There are 60 Secret Place Locations (Abyss Cressets) in Crimson Desert. Finding all Secret Places unlocks the Pilgrim of Wonders trophy & achievement. They also count as Exploration Challenges toward the Expert Explorer trophy & achievement. Each Secret Place also grants an Abyss Artifact (Skill Point) and unlocks a Fast Travel Point. On the map they are called “Abyss Cressets” but in the Challenge Menu they are called “Secret Places”.
Secret Places just require reaching an Abyss Cresset, typically located in a hard to reach spot. They are indicated on the map by white search areas with a question mark icon (“?”), though these search areas can also contain other objects of interest. You can also highlight them with the Lantern (L1 / LB / CTRL) or with Guiding Light (L1+R1 / LB+RB / CTRL + Left Click).
At the start of this guide you find a list by the in-game Challenge Menu order, this makes it easy to compare against your missing Secret Places. Below they are also in the order they are closest together, for the most efficient route to collect them all quickly region by region.
Challenges Overview:
Secret Places List by in-game Challenge Menu Order:
- 1 – Precipice of Silence
- 2 – Giant Hand at Windy Hills
- 3 – Breathless Lake
- 4 – Peak’s Green Bloom
- 5 – Lava Under Snowy Plains
- 6 – Blazing Sand
- 7 – A Detailed Glance
- 8 – Giant Hand of Everfrost
- 9 – Trial of the Sandscale
- 10 – The Southern End
- 11 – The Desert’s Oasis
- 12 – Cliffside Marine Erosion Pillar
- 13 – A Hill Guided By Light
- 14 – Guide in the Darkness
- 15 – Where Sky Meets Earth
- 16 – Rock Worn Down by the Ocean Wind
- 17 – An Unreachable End
- 18 – Rock Atop the Altar
- 19 – Subtle Gap
- 20 – Haven Past the Snowfall
- 21 – Windcrest
- 22 – Hill of the Abandoned
- 23 – Wrecked Dream
- 24 – Hill of Serenity
- 25 – The Stairway Falls
- 26 – Strange Rift
- 27 – Peak of Enlightenment
- 28 – Sanctuary of Reflection
- 29 – Thunderwater Falls
- 30 – Edge of Learning
- 31 – Threefold Fork
- 32 – The Secret-Laden Cave
- 33 – Peak of the Innovative Mind
- 34 – Cape of Hope
- 35 – Hunter’s Overlook
- 36 – Forgotten Cliff
- 37 – Saltshade Hill
- 38 – Everflowing Spring
- 39 – Crimson Ridge
- 40 – Hangman’s Crest
- 41 – Peak of Abundance
- 42 – Arehaza Peak
- 43 – Hill of Grief
- 44 – Remnants of Ruin
- 45 – The Desert’s End
- 46 – Howlsands Dunes
- 47 -Mushroomcap Cliff
- 48 – Ivory Marches Garden
- 49 – Whitesand Cliff
- 50 – Cliff of Ruination
- 51 – The Wolf’s Molar
- 52 – The Sage’s Rest
- 53 – Where the Stars Linger
- 54 – Hill of Longing
- 55 – Silverwolf Lake
- 56 – Ancestor’s Rest
- 57 – Peak of Grief
- 58 – The Dragon’s Gaze
- 59 – Sandsea Waymark
- 60 – Watcher on the Cliff
Hernand
Secret Place 60: Watcher on the Cliff
Northeast of Hoenmark Ruins, on the edge of a cliff.
Secret Place 14: Guide in the Darkness
Southwest of Sanctum of Deliverance, you can stand on the stone platform to drop to an underground area. Follow the path to reach the Cresset.
Secret Place 19: Subtle Gap
On Anvil Hill, beside the Wild Raiders Camp. You can reach the Cresset either by dropping through the hole on top of the hill, or going through the cave in the southern park of the raider camp.
Secret Place 13: A Hill Guided By Light
Directly east of Equinsher Saddlery, on top of the hill. Watch out for the plants that damage you on the sides of the cliff on the way up, and around the top of the hill near the Cresset.
Secret Place 15: Where Sky Meets Earth
At the top of the Galepulley, east of Sanctum of Penitence.
Secret Place 20: Haven Past the Snowfall
East of Snowy Plateau Cabin. Follow the marked road south and west from Kharonso all the way to the end.
Secret Place 1: Precipice of Silence
Northwest of Spire of Stats on a mountain peak. Can be reached more easily gliding from Secret Place 20.
