardians. Notable Sanctums include:
Sanctum of Benediction: Located in western Hernand. Requires lighting a lantern to open the main door and using Force Palm to lock pillar fragments into place.
Sanctum of Temperance: Accessible after Chapter 5. Involves retrieving a power cube from beneath the structure using Axiom Force, removing vines with fire arrows, and reassembling broken pillars.
Cleansing all four Sanctums is part of "The Witch of Wisdom" questline and rewards you with access to high-level Abyss Core upgrades.
Exploration Tips
Always carry torches or have Fire Alchemy equipped. Several caves are completely dark, and fighting enemies blind is a fast way to die.
Check your stamina before entering caves with vertical sections. Running out of stamina mid-climb drops you into spike traps or onto enemies below.
Ore veins respawn after a short time. If you find a cave with good mineral deposits, mark it on your map and return regularly.
Recruit a mercenary companion before exploring dangerous caves. Some doors require two people, with your companion standing on a pressure plate while you pass through.
Waterside caves are everywhere. Whenever you see a waterfall, try stabbing through it. The loot behind waterfalls ranges from basic healing items to full armor sets.
Save manually before entering any cave you have not visited before. Some caves have one-way drops or environmental hazards that can catch you off guard.
Related Articles
Mining for a full breakdown of ore types and farming routes
Treasure Chests for locations of hidden and locked chests across Pywel
Secret Spaces for other hidden areas including rooftops and underwater passages
Abyss Cresset Locations for Ancient Ruins puzzles found near many caves
Exploration for general traversal mechanics and discovery tips