Elden Ring: How to Reach Abyssal Woods

How do you reach Abyssal Woods in Elden Ring? Abyssal Woods covers the eastern side of Elden Ring DLC Shadow of the Erdtree, and is probably the place that requires the most complex steps to reach. In this Elden Ring guide, we're going to reveal how to reach Abyssal Woods.

How Do You Reach Abyssal Woods in Elden Ring?

In order to begin the trek to the Abyssal Woods, you'll first need to enter Shadow Keep in Scadu Altus. Once you've beaten the Golden Hippopotamus, follow the series of corridors and rooms to your left. Having passed through a grand dining room patrolled by two knights — one with a hammer and another a bow and arrow — you'll be back outside with a staircase running up and down horizontally to you. Ignore the staircase and keep running straight down the path you're already on, with the structures lit on fire kept on your right. Hug the left-hand side and you'll eventually come to a ladder heading down.

Go down and run through the waterfall to find another ladder leading to a sort of sewer area. Turn to your right and you'll find a Painting. Feel free to pick it up, but there's a hidden path in here. In between the two lit torches on the right-hand wall is a hidden passage you can reveal by attacking the wall. At the end of the path it reveals will be a stone coffin with the prompt: "Rest in coffin". Do so and you'll be taken to outside of Shadow Keep to the Castle Watering Hole.

In front of you will be the Ruins of Unte, and there's a Revered Spirit Ash just southeast of it. To continue your journey, head south past the active Furnace Golem and use the path to the left of the waterfall to progress, where the Site of Grace is. Jump across the gaps in the path, and you'll eventually come to a clearing with a lit altar on your left across the chasm. There's no need to cross over to the left; simply keep on going south and you'll find a Site of Grace for Recluses' River Downstream.

At the cliff edge here, drop down onto the rocky platforms below. Continue to do this some time for the path down the mountain is fairly linear. Eventually, you'll drop down into a small cave that leads out to a graveyard. On the eastern side of this area, you'll notice a set of double doors leading to the Darklight Catacombs. Refer to our how to complete Darklight Catacombs page for guidance in this enclosed area, as well as how to beat Jori, Elder Inquisitor at the end of it.

Having successfully done so, activate the Site of Grace that appears and then continue through the archway into the forest ahead. This is the Abyssal Woods. In order to get the Map piece for the Abyssal Woods, continue into the valley and activate the Site of Grace on the Woodland Trail. You'll now want to continue southeast on the trail, where you'll soon encounter a very powerful enemy called Madding Hand.

Once defeated, continue along the dark path through the trees until you reach the top of a slight hill with rats ahead of you. The remnants of a building should be visible ahead of you, and in front of that is the Map piece.

Did you find our guide covering how to reach Abyssal Woods in Elden Ring helpful? Share any of your own strategies in the comments below and check out our Elden Ring guide for more guidance and information.