Stardew Valley is a game that, like many others in its genre, is filled with loads of different secrets players can stumble upon by accident. One of these secrets in the game is known as the Secret Woods. This forested area is an interesting place to visit, and it’s home to some unique items, assuming you can get inside and find them.
Now, they are called the Secret Woods for a reason after all. No villagers of Pelican Town can be seen here, except for some pesky Slimes that aren’t afraid of attacking you on site. Still, there are some worthwhile resources to check out here. So how do you find and get inside the Secret Woods in Stardew Valley? This guide will show you the way.
How To Access The Secret Woods
The Secret Woods is an outdoor area in Stardew Valley that you won’t be able to access at the start of the game. It can be found in the northwest corner of Cindersnap Forest. The entrance will be initially blocked by a fallen log that can be removed with a Steel Axe or above. As you’ll quickly learn, your starting axe will not be sufficient to break apart the log blocking the path.
Once you get inside the Secret Woods, you’ll find seasonable forageables throughout the year. They’re always switching up appearances, so you can expect to obtain several different resources for each unique visit.
Forageable Items in the Secret Woods
For each season, we’re listing the following items that you can gather. This includes all four seasons, including the brisk Winter time when crops don’t respond too well. Here are the resources to keep in mind:
- Spring – Common Mushroom, Morel, and Wild Horseradish
- Summer – Fiddlehead Fern and Red Mushroom
- Fall – Chanterelle, Common Mushroom, and Red Mushroom
- Winter – Holly
The above-listed items can be collected throughout the secret area. A lack of available foraging opportunities is noticeable within the Old Master Cannoli stone area. He’s just north of the fishing zone that’s southwest of the area.
There will be Slimes in the forest that will attack you, so be ready for that. The monsters that are slain in this area also have a chance to drop Mahogany Seeds. So, if you want some of those seeds, be ready to take out the slimy enemies.
The Secret Woods contains six Large Stumps that regrow daily and can be harvested for a total of 12 Hardwood each day. Four of the stumps are in the upper part of the woods and two are found by walking through one of two covered passages to a smaller lower area. Ideally, these are situated on the right half of the unknown part of the woods.
How to Interact with the Secret Woods Statue
Lastly, the Secret Woods is home to the aforementioned Old Master Cannoli Statue. It’s really a stiff statue of the titular character who appears to be sitting. It’s almost as if this strange structure won’t interact with us. However, where there’s a will, there’s a way.
If you give the statue a Sweet Gem Berry, it’ll give you a Stardrop in return after its eyes turn red. If you’re playing Stardew Valley in multiplayer, then only one player needs to give one Sweet Gem Berry, and all the players in the game will get a Stardrop. Consume this as soon as you can to increase your maximum Energy by 34 points.
That’s about it when it comes to the Secret Woods and what it contains. Keep in mind that villagers do not appear in the woods, so you can safely place any items in the area. After all, these are the Secret Woods, so consider this area to be your own sanctuary away from the Farmhouse and Ginger Island.
Once you’ve collected your resources to complement the Stardrop retrieval, return to the area the next day. The aforementioned Large Stumps will regrow daily, so be sure to continuously visit the area for an extra supply of Hardwood to take back with you. Just be vigilant of the bouncing Slimes that roam the area.
