Red Dead Redemption 2 is massive. Like, "I've been riding this horse for twenty minutes and I'm still in the Heartlands" massive. If you’re trying to achieve that elusive 100% completion mark, you’ve probably realized that Rockstar Games loves making you work for it. One of the grindiest tasks? Finding all 30 dinosaur bone locations for a stranger named Deborah MacGuiness. You meet her early on—she’s an amateur paleontologist with a lot of ambition and zero sense of direction. She needs you to find the "lizards" buried in the dirt.
Honestly, finding a rdr2 dinosaur bones map that actually makes sense is harder than dodging a bullet in Saint Denis. Most players stumble upon maybe two or three bones naturally. The rest? They’re tucked away on cliff faces, hidden in dried-up creek beds, or sitting on top of mountains you’ll probably fall off of at least once.
It’s not just about the trophy. You get rewards. A Quartz Shard for the first bone, a Statue of Liberty (well, a miniature one) for 15, and the Deborah MacGuiness Invitation once you’ve logged all 30. But there’s a catch. A big one. You can't finish this quest as Arthur Morgan. You just can't. Eight of those bones are locked away in New Austin, a territory where the "Invisible Sniper" will headshot you the second you cross the border before the epilogue.
Why the New Austin Lockout Matters
Most people get frustrated. They see a rdr2 dinosaur bones map online, ride down to the Lower Montana River, and get obliterated. That’s because the game’s logic prevents Arthur from reaching the fossils in Gaptooth Ridge, Rio Bravo, Cholla Springs, and Hennigan's Stead. You have to wait until you’re playing as John Marston in the Epilogue to wrap this up. It’s a narrative wall.
If you’re still playing as Arthur, stick to the 22 bones available in the main map areas: New Hanover, Ambarino, Lemoyne, and West Elizabeth. Don't waste your time trying to glitch into Blackwater unless you're a glutton for punishment.
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The Heartlands and Cumberland Forest
Let’s talk specifics. In The Heartlands, there’s a bone sitting right at the bottom of an oil derrick. It’s easy to miss because you’re looking at the horizon, not the ground. You have to climb down the ladder into the dark. It’s creepy, but the bone is right there in the sludge.
Contrast that with the bone in Cumberland Forest. It’s perched on a very narrow ledge overlooking the Dakota River. One wrong tap of the analog stick and your horse is a goner. This is where the game tests your patience. You’ll find another one near Six Mile Point, nestled in some rocks that look exactly like every other rock in New Hanover. Use Eagle Eye (L3 + R3). Seriously. The yellow "stardust" particles are the only way you'll spot these things without losing your mind.
Navigating the Grizzlies and Ambarino
Ambarino is a nightmare to navigate. The terrain is vertical, snowy, and full of wolves. The bones here are particularly nasty. One is located at the "O'Creagh's Run" overlook. You have to navigate a series of high ridges that feel like they were designed specifically to make you slide to your death.
Then there's the "Mount Shann" fossil. This one is famous because it’s near the giant skeleton (not a dinosaur, something... bigger) and the UFO Easter egg spot. It’s high up. Like, "the air is thin" high up. If you're using a rdr2 dinosaur bones map, pay close attention to the topographical lines. If the map shows the bone is "there" but you don't see it, it’s probably 50 feet above or below you on a different cliff shelf.
The West Elizabeth Cluster
Big Valley is beautiful. It’s also home to some of the most tucked-away fossils. There’s one near the "W" in West Elizabeth on the map, sitting on a rocky outcrop. Another is deep in the woods near the legendary buck territory.
- Beryl's Dream: There's a bone near the mine here. It's easy to get distracted by the loot inside the mine, but the fossil is outside on a rocky slope.
- Dewberry Creek: This is an easy one. It’s in the mud of a dried-up riverbed. No climbing required.
- Scarlett Meadows: South of Lemoyne, you'll find one near a small ravine. It’s one of the few that actually feels like a "discovery" rather than a mountain climbing exercise.
