You're standing in the rain. Your GPS is glitching out because of the canopy, and you know there’s a hole in the ground somewhere near the base of the mountain, but you just can't find it. We've all been there. Navigation in Endnight’s sequel isn’t just about having a Sons of the Forest cave map open on your second monitor; it’s about understanding the verticality and the sheer "mean-spiritedness" of the island’s design.
The map is massive. Like, four times the size of the original game's site.
If you played the first game, you remember the Sinkhole. It was the North Star of the map. In the sequel, the landmarks are subtler. You have the mountain, sure, but once you dive into the greenery, everything starts looking the same. This isn't just a guide. This is a survival strategy for people who are tired of starving to death while looking for the Rebreather.
The Reality of the Sons of the Forest Cave Map
The GPS tracker you start with is a blessing and a curse. It gives you those purple and green blips, but it doesn't tell you what's inside. Most players treat the Sons of the Forest cave map as a 2D surface. That’s a mistake. The caves in this game are multi-layered labyrinths that often require specific tools found in other caves just to progress. It’s a literal gear-gate system.
Take the Rebreather cave on the north coast. It’s usually the first stop. It looks simple on a digital map, but once you’re inside, the lighting is non-existent. You’re relying on a dim lighter or a flare that dies in thirty seconds. The cave system is a series of flooded chambers and narrow squeezes. If you don't have the right orientation, you'll swim in circles until your air runs out.
Honestly, the map is more of a puzzle than a navigational tool. You have to learn the icons. The green circles usually represent points of interest that require a shovel or a maintenance keycard. The purple icons are trackers on corpses. But the caves? They’re just dark gray splotches on the GPS until you’re standing right on top of them.
Why Every Map You See Online is Slightly Different
If you’ve been Googling for a high-res render, you’ve probably noticed some maps show the "Golden Armor" in one spot while others put it somewhere else. This happened because of the massive Patch 1.0 release and subsequent updates. Endnight moved things. They revamped the "Luxury Bunker" and changed how the "Hell Cave" connects to the endgame.
If you are looking at a map from the Early Access days, close the tab. It’s junk now.
📖 Related: Good PC co op games: What Most People Get Wrong
The current layout relies heavily on the "Main Maintenance" hubs. There are three major bunkers: A, B, and C. These aren't just caves; they are 3D-printed underground mansions that lead into deeper, more natural cavern systems. The transition is jarring. One minute you’re walking on carpet, the next you’re sliding down a wet rock face into a room full of Fingers.
Finding the Shovel: The Great Progression Wall
This is the biggest hurdle. You can't beat the game without the shovel. You can’t even get most of the cool guns without it. But to get the shovel, you need the Rebreather and the Rope Gun. This means your journey across the Sons of the Forest cave map is a mandatory three-step road trip.
- The Rebreather Cave: Located on the northern beach. It’s infested with basic cannibals and a few "twins."
- The Rope Gun Cave: Situated near the western side of the mountain. This one is a nightmare. It’s long, linear, and packed with "sluggy" mutants that block your path.
- The Shovel Cave: Near the center of the island, close to the snowy peaks.
Once you have those two items, the Shovel cave opens up. It’s the most complex cave in the game. You’ll be zip-lining over chasms and diving into deep pools. Most players get lost here because the exit isn't the way you came in. You have to find a specific underwater tunnel that leads to a rock slide. If you try to backtrack, you’ll find yourself staring at a wall you can’t climb.
The Bunkers vs. The Natural Caves
There’s a distinction people miss. The "Bunkers" (Food and Dining, Maintenance, Residential) are marked with green icons. These are generally safer—or at least more predictable. They have lights. They have save points (beds).
The natural caves? They are chaos.
The "Caterpillar" mutants and the "Fingers" don't follow patrol paths in the caves. They react to your light. If you’re trying to navigate the Sons of the Forest cave map using a flashlight, you’re basically ringing a dinner bell. Expert players use the Tactical Bow with carbon fiber arrows because it's silent. If you can clear a room without waking the "Blind Mutants," your life becomes ten times easier.
How to Navigate Without a Second Monitor
If you don't want to keep alt-tabbing, you need to use the environment. Look for the "hangers." In the original game, we looked for gray rock outcrops. In Sons of the Forest, the developers used lighting to guide you. Look for the "creepy" light—that weird, yellowish glow coming from around a corner. It usually signals an exit or a loot pile.
💡 You might also like: How to Use the NY Post Lottery Results Page Without Getting Overwhelmed
Also, use your sticks. You can build small fires or stick markers inside caves. If you reach a fork in the road, put a stick marker down. Color code it. Blue for "This way back," Red for "Mutants this way." The GPS map won't show your internal cave progress, so you have to mark your own trail.
The Misconception About the Mountain
A lot of players think the mountain is a barrier. It’s not. It’s a shortcut. If you have the Knight V (the electric unicycle) or the Glider, you can traverse the Sons of the Forest cave map in minutes. The Glider is especially broken if you know where the launch towers are. You can bypass entire forests and land right at the mouth of the cave you need.
But be careful. The weather system is dynamic. If a blizzard kicks in while you're looking for a cave entrance, your visibility drops to about five feet. At that point, your GPS is the only thing keeping you from walking off a cliff.
Understanding the Endgame Layout
Without spoiling too much, the final stretch of the game takes place in the eastern and southeastern sections of the island. This is where the "Cube" is located. The cave map here becomes much more "fleshed out"—literally. You’re dealing with structures that look organic.
The "Final Bunker" is a test of everything you’ve learned. It combines the high-tech corridors of the maintenance hatches with the raw, terrifying verticality of the natural caves. If you haven't stockpiled tech armor and buckshot, the eastern side of the Sons of the Forest cave map will chew you up.
One thing people get wrong: they think the "Golden Armor" is for defense. It’s not. It’s a key. If you try to use it to fight a group of red cannibals, you’re going to have a bad time. It’s specifically designed for the "Hell Cave" at the very end.
Practical Tips for Cave Exploration
- Always carry a tarp and one stick. You can't save inside most caves unless you find a pre-made bed. A tarp tent lets you save your progress before a big fight.
- The Slingshot is actually good. Use it to pop the hanging "pouch" mutants from a distance to get cloth and wire without wasting ammo.
- Check the ceilings. "Ceiling dwellers" are a thing now. They will drop on you.
- The Cross is essential. In the later caves, the Cross actually burns certain enemies. It’s not just a decorative item.
Actionable Next Steps
To master the island and finally stop wandering aimlessly, follow this specific order of operations. First, head to the northwest beach and grab the Rebreather; it's the easiest "win" and sets the tone for the rest of the game. Once you have that, head to the "Rope Gun" cave located near the base of the western mountain range. With both items in your inventory, you can finally tackle the Shovel cave in the center of the map.
While exploring, always carry at least two cans of soda and three pieces of dried meat. The caves are longer than you think, and stamina drain is your biggest enemy when trying to outrun a mutant in the dark. If you find yourself lost, look for the small "floor lights" left by the construction crews; they almost always lead toward the exit or a major loot room. Finally, make sure you've upgraded your GPS by finding the GPS trackers on the purple icons; this allows you to mark specific cave entrances you want to return to later, effectively creating your own custom navigation system.
By the time you reach the residential bunker on the eastern coast, you should have a full set of Creepy Armor and a reliable ranged weapon. The island is dangerous, but the caves are where the real story—and the best gear—is hidden.