ARK: Survival Ascended — Valguero Resource Map Guide
Last verified: May 26, 2026. Valguero Ascended released October 2025, remains active in 2026 with minor balance patches from Studio Wildcard.
Valguero is one of the largest free expansion maps for ARK: Survival Ascended — a 63 km2 remaster released October 2025 across Steam, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. It bundles snow deserts, chalk cliffs, volcanic ridges, lush valleys, an Aberration-style underground zone, and a unique enclosed underground ocean called The Abyss. Two ASA-exclusive creatures launched with it: Megaraptor (community creature vote winner) and Elderclaw (Lost Colony Expansion Pass).
Base map © Studio Wildcard, via the ARK Community Wiki (ark.wiki.gg). Resource-node coordinates from the ARK Community Wiki.
2026 Update: What Changed Since Launch
Six months in, the Valguero Ascended balance state in May 2026:
- Wyvern egg respawn fix patched in February 2026: eggs no longer despawn during host migration, ending the long-standing PS5 dedicated server issue.
- Aberration trench Reaper spawn rate reduced by 25% after the November 2025 player feedback wave.
- Forsaken Oasis tribute requirements rebalanced down by roughly 15% in March 2026 to bring solo-tribe attempts back into reach.
- Elderclaw spawn density doubled around the lake-and-cave network after community reports of near-impossible taming windows.
If you played Valguero at launch and have not returned, the boss fight is more accessible and the Aberration trench is less of a slaughterhouse.
The Three Farming Zones
Valguero plays best when you treat it as three distinct farming zones, each with a different risk-reward profile:
Zone 1: Chalk Hills & White Cliffs (Beginner Terrain)
Great starter country: flat, defensible, low spawn danger. But set expectations - the Chalk Hills are not the metal hotspot older guides claim; the official node data shows no metal cluster there. What the zone actually offers:
- Crystal + obsidian convenience spot — White Cliffs around 81, 75 (low volume, but safe and walkable).
- Cactus Sap — desert-edge plants near the southern hill base.
- Sand — the southern desert transition.
- Base terrain — the chalk plateau cliffs remain one of the best defensible base spots on the map.
For real metal volume, commit to one of the verified runs in the table below: the trench entrance (densest, no flyers), the Snowy Mountains (flyer loop), or Paradise in the southeast for a safe early-game circuit.
Zone 2: Aberration Trench + The Unknown (High-Risk Specialty)
An underground biome modeled on the Aberration map - no flyers inside, and no charge nodes, so bring a glow pet. The radiation zone deeper in requires a Hazmat suit.
- Metal — the trench entrance (38.9, 57.6) is the densest metal cluster on the whole map.
- Green Gems — right of the entrance fork, around 30, 62.1 (plus a second patch at 28.8, 60.7), alongside fungal wood.
- Red Gems — in The Unknown radiation zone from about 36.1, 64.9, densest deeper in - Hazmat required.
- Blue Gems — NOT in the trench: only two clusters exist map-wide, on Emerald Forest cliff edges (31.5, 74.8 by the huge tree, and 26.1, 79.9) - bring climbing picks, ziplines or a Deinonychus.
Ground tames only (Ravager-class works well). The February 2026 Reaper-spawn nerf made solo expeditions viable for the first time.
Zone 3: Waterways + Caves (Mid-Game Sweet Spot)
The lakes, rivers and their connected caves cover most of your mid-game list:
- Silica Pearls — the boreal inlet floor at 42.6, 53.3 is the best early run (shallow water); the central river bottom at 48, 33 is the backup (sharks deeper down).
- Oil — the hidden west-side oil cave (entrance ~49.1, 19.5, ~20 nodes inside, plus pump-able veins just outside at 49, 17); the other big surface field is the snow-biome NE coast at 18, 89.
- Beaver dams — Beaver Lake at 53, 73 (southeast of the Great Lake) and the western waterway around 39.9, 16.4 - cementing paste for free, but beavers aggro when you loot.
- Black pearls — the westernmost river's underwater cave system at 38.7, 33.7, or commit to The Abyss (40.5, 25; enter at 45, 33).
- Elderclaw — ASA-exclusive crustacean, doubled in density per the March 2026 patch.
