[Top 10] The Forest Base Locations and Why They're Good

Updated:

15 Dec 2022

Base locations in The Forest can either make or break a playthrough in some cases. If you pick the wrong area, you could be bombarded by constant raids by cannibals and mutants! Having to frequently fix walls and buildings, and reset traps then takes away from you being able to enjoy the other aspects of the game: Exploring the caves, exploring the island, hunting, and even learning the story if you want! Of course, if you like defending your livelihood from bad guys and aren’t bothered by the constant wear-and-tear on your base, then go right ahead! But most people who play the game don’t really do it just to build and defend their base constantly... So, here is a list of some of the best The Forest base locations! Hopefully, some of these appeal to you~

10: Near Any Ponds

These first few locations will be overall ones, as there are plenty of suitable places to build a safe, profitable base all over the island! Once we get over the broad locations, we’ll get to the more pin-point ones~ As for number 10, building your base near, or even on, any ponds on the island is a surefire way to make sure you have unlimited access to both food and water. Add in that it’s incredibly hard for cannibals to reach you in most cases, and you have a fairly good base location!
As with all locations in or around water, building plenty of ramps and stairs will help you elevate your base while also making it accessible to you. There is less of a need for traps around the area due to you having a natural water mote! Make sure you pick a flat area to place your foundations or your cabin, however. The less chances for you to get stuck on a rim, the better.

Regarding the exact reasons pond bases are a good idea, you have:

Constant access to water! (Whether fresh, drinkable water or dirty water that you need to boil, you will always have access to it. You might not even need a water collector since you will be able to simply walk outside your base and fill up a pot.)
Easy access to food. (Again... You’re on a pond. So that means fish! Lots of fish. You have a steady supply of food right outside your door. If you have resource and animal responds on, that means you will never run out of fish to hunt, either!)
Natural cannibal deterrent. (Cannibals hate water. In fact, they immediately drown if they stay in deep water for too long! So having your base surrounded by water means you barely need to build any defenses. Some simple defenses would still be nice—like effigies to ward them off during the day—but having your base in the middle of a pond or lake especially means it’s nearly impossible for them to reach you in the first place.)

Ponds and lakes are all over the island, so there is no shortage of places to build. The one thing I can suggest for this type of base is to avoid building on or near a pond that is nearby a cannibal camp. Less patrols and overall chances to encounter cannibals that way.

9: Against Cliff Edges

Another round of awesome base locations? Cliffsides! More specifically, against the cliffsides on beaches or lower ground, not on the actual cliffs themselves. You could easily build on the cliffs too, but I am specifically talking about the cliff edges. There are plenty of reasons that building against a cliffside is a good idea, and I will gladly list them for you! But first, some tips.
Cliffside bases should always have your actual home, food and water sources, and other valuable resource items and storage against the cliffside itself. With the important stuff against that edge, there are fewer ways for cannibals to get to it without having to go through the rest of your base, first. Plus, it gives you a solid area to base things from, if you like making your base look neat!

When it comes to the main reasons for building a cliffside base, these are the biggest ones:

Less time spent building. (With one side of your base against an already solid surface, you won’t have to use up as many materials building walls around your home. You can even line all your important buildings and resources against that cliffside to keep it all in one place!)
Less need for traps and fortifications. (Going along with having one side of your base against a cliff, this also means you need less traps and walls, period! You won’t have to invest as much time, and as many resources in surrounding your walls and base with traps. There’s less area that cannibals can charge from, and you have less area you need to watch over.)
Cannibals have a harder time breaking your stuff! (This goes without saying, but... With less open areas for cannibals to emerge from, and less possibilities for walls and traps to be broken, you also have lessened chances for cannibals to actually get through to your base in the first place. They won’t ever be able to get in from the back due to a solid wall of rock being there, and the only other places they can go, your traps will be!)

There are plenty of cliffsides on the island, but the best ones are always on the edges. The cliffs are tall, and the area you can build in is a decent size. Whether you are expecting to build a small base to live in, or an impenetrable fortress, cliffsides are an effective way to go. You may still get some cannibal patrols, but they’re not as common on the beaches!

8: Floating Bases

These areas are like the pond and lake base locations, but with different premises. For floating bases, you build it in the water to completely avoid cannibals all together. This also includes using the boat house from the Survival Guide. Building floating bases is less for food and water, and almost entirely for avoiding cannibals.
I would highly suggest just building the floating boathouse and docking it wherever you want. There are the large lakes and bodies of water, but there’s also the ocean itself! Regardless of where you decide to dock your floating base, making sure it’s surrounded by water with no accessible land is the idea here.

