Turning five years old this past February, Stardew Valley remains one of the most popular open-ended role-playing games on the market. The fun-filled farming simulation game challenges players to maintain a plot of land inherited by their grandfather by clearing overgrown forests, planting and harvesting seasonal crops, rearing livestock, selling goods, and expanding the family business.
Of the various maps to choose from to explore in the game, the Secret Woods lies hidden in the Cindersap Forest, a large area located in the southwestern region of Stardew Valley. While the Secret Woods are hard to find, there are multiple tasks to be completed upon arrival.
Clear Entrance
Once the Secret Woods is located, the entrance can be found in the northwestern corner of the Cindersap Forest. However, the first thing a player will have to do is clear the entrance, which is blocked by a fallen log.
To properly chop the log, a player must upgrade their ax to steel or something stronger. Once the ax is reinforced, it can be used to chop through the log and clear the entrance, allowing ingress into the Secret Woods.
Explore
Without a specific task in mind, a player can always simply explore the Secret Woods, especially the first time the area is found. The best way to get familiar with the area before engaging in the required missions is to wander around and take notes of the environment.
The Secret Woods is outfitted with secret passages, monstrous slimes, hidden fishing holes, a stone statue, and several areas to harvest hardwood, books, worms, and other valuable artifacts. Navigating the area before taking on a task is a wise thing to do in the Secret Woods.
Fight Slimes & Collect Mahogany
The Secret Woods has no shortage of Slime monsters to battle in the RPG. As such, a player should enter the area with the proper weaponry to defeat whatever villains cross their path.
In addition to getting extra combat points for defeating Slimes in the Secret Woods, their remains leave behind valuable mahogany seeds. When the seeds bloom into fully grown trees, a player can use their ax to chop down the hardwood and use it to build more structures in the Valley.
Harvest Six Large Stumps
The Secret Woods also comes equipped with six large tree stumps, four of which are plain to see while two remain hidden. The stumps regrow daily and produce 12 hardwood per 24 hours.
Gain foraging experiencing by chopping and harvesting the wood stumps every day. The four visible stumps are located in the upper portion of the woods, while the other two can be accessed through a pair of hidden passages. One of the passages is through the trees located southeast of the upper trio of stumps. The other is located south of the Woods' entrance.
Dig For Books & Worms
Before taking the secret passages and leaving the six stumps behind, a player can also use a hoe to dig for worms (artifact spots) in the area, which will also increase their foraging points. There are at least three worms in the area per day that can offer gameplay intel if located.
In addition to digging for worms, The Secret Woods also has lost books that can be exhumed in the region. Once discovered, the books are immediately added to Stardew Valley's ever-growing museum.
Visit Old Master Cannoli
One of the most rewarding things to do in The Secret Woods is visiting Old Master Cannoli, a stone statue seeking a sweet confection. Upon meeting the statue, an exclamation will warn a player "Old Master Cannoli - Still searching for the sweetest taste."
In order to appease Old Master Cannoli's sweet tooth, a player needs to gift the statue with a single Sweet Gem Berry. In return, the statue will leave behind a single Stardrop which increases a player's max energy by 34 points.
Visit The Traveling Cart
One way to grow a Sweet Gem Berry in the Secret Woods in the role-playing game is to visit the Traveling Cart that passes through the region every Friday and Sunday. The Traveling Cart offers a barrage of rare seeds for purchase.
Sometimes the traveling cart appears just outside of the Secret Woods entrance. Wherever it appears, it's hard to miss. The price for rare seeds such as Sweet Gem Berry costs roughly 1,000 gold coins and takes roughly 24 days to grow in the fall.
Forage For Seasonal Crops
Depending on what season they enter the Secret Woods, a player can always forage for various herbs, fruits, and vegetables. In the springtime, rice shoots, wild horseradish, common, and morel mushrooms can be harvested.
In the summertime, the Secret Woods is abundant with fiddlehead ferns and red mushrooms. In the autumn, common, red, and chanterelle mushrooms are available to forage. And in the wintertime, The Secret Woods is flush with holly to harvest. Winter root and snow yams are also available.
Obtain Artifacts
In addition to digging for worms and lost books, a player can obtain a few other hidden artifacts in The Secret Woods. They include clay deposits, basic stones, and an invisible secret note.
To find the buried secret note, which entails priceless farming information, a player will need to have a magnifying glass in tow. Even with the proper lens, a player only has a 5% chance of finding the note. It remains one of the biggest challenges in The Secret Woods.
Go Fishing
One of the most fun things to do in The Secret Woods is locating the various ponds to fish in and catch the rare species of Woodskip. In fact, Woodskip can only be found in the Secret Woods in the game and can be used to trade for at least one bundle at the Community Center.
To catch the Woodskip, a player must locate the pool inside the Secret Woods. Other fisheries in the woods are stocked with carp and catfish to catch. Fishing in The Secret Woods also grants rare access to the Wall Basket, an ornamental piece of furniture.