Valguero Resource Coordinates (Verified July 2026)
Every coordinate below was cross-checked against the official wiki's extracted node dataset plus at least one independent guide - and a few popular "classic spots" (the Chalk Hills metal loop, the 2,4 beaver dam) failed that check and are deliberately absent. Coordinates are the in-game GPS grid (Lat, Lon); ASA Valguero reuses the ASE terrain, so these hold on both.
Server admins: the Teleport column is the exact console command (enablecheats first, or run via RCON) - handy for checking node respawns after changing harvest multipliers, which you can build safely with the ARK ASA INI validator.
| Resource | Coordinates (Lat, Lon) | Region / Notes | Teleport (admin) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metal (densest) | 38.9, 57.6 | Aberration trench entrance, Emerald Forest lakeside - 40+ nodes; no flyers, bring Anky + glow pet | cheat TPCoords 38.9 57.6 |
| Metal (flyer loop) | 9, 76 | Glacier Throughway, Snowy Mountains - ~30 nodes; fur armor, wyverns nearby | cheat TPCoords 9 76 |
| Rich Metal (cave) | 30.7, 9.3 | Tundra waterfall cave (swim in) - 24 metal + 12 rich metal + 12 crystal | cheat TPCoords 30.7 9.3 |
| Rich Metal (cave) | 38.5, 90.5 | Under Castle cave, east side - 11 metal + 8 rich metal, sheltered | cheat TPCoords 38.5 90.5 |
| Metal (safe/early) | 92, 91 | Paradise, SE corner - ~20 nodes, mostly walkable | cheat TPCoords 92 91 |
| Obsidian | 84.8, 40.3 | Southern Redwoods hilltop - 8 nodes; watch for redwood predators | cheat TPCoords 84.8 40.3 |
| Obsidian | 83, 19.2 | Western Redwoods corner - 8 nodes; flyer recommended | cheat TPCoords 83 19.2 |
| Obsidian + Crystal | 14.3, 81.9 | Snowy mountain - obsidian at the base, crystal toward the summit | cheat TPCoords 14.3 81.9 |
| Crystal (best) | 10, 76 | Icewall Plateau - 11 nodes; deep snow, fur + flyer | cheat TPCoords 10 76 |
| Crystal | 25, 42 | Skeleton Gorge - 7 nodes, accessible from the tundra | cheat TPCoords 25 42 |
| Crystal + Obsidian (safe) | 81, 75.1 | White Cliffs - convenient but low volume; fine for starters | cheat TPCoords 81 75.1 |
| Oil (surface) | 18, 89 | Snow-biome NE coast oil rocks - 12-14 nodes, the best surface field | cheat TPCoords 18 89 |
| Oil (cave + veins) | 49.1, 19.5 | Hidden west oil cave (~20 nodes inside); pump-able veins just outside at 49, 17 | cheat TPCoords 49.1 19.5 |
| Silica Pearls | 42.6, 53.3 | Boreal inlet floor - shallow, ~11 nodes, best early pearl run | cheat TPCoords 42.6 53.3 |
| Silica Pearls | 48, 33 | Central river bottom - 9 nodes; sharks in deeper water | cheat TPCoords 48 33 |
| Beaver Dams | 53, 73 | Beaver Lake, SE of the Great Lake - several dams incl. one underwater | cheat TPCoords 53 73 |
| Beaver Dams | 39.9, 16.4 | Western waterway - less contested, walkable | cheat TPCoords 39.9 16.4 |
| Sulfur | 8.1, 77.1 | Wyvern Scar / Glacier Throughway - the ONLY surface sulfur field (30-35 nodes); wyverns! | cheat TPCoords 8.1 77.1 |
| Black Pearls | 40.5, 25 | The Abyss floor - enter via underwater trench at 45, 33; endgame water tames | cheat TPCoords 40.5 25 |
| Black Pearls | 38.7, 33.7 | Westernmost river underwater caves - black + silica pearls together | cheat TPCoords 38.7 33.7 |
| Green Gems | 30, 62.1 | Trench, right of the entrance fork (second patch 28.8, 60.7); glow pet needed | cheat TPCoords 30 62.1 |
| Blue Gems | 31.5, 74.8 | Emerald Forest cliff by the huge tree (only other cluster: 26.1, 79.9); climbing gear | cheat TPCoords 31.5 74.8 |
| Red Gems | 36.1, 64.9 | The Unknown radiation zone, hug the right wall; Hazmat required, densest deeper in | cheat TPCoords 36.1 64.9 |
| Cactus Sap | - | Southern desert edge below the chalk hills - harvest with a Chainsaw or Direbear | - |
| Deep Sea Loot Crates | 48.7, 35.6 | Western ocean - lowest-danger crate spot (second at 46.2, 32.8); spot the red glow | cheat TPCoords 48.7 35.6 |
Cave Artifacts on Valguero
| Artifact | Cave | Prep Required |
|---|---|---|
| Artifact of the Cunning | Snow Cave (north) | Fur armor; cold tames |
| Artifact of the Brute | Aberration Trench | Hazmat suit; Aberration tames |
| Artifact of the Massive | The Deep Cave (under chalk hills) | Climbing gear; combat tames |
| Artifact of the Skylord | Jungle Cliff Cave | Flyer or zipline |
| Artifact of the Pack | Abyss area cave | Scuba gear; aquatic mount |
| Artifact of the Devourer | Volcanic ridge cave | Heat resistance; ranged weapons |
All six artifacts are required for the Forsaken Oasis triple-boss tribute.
