Red Dead Redemption 2 has been out for a while now, and its legacy has firmly settled in. And while it was divisive in the beginning as some called it a masterpiece while others called it an overrated bore, fans have continually made it a contender for game of the year for a reason.
It's beautiful, it's massive, and most importantly, it's filled to the brim with secrets. Like all Rockstar games, the open world is ripe for exploration, and it absolutely will reward the most persistent and exploratory of players. Of course, there's nothing wrong with a little push in the right direction to help find these great secrets.
Updated on April 30, 2021 by Scoot Allan: New and old fans alike keep returning to Red Dead Redemption 2 for a number of reasons. It can be incredibly enjoyable to jump back into the more peaceful and laid-back world of RDR2 following the hectic life of an outlaw in Red Dead Online. Plus, there are quite a few different secrets and locations in the single-player campaign that have yet to be discovered. While the exploration of the Old West in RDR2 is half the fun, there are so many unique items and locations for fans to miss out on even with a thorough playthrough. So here are a few more of the most easily missed secrets from Red Dead Redemption 2 for players to explore on their next playthrough.
15 Get Acquainted With The Terrifying ManBearPig
The creators of South Park's ongoing support and passion for Red Dead Redemption has led to the game's inclusion in episodes; naturally, Rockstar Games featured their own nod to South Park with the monstrous ManBearPig.
This creature has become a part of South Park's lore thanks to the obsession of Al Gore. In RDR2, it be found in the house of an experimental scientist located near the Van Horn Trading Post. The house has an open window on the roof that players can access, though they might wish they hadn't ventured inside.
14 Don't Miss The Mysterious Lost Stuffed Gorilla
There are a number of interesting animals in the Old West setting of Red Dead Redemption 2. However, there are some odd inclusions like Margaret's menagerie of mostly fake circus animals, and the mysterious stuffed gorilla that appears to be lost cargo.
Players can find the stuffed gorilla in the ravine near the two wooden bridges in Big Valley. While there's no in-game explanation for this, the nearby proximity of a Taxidermist's House might give players enough information to put this one together and get a great selfie out of the trip.
13 Have An Interesting Conversation At Bigfoot's Hidden Cave
Bigfoot and Sasquatch have appeared in the Red Dead Redemption franchise before, so fans were a little surprised that there was no mention of either cryptid in RDR2 despite the presence of a giant skeleton. Still, fans might have located his hiding place.
Players can find a resting flock of birds on the lake at Calumet Ravine that they can startle. If they follow them carefully through the mountains, they will find themselves at a cave blocked up with boulders. A loud voice then beckons them over for an interesting conversation.
12 Explore Devil's Cave And Meet "Lucifer" Himself
Just north of Pronghorn Ranch against the border of the map lies a circular border that will stick out on the map, leading to a hidden cave entrance. This entrance takes players off the map to a place that has become known as Devil's Cave, due to the unique individual inside.
RELATED: The 15 Best Red Dead Redemption 2 Missions, Ranked
Once inside, players will want to follow the light source and be mindful of sudden drops into pits of nothingness to find "Lucifer" himself. However, if players come back and converse with the man, they'll soon learn otherwise. Devil's Cave doesn't offer many rewards, but players still be glad they discovered the hidden entrance.
11 Find A Huge Reward In The Puzzling Cave of Statues
There are a few different ways of finding gold treasure in Red Dead Redemption 2. These include hunting down treasure maps and following clues, though players can also locate the hidden Cave of Statues and solve the puzzle to net a hefty reward.
After finding the painting at Window Rock to learn the solution to the puzzle inside, the player can head to the road directly below the "I" in Ambarino to find the mound of rocks. They can slip in between these to access the dimly lit cave filled with broken statues. The player must activate these in a certain way to access the hidden gold.
10 Enjoy A Drink With New Friends At The Aberdeen Pig Farm
The Aberdeen Pig Farm is arguably the most well-known side quests in the game thanks to countless YouTube videos. That said, it can be somewhat difficult to find, and we're positive that more people have seen the interaction on YouTube than found it and experienced it for themselves.
The ranch itself is in Scarlett Meadows, just north of Pleasance and close to the border of Roanoke Ridge. Not only does the player have to find the location, but must interact with its inhabitants in order to kickstart the whole fiasco.
9 Find Inner Peace With The Mountain Monk
The Mountain Monk is a great little Easter egg that is quite out of the way. Players who don't love exploring on their own have likely never come across the meditating monk. The monk can be found just south of the "r" in Grizzlies East, although making your way up the mountain is a lot more difficult than it sounds.
