Best Base Locations in ARK Survival Ascended (The Island Map)

You’ll need more than weapons and armor to survive The Island. Crafting a robust base is super important, and location is everything. Whether you are an ARK veteran or a newcomer, here we’ll be breaking down the best base locations in ARK Survival Ascended, what makes a good spot, and how to actually build a base. We’ve updated this article for improved clarity.

Best Base Locations in ARK Survival Ascended

Each of the following base locations provides unique advantages and challenges. We’ve listed the coordinates for each, which you can use on our interactive map page to get a precise location for these spots.

Water Lily Bay

Coordinates: Latitude: 76.2, Longitude: 16.8

Nestled close to the Swamp and Redwood biomes, the Water Lily Bay base location offers plenty of room to build and easy access to water. While the area lacks primary access to important materials like Metal, it compensates with an abundance of Chitin, Keratin, and Cementing Paste from nearby biomes.

Hidden Lake

Coordinates: Latitude: 17.8; Longitude: 72.9

Hidden Lake, with its easy access to water and secluded location, is a prime spot for a base. Its close proximity to the Snow biome provides access to rich material nodes.

Ice Cave

Coordinates: Latitude: 28.7; Longitude: 23.4

Nestled within an icy canyon in the Snow biome, the Ice Cave’s natural defenses make it easy to defend. The cave houses an abundance of crucial material nodes, including Crystal, Metal, and Obsidian.

Raised Gardens

Coordinates: Latitude: 40.2; Longitude: 70.6

Overlooking a beautiful waterfall, the Raised Gardens offer a natural safe haven from wild dinosaurs. It has easy access to Rich Metal Nodes, making metal-gathering an effortless task.

Pirate Cove

Coordinates: Latitude: 93.3; Longitude: 58

Pirate Cove, with its easy access to the sea and proximity to Silica Pearl and Oil nodes, is a secure spot for water mounts and an ideal location for early-game base setup.

Quiet Nook

Coordinates: Latitude: 45.9; Longitude: 78.8

Hidden among steep cliffs, the Quiet Nook is a perfect base location for a small tribe. It provides relative seclusion and a strategic advantage due to its elevation.

Redwood Pond

Coordinates: Latitude: 64.4; Longitude: 31.9

Located within the Redwood biome, Redwood Pond offers a wealth of resources, including Rich Metal, Metal, Crystal, and Obsidian Nodes. However, it’s also home to aggressive carnivores.

Redwood Forest

Coordinates: Latitude: 53; Longitude: 44

The Redwood Forest offers an opportunity to build a treehouse base atop a Tree Platform. The abundance of Rich Metal, Metal, Crystal, and Obsidian nodes are a significant advantage of this location.

Stonehenge

Coordinates: Longitude: 56.3, Latitude: 87.3

Located in the southern part of the Southern Isles, Stonehenge is surrounded by jagged mountains, making it a secure base location; especially for PvE gameplay.

Carno Cave

Coordinates: Longitude: 90.7, Latitude: 10.3

Nestled on The Dead Island, Carno Cave is a secure and spacious base location, ideal for a group of friends planning to take control of the entire island.

Lava Cave

Coordinates: Longitude: 93.1, Latitude: 75

Situated on the southeastern edge of The Southern Shores, this cave is surrounded by water and lava, presenting a challenge for enemies trying to access the base.

Far’s Peak Mountain

Coordinates: Latitude: 82, Longitude: 30

Nestled in the northeastern part of the island, Far’s Peak Mountain provides an abundance of resources, making it an excellent choice for a base location.

How to Choose a Spot & Build a Base

Choosing a good base location is important not only for its ability to provide a safe haven from dinos but also because it takes a lot of resources to construct. You really don’t want to get halfway through and realize it’s not an ideal area to set up camp. Here are things to keep in mind, and the guidelines we’ve used as a basis for our top locations we’ll share underneath:

• Even ground: The terrain should be flat enough to lay down your base foundations. This rules out certain locations with uneven or sloping ground.
• Spacious: The spot must be roomy enough to accommodate late-game crafting benches like the Industrial Forge and Fabricator.
• Resource availability: Proximity to essential resources such as Metal, Obsidian, Crystal, and Water is a huge plus.
• Security: The location should be defensible against wild dinosaurs and hostile players.
• Biome access: Being close to different biomes can provide access to unique resources and creatures.

After selecting your base location, it’s time to start building. Here are the essentials you’ll need to execute to build any quality base in ARK Survival Ascended:

• Laying Down the Foundation – Begin with the foundation, which serves as the base for your entire structure. Depending on the material used, the foundation provides varying levels of damage resistance.
• Building the Walls – Snap up to four wall pieces to each foundation. These walls not only provide protection but also support the roof structure.
• Crafting the Roof – Place the roof atop your walls. Roof pieces serve as floors if you’re planning to add more levels to your base.
• Securing the Base – To keep your base secure, lock all doors leading into your home. Always remember to close the doors behind you to keep your resources safe from others.
• Building a Perimeter Fence – To enhance your base’s security, build a perimeter fence around it. This keeps most creatures from getting into your base.
• Furnishing the Base – Equip your base with essential crafting and cooking implements. These include a Simple Bed, Campfire, Mortar and Pestle, Cooking Pot, and a Preserving Bin.
• Farming – As your base expands, consider farming. This enables you to produce fruits and vegetables that aren’t found elsewhere on the island.
• Dinosaur Care – Your base also serves as a paddock for the creatures you’ve tamed. As your collection grows, consider building a Feeding Trough to efficiently feed your dinosaurs.
• Dealing with PvE Structure Decay – On PvE servers, if no tribe members are logged into the server, a countdown timer activates. Once this timer reaches zero, other players can destroy your structures. To reset the countdown, log back into the server and move within range of your base.

That wraps up our best base locations and base-building tips guide. For more on the game, check out our other content by using the search console on the homepage.