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Red Dead Redemption 2Story Mode and Red Dead Online guide

World

The five states

From the snowy mountains of the north to the swamps of the south, the frontier is five states wide. Each has its own climate, wildlife and rhythm. Use this page to decide where to go and what to bring.

Story ModeSpoiler-safe

Checked Sep 30, 2026 · Sources: OfficialCommunityCGN

A river winding through a pine-covered valley below a wooden railway trestle, with rocky cliffs and snow-capped mountains under a partly cloudy sky.
CGN fan art

Rockstar's own description of the game world runs from the forests of West Elizabeth to the mountains of Ambarino, the plains of New Hanover and the swamps of Lemoyne. Official The details below, including settlements, regions and wildlife, come from a community reference checked on September 30, 2026. Community

Not all of the map is open at once Parts of West Elizabeth and all of New Austin stay closed until late in the story. We say so in each state's access note and keep the details in the spoiler-marked chapter guide. Red Dead Online lets you ride all five states from the beginning.

Pick a state

State, far north

Ambarino

A snowbound mountain valley with a frozen waterfall and an ice-edged river, a small log cabin with two horses and a figure outside, under dark clouds and snow-covered peaks.
CGN fan art

A mountain wilderness with very few settlements. The Grizzlies are cold, steep and quiet, and the only major settlement is the Wapiti Indian Reservation. Old mining towns such as Colter, Ewing Basin and Millesani Claim sit abandoned in the western Grizzlies.

Places worth knowing

  • Wapiti Indian Reservation The one inhabited settlement of any size, in the Grizzlies East.
  • Colter, Ewing Basin, Millesani Claim Abandoned mining settlements in the Grizzlies West.
  • Cattail Pond and Lake Isabella Landmarks in the Grizzlies West tied to two legendary animals.

What it is good for

  • Cold-weather hunting for bears, wolves and big game
  • Mountain scenery and the Grizzlies' hidden points of interest
  • Legendary animals: a grizzly bear, a bighorn ram and a white bison
State, central

New Hanover

A rider on horseback looking over a ranch with a windmill, barns and a corral on open grassland, with a railway trestle and snowy mountains under big clouds.
CGN fan art

The second-largest state, split into Cumberland Forest, the Heartlands and Roanoke Ridge. It mixes open plains with dense forest and has three towns: Valentine, Annesburg and Van Horn Trading Post. Rail lines and the Dakota River tie it together.

Places worth knowing

  • Valentine A livestock town on the Heartlands, nicknamed Mudtown.
  • Annesburg A coal-mining town in Roanoke Ridge, and the largest and most modern settlement in the state.
  • Van Horn Trading Post A rough river town in Roanoke Ridge with a fence and a saloon.
  • Emerald Ranch A big cattle ranch with a fence and a train station.
  • Fort Wallace A military fort in Cumberland Forest. It is a permanent no-go zone.
  • Cornwall Kerosene & Tar A large oil operation in the Heartlands.

What it is good for

  • The first big town, with most basic services
  • Open plains for deer, pronghorn and bison
  • Dinosaur bones, dreamcatchers and rock carvings
State, southeast

Lemoyne

A cypress swamp under an overcast sky, with moss-hung trees, still dark water, rowboats and a lantern-lit wooden shack on a dock.
CGN fan art

The smallest state and the most crowded: warm, humid, and divided into Scarlett Meadows, Bayou Nwa and Bluewater Marsh. Saint Denis, the only city in the game, sits here, along with Rhodes, Lagras and two old plantation towns.

Places worth knowing

  • Saint Denis The only city, with the most shops, theaters and the one police force that never goes into lockdown.
  • Rhodes A small Southern town in Scarlett Meadows with a fence, a gunsmith and a saloon.
  • Lagras A swamp community, and home of the bait and tackle shop that sells special lures.
  • Braithwaite Manor and Caliga Hall Large plantation estates.
  • Sisika Penitentiary A prison on an island. A permanent no-go zone.

What it is good for

  • The best shopping in the game
  • Swamp fishing, alligators and legendary game
  • Poker, blackjack, dominoes and the theater
State, west

West Elizabeth

A rider and a covered wagon on a mountain trail above a pine-filled river valley, with wildflowers in the foreground and snow-capped peaks beyond.
CGN fan art

A state of Big Valley, the Great Plains and Tall Trees. Strawberry is a small logging and resort town in the mountains, and Blackwater is the port town on the plains. Big Valley's meadows and forests make it one of the best places in the game for hunting.

Places worth knowing

  • Strawberry A mountain logging and resort town in Big Valley.
  • Blackwater A fast-growing port town on the Great Plains. Closed to you for most of the story.
  • Riggs Station and Wallace Station Train stations with post offices.
  • Black Bone Forest Woodland where the legendary buck Obie lives.

What it is good for

  • Big Valley hunting, including bears and cougars
  • A quiet logging-town base at Strawberry
  • Scenic valley rides
State, far southwest

New Austin

Two riders on a dusty trail through a desert of saguaro cactus and red mesas, with a small settlement in the distance under a deep blue sky.
CGN fan art

The largest state and one of the emptiest. It is arid and rocky, with four regions: Cholla Springs, Gaptooth Ridge, Rio Bravo and Hennigan's Stead. Armadillo and Tumbleweed are the main towns, and Thieves' Landing is a rough port.

Places worth knowing

  • Armadillo A boomtown with a general store and a saloon.
  • Tumbleweed A town with a butcher, gunsmith, stable and saloon.
  • Thieves' Landing A port town where outlaws gather.
  • Benedict Point, MacFarlane's Ranch Small train and ranch stops.

What it is good for

  • Dry-country hunting: bison, pronghorn, cougars and coyotes
  • Wide open rides
  • Legendary game: the pronghorn Ira, a bison and a cougar

Weather and your cores

Extreme heat and cold drain your Health core in about ten minutes. Keep one outfit for cold weather and one for hot weather on your horse, and change when you cross between the mountains and the desert. Cores explained Community

Fast travel

Stagecoaches and trains take you between towns for a fee, and your camp offers fast travel once you buy the upgrade. Camp upgrades

Where to next