Unique Map Features
| Feature | What's There |
|---|---|
| Wyvern Trench (double) | Ice Wyverns above, Fire Wyverns below. Egg-run paradise; high risk for unprepared players. Eggs no longer despawn during host migration (Feb 2026 patch). |
| Aberration Trench | Underground biome with radiation. Aberration creatures only. Reaper spawn rate reduced 25% in Nov 2025. |
| The Abyss (underground ocean) | Enclosed late-game ocean with Megalodons + Tusoteuthis spawns. Pearls, oil, black pearls. |
| Forsaken Oasis (triple-boss arena) | Endgame fight against three bosses simultaneously. Full tribe coordination required. Tribute requirements down ~15% in Mar 2026 patch. |
| Rock Elemental variants | Unique color/biome variants distributed across hills + lava ridge. |
| Castle of the South / North | Pre-built ruins that double as defensible base spots. |
| Spring Valley | North-east jungle, mid-game base sweet spot with abundant fresh water. |
ASA-Exclusive Creatures
- Megaraptor — fast, pack-aggressive, mid-tier mount. Launched with Valguero ASA as the community creature vote winner.
- Elderclaw — large crustacean variant, ASA-exclusive, found around the lake/cave network. Spawn density doubled in March 2026.
Recommended Path Through Valguero
- Spawn on the chalk hills for safer early-game and easy resource access.
- Tame an Argentavis within the first week for chalk-hills metal runs.
- Push to the lake + cave network for oil and pearls before crystal scarcity hits.
- Hazmat → Aberration trench for gems once you can craft the suit.
- Wyvern eggs → Wyvern trench at level 60+ with a fast flyer.
- Collect all six artifacts across the cave systems.
- Forsaken Oasis triple-boss with full tribe gear at level 80+. Easier in 2026 after the tribute rebalance, still wipe-prone solo.
Hazards by Region
| Region | Hazard |
|---|---|
| Chalk Hills | Wyverns spawn on edges; alpha Carnos roam south. |
| Snow Deserts | Cold debuff (fur armor required); Yuty packs; lone Direwolf packs. |
| Aberration Trench | Radiation (Hazmat); Reapers; nameless ambushes. Reaper rate down 25% post-Nov 2025. |
| Volcanic Ridges | Heat damage; alpha spawns. |
| The Abyss | Pressure damage at depth; Tusoteuthis grab; cold zone. |
| Wyvern Trench | Wyvern aggro; fall damage; respawning egg-guard wyverns. |
| Forsaken Oasis | Triple-boss simultaneous; tribute consumption per attempt. |
Common Mistakes
- Going into the Aberration trench without a Hazmat suit — radiation kills in 30 seconds.
- Trying to fly into the cave system — most flyers can't reach the deeper sections.
- Skipping the chalk hills for snow biome metal — chalk hills give comparable yield with half the risk.
- Tackling Forsaken Oasis solo — even after the March 2026 tribute rebalance, three bosses simultaneously will wipe under-leveled tames.
- Wyvern egg runs on a Pteranodon — stamina runs out before clear; use Argentavis or a fast Tropeo for safer extraction.
- Base-building inside the Aberration trench — radiation makes return logistics painful.
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