Though floating bases aren’t the best for resources and food, they excel in very particular things, including:

Cannibals cannot ever get to you! (As previously mentioned, cannibals cannot swim. They do not like water and immediately die in it if they go too far, or too deep. Building in the middle of water is the easiest way to avoid cannibal encounters and patrols all together!)
Constant source of water. (This goes without saying, but... You are surrounded by it. You will never run out of water with this base.)

As with the other base locations so far, you can place this base anywhere on the island. If there is a body of water big enough for you to fit your base in without it touching any land, then it’s perfect! Large ponds and lakes, the ocean... There’s plenty of places. Just make sure you are not near a camp.

7: The Islands

Getting more into specific locations, now, we have The Islands! These are average sized landmasses that are completely disconnected from the mainland. Very rarely do cannibals and mutants spawn on these locations, if at all, so they are relatively safe to build on. That, and they are separated and surrounded by water... Which means cannibals cannot get to you, even if they see you!
Though they are very safe places to build, they severely lack in resources. You technically have infinite water if you find the old pot to boil it in, but aside from fish and the occasional turtle... You don’t get any wildlife out there. Building water collectors and stockpiling as much food as possible on each run is the best way to keep yourself sustained on the islands. Building some gardens for blueberries is an effective way to keep food there with you, as well!

Building bases on any of the islands is a clever idea, for mainly one specific reason:

No cannibals! (They rarely ever spawn out there, and they can’t get to you from the mainland. You are practically invincible to them out there!)
Water sources. (Unless you build water collectors, you’ll have to boil the saltwater to have it available to drink. But it is there!)

The Islands are specific areas that are littered around the outskirts of the main island, just off the shore. There is plenty to choose from, but I would highly suggest only building on the larger ones, as well as the ones closer to shore. The cannibals still cannot get to you, but you will not have as hard a time going to and from the main island.

6: The Snow Biome

This location is fairly good for avoiding cannibals! It’s basically anywhere in the Snow Biome, but most players tend to stay near that lake. Other than the lack of cannibals themselves, building in the snow biome is a far more unrelenting place than others. Mainly because of how cold it is.
Building near the lake area—or any of the bodies of water—is the better option so you have a source right there in, or near your base. Unfortunately, you won’t find any animals spawning there, so your food intake is limited to mushrooms. If you are ok with that, then by all means build up there! But keep in consideration the limited resources when contemplating it.

As previously stated, building in the Snow Biome is great for a few reasons if you can deal with the lack of resources:

No cannibals! (They rarely spawn up there, so patrols are few and far in between. You may still see some from time-to-time, but it’s nothing to worry about!)
Consistent food source. (Mushrooms are the only food you will find in this biome, but they’re everywhere, so technically food isn’t a problem.)
Large building areas! (The amount of open room you have to build in the Snow Biome is quite larger than most of the other areas, minus a few. Especially if you decide to build near the water sources!)

The Snow Biome is in the top portion of the map, so you need to travel through the whole island to get there. It’s going to be a dangerous trek at times, but if you are dedicated, you will be able to make it! Just be sure you are stocked up on food and water for the journey.

5: In the Trees

Building your base on the treetops is not as common a method in The Forest as you would expect, but it should be! There’s far less chances of getting jumped by cannibals, and your base is a lot more protected. Plus, being up in the air means you have less of a need for traps. There are some mild drawbacks to this, but mostly you just need to make sure you don’t accidentally chop down your own trees!
There are two different options for tree bases: Tree Houses, and then Custom, Freeform Tree Platforms. The Treehouse build is a predetermined blueprint you can find in the Survival Guide, while the freeform build is entirely up to you! Both are fine for a tree base, but if you want more control over what you can make, using the custom-building options is your better choice.

Building your base up in the trees is a great idea! Mostly, it’s due to:

Large building areas. (Being able to build your fortress up in the trees gives you plenty of area, and room for ideas! There is really no end to how big you can make your base if you decide to build in the trees.)
Rarely dealing with cannibals! (As mentioned, cannibals can hardly get to you if your base and home is up in the sky. Some cannibals can still jump up into trees, and all of them can damage the trees you build on and break your base, but it is still much harder for them to get to you than if you have a base on the ground.)
Base ideas are flexible. (Thanks to the wide variety of base types you can build in the trees, you have unlimited potential up there! Whether you pick the predetermined Tree House Cabin, or you use the custom options, you can just keep building.)