Secret Place 8: Giant Hand of Everfrost
Northeast of Sanctum of Benediction, on top of the mountain immediately west of the R in HERNAND map text.
Secret Place 22: Hill of the Abandoned
South of Mountain of Frozen Souls Hearth, on top of the cliffs.
Secret Place 21: Windcrest
Southwest of Mountain of Frozen Souls Hearth, on top of the cliffs near the map edge.
Secret Place 7: A Detailed Glance
Southwest of Sunset Valley, on top of the cliffs near the map edge.
Secret Place 17: An Unreachable End
Southeast of Spire of Insight, on some cliffs leading out toward the water. Make sure to just and use Force Palm in the air to boost yourself up to glide.
Demeniss
Secret Place 3: Breathless Lake
Northwest of Hexe Sanctuary, in a crate lake against the cliffs.
Secret Place 29: Thunderwater Falls
Directly south of Sanctum of Revelation, at the top of the waterfall cliff.
Secret Place 28: Sanctuary of Reflection
Southeast of Jijeong Temple, in the cave near the small ponds.
Secret Place 27: Peak of Enlightenment
Southeast of Jijeong Temple, on top of the east mountain peak.
Secret Place 4: Peak’s Green Bloom
Southeast of Jijeong Temple, on top of a pillar in the water.
Secret Place 30: Edge of Learning
Southwest of Jijeong Temple Pagoda, on a stone pillar in the water.
Secret Place 24: Hill of Serenity
Northeast of Thornbriar Fortress, in the middle of the empty field area, at the edge of the cliff before it drops down into the lower area.
Secret Place 26: Strange Rift
On Bowsprit Cape, on the south side in a cave halfway down the cliffs.
Secret Place 16: Rock Worn Down by the Ocean Wind
South of Bowspirit Cape, immediately east off the shore from Demeniss Southern Cliff Submerged Shipwreck, in a small cover in the rock pillar.
Secret Place 25: The Stairway Falls
Southeast of Thornbriar Fortress, at the of the river on top of the final waterfall.
Secret Place 23: Wrecked Dream
Directly south of Bloodsteel camp, on a thin rocky section leading out into the water.
Pailune
Secret Place 52: The Sage’s Rest
Northwest of Trovak Camp, on top of the mountain ridge.
Secret Place 2: Giant Hand of Windy Hills
Northeast of Skoghorn, in the middle of the finger shaped mountain peaks.
Secret Place 50: Cliff of Ruination
South of Cloister of Ruination, on the top of the cliff directly above it.
Secret Place 51: The Wolf’s Molar
Southwest of Volstein Ruins, directly beside the E in SILVER WOLF MOUNTAIN map text.
Secret Place 53: Where the Stars Linger
North of Silver Wolf Mountain Beast Hunter’s Camp, across the river.
Secret Place 55: Silverwolf Lake
North of the City of Pailune, in the middle of Vannstein Lake.
Secret Place 54: Hill of Longing
East of the City of Pailune, on top of the mountain.
Secret Place 56: Ancestor’s Rest
Southeast of the City of Pailune, on a small island in the middle of the river.
Secret Place 5: Lava Under Snowy Plains
Northwest of Sanctum of Solace, in the lava area inside Dragon’s Breath Cave.
Delesyia
Secret Place 35: Hunter’s Overlook
Immediately west of Arrowhead Rock, halfway down the cliff.
Secret Place 18: Rock Atop the Altar
North of Serpent Shrine, on the northernmost cliff edge on the same island.
Secret Place 34: Cape of Hope
Southwest of Woodrock Cabin, on the bottom of the E in the DEWHAVEN map text.
Secret Place 32: The Secret-Laden Cave
West of Marni’s Steel Armory. There is a hole in the ground northwest of the Abyss Nexus to drop to the underground area, then follow the path leading left to find the Cresset.
Secret Place 12: Cliffside Marine Erosion Pillar
Northeast of Delesyia Castle, on a pillar on the edge of the water across the bay.
Secret Place 33: Peak of the Innovative Mind
Southeast of Sanctum of Veneration, on top of the mountain.
Secret Place 10: The Southern End
Southeast of Aeronautical Research Base, on the island in the very southeast corner of the map. If you haven’t progressed far enough to unlock the Cloudcart or Dragon to fly out there, you can find a rowboat in the water beside the Abyss Nexus northwest of Marni’s Masterium.