The New Austin Fossil Hunt (The Final Stretch)
Once you reach the Epilogue, the map opens up. New Austin is sparse, which actually makes the bones slightly easier to see, provided you don't get distracted by the heat haze or a stray Del Lobo gang member.
The Rio Bravo bone is located on a flat plain overlooking the San Luis River. It’s gorgeous. Then you have the Gaptooth Ridge fossils. These are way out west, past Tumbleweed. One is located in a literal "bone graveyard" which feels a bit on the nose for Rockstar.
The bone at Jorge’s Gap is a bit tricky. It’s on a ridge above the canyon. If you stay in the gap itself, you’ll never find it. You have to loop around the back and climb the plateau. It's these little geographical tricks that make a rdr2 dinosaur bones map essential. You aren't just looking for an object; you're looking for a specific elevation.
Common Misconceptions About the Quest
A lot of players think you can just "find" the bones and the quest updates. Nope. You have to go to a Post Office. You have to physically mail the coordinates to Deborah.
Wait.
Think about that for a second. You’re mailing the coordinates of a massive ribcage to a woman in a shack. You aren't digging them up. You're just a glorified surveyor.
Another mistake? Thinking the rewards are instant. You get them in the mail a few in-game days later. If you've found all 30 and mailed them, you'll eventually get an invitation to visit her ranch in Firwood Rise (Cumberland Forest). Go there. The cutscene is bizarre, hilarious, and arguably one of the best "stranger" conclusions in the game. She’s built something... interesting... with the bones you found. It doesn't look like a T-Rex. Not even close.
Practical Tips for the Hunt
If you're going for this, don't do it on foot. Bring a fast horse—an Arabian or a Missouri Fox Trotter. You’re going to be covering miles of ground.
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Also, keep your health and stamina cores full. Many of these locations require "sliding" down mountains. If your health core is empty, a short fall that should just hurt you will kill you instead.
- Eagle Eye is your best friend. Every time you get close to a marker on your rdr2 dinosaur bones map, spam those thumbsticks. Look for the golden glow.
- Check the weather. It’s much harder to see the fossils in the middle of a thunderstorm or a blizzard in the Grizzlies. Sleep at a camp until morning for the best visibility.
- Manual Save. Before you try to reach the bones on the cliff edges in the Grizzlies or New Austin, save your game. Losing a high-level horse because of a "paleontology accident" is a fast way to ruin your afternoon.
- The Post Office. Don't wait until you have all 30. Mail them in batches. It keeps the quest progress moving and ensures you don't lose track of which ones you've already logged.
Why Do This?
Besides the 100% completion stat, you get the Jawbone Knife. It’s a unique melee weapon made from, well, a bone. It looks savage. It’s one of the cooler collectibles in the game, and it’s a great way to show off that you actually put in the work.
The quest is called "A Test of Faith," and it really is. It tests your patience, your ability to navigate the game's complex verticality, and your willingness to see the world Rockstar built. Most people just play the story. But when you’re out looking for these bones, you see parts of the map you’d otherwise never visit. You find abandoned shacks, weird carvings, and hidden vistas. That's the real reward.
Actionable Next Steps
To actually get this done without losing your mind, follow this workflow:
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- Finish Chapter 2 first. Get your bearings and a decent horse.
- Knock out the 22 "Arthur-accessible" bones. Start in the Heartlands, move north through the Grizzlies, then swing west toward Big Valley.
- Use the Post Office frequently. Any station works—Valentine, Rhodes, Emerald Ranch.
- Wait for the Epilogue. Don't try to force the New Austin bones early. It’s a waste of time.
- Check your "Total Completion" tab. Under the "Strangers" section, it will show your progress for "A Test of Faith." Keep an eye on that number.
- Head to Firwood Rise. Once the 30th bone is mailed and you receive her letter, ride to her house for the final reward.
Grab your horse, pack some oatcakes, and start in the Heartlands near the oil derrick. It's the easiest one to find and will get the momentum going.
The fossils are waiting. Just watch your step on those Grizzlies cliffside trails.