Unlocking the Stag Nest in Hollow Knight.

Hollow Knight: How to Unlock Every Stag Nest


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The Stag Nest in Hollow Knight is the place where the Last Stag was born and raised. To get to it, you’ll first need to unlock every other Stag Station in the game. Here are their locations.

Table Of Contents

    All Stag Station Locations

    When you first encounter the Last Stag, he’ll encourage you to unlock as many Stag Stations as you can to help him remember the location of the Stag Nest.

    Excluding the Stag Nest, which will only open up to you after you unlock the rest of the Stag Stations in Hollow Knight, there are 10 Stag Stations in Hallownest you’ll need to discover and unlock. Here’s where you can find them and how much Geo you’ll need to pay to unlock them.

    Dirtmouth

    The Stag Station in Dirtmouth.

    Although this Stag Station is located in Dirtmouth, you actually won’t be able to access it until you come across another Stag Station. For this station to open up, you’ll need to travel to it. The option to do this is automatically available when you unlock another Stag Station. When you arrive at the Dirtmouth Stag Station, you won’t need to pay any Geo anymore. You can simply open the station up from the inside.

    Forgotten Crossroads

    The location of the Forgotten Crossroads stag station marked on the map.

    The Stag Station in the Forgotten Crossroads is located is in the southeastern part of the area. During your early playthrough, you should be able to stumble upon the sign that points to its direction easily as you make your way to the False Knight. You’ll need to pay 50 Geos to the toll machine to unlock the station.

    Greenpath

    Greenpath stag station marked on the map.

    You will be led next to the entrance to the Stag Station in Greenpath as you follow Hornet the first time you explore this level. To unlock the station, pay 140 Geos to the toll machine.

    Queen’s Station

    Queen's Station stag station marked on the map.

    This is the Stag Station for the Fungal Wastes. You’ll find the entrance to the station in the room you arrive at if you enter the Fungal Wastes from the Fog Canyon. It costs 120 Geos to unlock.

    Queen’s Gardens

    Queen's Gardens stag station marked on the map.

    The entrance to the Queen’s Gardens Stag Station is locked the first time you come across it. In fact, it is hidden enough that there’s a chance you won’t even realize you’ve already passed through the entrance after you open it from the inside.

    To reach the Queen’s Gardens’ Stag Station, you will need to go all the way around it and enter it from the back. Two entrances up from the station’s main entrance, there’s a path to the left that you can take. Follow this path and loop all the way around. You’ll eventually find the back entrance to the Stag Station. Pay 200 Geos to the toll machine to unlock it.

    City Storerooms

    City Storeroom stag station marked on the map.

    The City Storerooms is the Stag Station for the western section of the City of Tears. It is in the upper area of this section of the level, in the section above the area with suspended platforms guarded by Winged Sentries and Lance Sentries. It costs 200 Geos to open up.

    King’s Station

    King's Station stag station marked on the map.

    This is the Stag Station for the eastern section of the City of Tears. The entrance to this station is situated approximately at the center of this level’s eastern section. It costs 300 Geos to unlock.

    Resting Grounds

    Resting Grounds stag station marked on the map.

    The entrance to the Resting Grounds Stag Station is located just outside the Seer’s room, about two drops to the right from the platform with a Whispering Root on it. This station doesn’t cost any Geo to be unlocked.

    Distant Village

    Distant Village stag station marked on the map.

    The Distant Village Stag Station is located northeast of the Beast’s Den. Pay 250 Geos to the toll machine to unlock this station.

    Hidden Station

    Hidden Station stag station marked on the map.

    This Stag Station is located in the right-most corner of the Palace Grounds, an area you can access from the southeastern corner of the Ancient Basin. It costs 300 Geos to unlock.

    The Stag Nest

    The Knight talking to the Old Stag.

    After you unlock the previous 10 Stag Stations, the Last Stag will inform you of the Stag Nest the next time you interact with him. Simply agree to go with him and you’ll be taken to the Stag Nest, which is located in the Howling Cliffs.

    When you arrive at the Stag Nest, you’ll find a multitude of dead stags. In a hidden area located in the Stag Nest’s upper section, you’ll find an empty eggshell. The Last Stag will then begin to sense that there might be more of his kind out there. His name will then change from “Last Stag” to “Old Stag.”

    You can acquire a Vessel Fragment in this area.

    A Vessel Fragment in Stag Nest.

    You’ll also obtain the “Hope” achievement as a reward for finding and unlocking all the Stag Stations in Hallownest.