Crimson Desert
Secret Place 57: Peak of Grief
Northwest of Well of Enlightenment, on top of the mountain.
Secret Place 43: Hill of Grief
Northwest Crimson Desert at Forebearer’s Barrens, on top of the mountain directly north of BA in FOREBEARER’S BARRENS map text.
Secret Place 9: Trial of the Sandscale
Northwest Crimson Desert at Forebearer’s Barrens, in the middle of a quicksand area in between A R in FOREBEARER’S BARRENS map text. You need to glide to the middle area to reach the Cresset safely, as the quicksand will suck you in.
Secret Place 44: Remnants of Ruin
Northwest Crimson Desert at Forebearer’s Barrens, directly north of the map text in the ruins east of the giant quicksand pit.
Secret Place 31: Threefold Fork
East of Spire of Clockwork, on the small island in the middle of the three-way river.
Secret Place 42: Arehaza Peak
South of Duskway Camp Ironcrawler Station, on top of the mountain in the center of the rainforest area.
Secret Place 40: Hangman’s Crest
Immediately west of Hangman’s Pass, on top of the rock pillar that makes up the southern part of the rock structure.
Secret Place 41: Peak of Abundance
On the eastern edge of the Crimson Desert, on top of the hill above Skin Collector’s Hideout.
Secret Place 6: Blazing Sand
In the eastern part of the Crimson Desert, directly east of the N in CRIMSON DESERT map text, nearby the Ashen Rift map location.
Secret Place 59: Sandsea Waymark
In the eastern part of the Crimson Desert, directly in the center of the O, S, and E in CRIMSON DESERT map text, at the top of the mountain.
Secret Place 39: Crimson Ridge
Southwest of Kharati-ram Camp on top of the cliffs, directly in the middle of the I and D in CRIMSON DESERT map text.
Secret Place 58: The Dragon’s Gaze
Northwest of Great Gate of Urdavah, on top of the mountain.
Secret Place 45: The Desert’s Edge
Directly north of the C in CRIMSON DESERT map text, on stone pillar slightly out into the water toward the map edge.
Secret Place 46: Howlsands Dunes
Directly northwest of Howlsands camp on top of the cliffs. This area has a sandstorm occuring in it if you don’t deal with the questline first, so it can be hard to see.
Secret Place 11: The Desert’s Oasis
At Verdant Paradise, the small water area visible on the east edge of the Crimson Desert.
Secret Place 37: Saltshade Hill
South west of Oasis Hearth, on top of the tall cliff. Be careful of the rockworm enemies if you climb up from the north side.
Secret Place 38: Everflowing Spring
In the middle of the Oasis (Merchant’s Rest Place) slightly east of Oasis Hearth.
Secret Place 36: Forgotten Cliff
Southwest of Varnia Saltroad Camp, on top of the cliffs.
Secret Place 47: Mushroomcap Cliff
North of Varnia Saltroad Camp, on top of the rock pillar. To reach jump up on the shorter pillar first using Force Palm to boost yourself up in the air, then repeat to reach the top of the pillar with the Cresset.
Secret Place 48: Ivory Marches Garden
Southeast of Sandhaven, on one of the smaller island.
Secret Place 49: Whitesand Cliff
North of Varnia on top of the cliffs, near the map edge.
For all other collectible types refer to Crimson Desert Challenge Guide.

























































































































































































TSG_SPARTAN says
I’ve found 2 cressets not on the list:
Cloister of Ruination spire (Five Finger Mountain) – Cliff of Ruination
South of Ruination Spire on the mountain range. (Five Finger Mountain) – Giant Hand on Windy Hills
sushirod says
You are missing a few special locations that I have found.
Cliff of Ruination – by Cloister of Ruination in Pauline. On a cliff. Where you fight the Archon.
Silver wolf lake – Northwest of the N in Pailune. Middle of the lake.
Ancestors rest – Upper Den river a small bit south of the city of Pailune in the middle of the river.