Surviving the harsh island environment in Sons of the Forest requires players to secure a variety of tools, but few are as crucial as the shovel. This essential tool unlocks access to hidden bunkers, buried graves, and progression-gating loot across the map. However, acquiring it is an involved process that requires significant preparation and specific equipment before you can even step foot inside its resting place.
Required Traversal Equipment
Before heading to the shovel cave, you must locate two other vital tools to navigate the subterranean obstacles ahead. The first necessary item is the Rebreather, which allows you to breathe underwater and explore fully submerged cavern tunnels. Additionally, you will need to obtain the Rope Gun to ride long ziplines across massive underground chasms that cannot be jumped over manually.
Attempting to enter the shovel cave without these two traversal items is entirely pointless as you will hit literal dead ends almost immediately. Gathering these tools beforehand ensures a smooth journey and saves you from frustrating backtracking trips through the dark. Make sure your inventory is well-stocked with batteries, explosives, and ample armor before initiating this dangerous trek.
Locating the Shovel Cave Entrance
The specialized cave containing the shovel is positioned near the center of the map, slightly to the west of the massive snowy mountain range. You can easily identify the correct location on your GPS tracking system near a lake intersection where a small stream runs down. Outside the entrance, you will find three deceased workers impaled on spikes, acting as an ominous warning sign for survivors.
Before breaking down the wooden boards blocking the mouth of the cave, examine the worker in the middle to claim a free Slingshot weapon. Once you have harvested the surrounding supplies, use an axe or spear to smash the barricade and begin your descent into the dark. The environment changes rapidly from a dry stone corridor to a damp underground network as you move deeper.
Navigating the Flooded Tunnels
Upon stepping inside, follow the main pathway forward until you reach a steep drop-off pointing toward a light source in the distance. Equip your rope gun and fire it at the hanging rope line to safely cross over the massive chasm to the far platform. Once on the other side, find the nearby pool of water where a spare oxygen canister rests safely on the stone shore.
Equip your rebreather and plunge directly into the dark pool to swim through the narrow underwater channels until you resurface. The emerging chamber is heavily populated by hostile mutants, so be prepared to use your firearms or molotov cocktails immediately. Continue navigating past the narrow stone gaps, sliding down a natural waterslide into another safe area containing extra supplies.
Retrieving the Shovel Tool
The final stretch of the journey leads you into a massive cavern section lit by distinctive fluorescent strip lighting panels. This large room is filled with dangerous enemies, including finger mutants and twins that will quickly surround an unprepared survivor. You can choose to systematically eliminate these aggressive creatures using your weapons or sprint directly past them toward the light.
At the very back of this illuminated cavern area, you will spot an abandoned research setup resting alongside a deceased worker. The highly sought-after shovel is resting directly in the hands of this fallen worker, ready for you to pick up manually. Once obtained, you can use the newly opened tunnel pathways to make a hasty escape back out to the surface.