Once the player actually makes their way up, they will be treated to an absolutely gorgeous view — and a monk meditating on the rocks in a fantastic outfit. Players can do with him as they please, though it will definitely affect their honor should they choose to maybe push him off of the mountain.
8 Take A Sip From The Witch Cauldron In Grizzlies East
The world of Red Dead Redemption 2 is very funky. Not only are their UFOs that swoop down from the skies above, but it seems like alchemy and witches are very, very real. An abandoned and mysterious witches cauldron hides in the Grizzlies East region
The close location means players can hit it up either before or after meeting Mr. Monk on top of the mountain! And yes, it is absolutely possible interact with the liquid inside of the cauldron. Drinking it will transport the player away and completely refill their cores. What a nice witch!
7 Track Down Marko Dragic's Robot In The Mountains
Finding the robot isn't really the problem. It's finding it on top of the mountain that people likely missed! The robot is first introduced in the stranger mission A Bright Bouncing Boy, which can be started in west Saint Denis.
Following part II, the player can revisit Dragic's workshop. After doing so and collecting the notes within, travel to the northwest Grizzlies near Colter. On top of the mountain rests the lonely robot, overlooking the landscape below and pondering its role in the death of its inventor. Sad, sad stuff.
6 Chase Down The Ghost Train Of Lemoyne County
The supernatural absolutely is a part of this world. Don't believe it? Check out the fabled Ghost Train! Unlike a lot of Rockstar myths of this type, the Ghost Train is 100% real, and it is absolutely horrifying. Well, cool AND horrifying, depending on how you look at it.
To find the train, players need to go to the northwest section of Lemoyne and ride next to the tracks at about 3:00 AM. Sooner or later, the spooky ghost train will appear, and then the player can marvel at its brilliance.
5 Sit A Spell At The Tiny Church In The Swamp
OK, it's not really a church for ants. That would be real. But it is a tiny little model church, and it is absolutely adorable. The church can be found in the swamps north of Saint Denis, east of Lakay. It's not the most welcoming area of the map, but hey, maybe that's why they needed a church!
There's not really anything to do in the church, aside from crawl inside and ponder its mysteries. That said, if the player finds the vampire and take him to the church's altar, something very interesting will happen. Speaking of which...
4 Hunt Down The Vampire Of Saint Denis
Ever heard about the vampire hiding in Saint Denis? Unfortunately, the player can't just stumble onto him — they need to find five pieces of writing scattered around Saint Denis. Players can find these writings on random walls throughout the city, and after finding all five, the location of the vampire will be revealed.
The vampire looks a lot like Nosferatu from...well, Nosferatu...and can be seen drinking the blood of a victim. It's up to the player what to do with him. One option is to hog-tie him and taking him to the mini church or one of the many pagan or satanic rituals on the map, just to see what happens.
3 Find The Swamp Ghost Of Bluewater Marsh
Then again, maybe that little church was built to ward off the swamp ghost. Because man is that thing scary. The ghost is apparently that of Agnes Dowd. According to her story, Agnes was a young woman who fell in love with a man that his parents did not approve of.
It's implied that her father murdered her suitor, and driven mad by grief, Agnes went on a killing spree before taking her own life. Fun stuff. Anyway, her ghost can be seen wandering Bluewater Marsh between 9 PM and 3 AM, so the horse won't be the only thing spooked at that time.
2 Vetter's Echo Is Also Known As The Bear House
Players have probably seen images of the Bear House online or in various YouTube videos. But if they haven't, we don't recommend watching any. It'll spoil the wonderful, wonderful surprise. For those who love a good surprise, travel to Big Valley in West Elizabeth.
A little cabin known as Vetter's Echo stands south of the Little Creek River. Check out that cabin carefully to find a couple of items for companions back at the camp, but again, be careful and prepared for anything.
1 The Mystery Of The Crashed Airship
The crashed airplane is hidden in some dense forest, so players can't be blamed for missing it. This flying contraption can also be found in the Big Valley region, so win-win! The point of interest consists of a crashed airplane, the debris scattered across the forest floor, and a skeleton still stuck inside the contraption.
Hopefully, they died on impact and didn't suffer. This could be an Easter egg to the first Red Dead Redemption, as that contained a mission that ended in someone's flight-related death, though the timing is interesting as the first documented airplane flight wouldn't happen for years.