Like some of the previous locations, trees are scattered all over the island, so there is no specific place you should build! I suggest avoiding areas close to camps or caves, however, as they are usually guarded by cannibals or mutants. Try and pick safer areas that less patrols travel through.

4: The South Beach

This area in The Forest is a common spot to build. It is mostly due to the rich number of resources, and the overall safety of the area. It’s a suitable place to build regardless of how well you do in the game, or how early or late-game you are. For many reasons, this is a prime spot!
Building along the beach near the water’s edge, or against the cliff face on either side are the best areas for base building at the South Beach. With one side facing an impenetrable wall or area for the cannibals, you have less need for extra defenses and wall building. Just make sure you leave enough room for your amenities!

The South Beach is a wonderful place to build, and for plenty of reasons:

Natural base defenses! (Along with the cliffside and ocean being natural barriers for cannibals, you also have a large open area that makes it easy to spot them.)
Situated near an early-game cave! (Being near the cave where you find valuable resources and the beginning of the overall story of The Forest is a great plus, especially if you are a beginner. Plus, it’s also the respawn cave, so if you die and get “captured” it will not take long to get back home.)
Situated near the Yacht! (The yacht is another great resource in the game, both for early and late-game content. It gives you more story details, as well as more great resources. Having your base near this resource is a wonderful thing.)
Large open area. (As previously mentioned, the South Beach is a large, open area. Not only does this make it easy to spot cannibals, but it gives you a heck of a lot of building room! You can make a giant, impenetrable fortress if you really want to!)
Stock full of resources. (Other than birds, rabbits, lizards and many other animals, there’s also a plethora of blueberry bushes all around the beach. That, plus the access to water means you will never run out!)

The South Beach is on the lower, Southeast part of the map. It is a specific location, but it is well worth the trip and trouble if you wind up spawning a bit farther away. It has its own spawn location however, so you might get lucky!

3: Goose/Geese Lake

If you love building on or near lakes, this is a great place for you! Goose/Geese Lake is a beautiful area that gives you everything you could ask for in a base. You’re near a lot of resources, and you can easily avoid cannibals. What’s not to love about this place?!
Goose Lake has two huge boulders in the middle of the lake, and that is where I suggest you build your main house. It keeps it off the mainland and makes it exceptionally hard for cannibals to reach you without risking a watery death. Plus, you can make your base as fancy and spread out as you would like!

Goose Lake is another amazing base location, and for plenty of reasons:

Fresh water! (Unlike some other locations, the water in Goose Lake is already drinkable, so you don’t need to boil it. Just step outside your home and have a good drink. You will have a constant source of fresh water.)
Constant food source! (This is in the name of the area, but your main source of food will be geese, here. You won’t have to go far from your base in order to hunt down some food to eat! They always appear as well, so you will not run out, either.)
Lookout areas. (Goose Lake especially has tall towers that you can climb up and use as lookouts! Few other areas have that addition, and it makes scanning for cannibals a lot easier.)
Cannibals cannot get you. (As with nearly all the base locations, it is fairly hard for cannibals to effectively reach your base and attack it. Trying to cross the lake itself will easily result in death, and there’s a cliff face that they simply cannot get past, so you are well protected even without walls and traps!)
Near caves. (Like other locations, Goose Lake is near a few camps and cave entrances, so you can advance the story and gather some superb loot, tools, and weapons without having to travel too far.)

Goose Lake is toward the Northwest of the map in its own specific area. You cannot miss it; it’s the largest lake on the map! It’s near some camps, but that won’t be an issue due to how you can build on it. Some traveling will be needed in order to make it there, but it’s worth it in the end!

2: The Tree

This location is almost identical to South Lake, but it’s a specific portion. That small peninsula jutting up and out of the island with the huge tree on it is the specific location I am talking about with this one. It has mostly the same pros as South Beach, but with some key points.
Building your main base as far up near the tree as possible is the best way to keep it secure. You can carve out your own oasis at the top and prevent cannibals from reaching you. It’s a relatively peaceful area, but patrols do cross the area every so often, so building a good defensive wall is a must.

Like the South Beach, the Tree Peninsula is a great spot for a few reasons:

A large, open area for building! (You basically have that entire peninsula to build on, so you have no real issue with space. You can make your base as large or small as you would like.)
Cannibals cannot harass you so easily. (Though it’s a rather open area, one good thing is that there is only one direction for them to come from. Blocking off that area means you are home free! Only the occasional patrol and mutants will bother you there.)
Plenty of resources. (Just like with South Beach, there are plenty of sources of food, water and building materials! Small mammals, birds, berries and of course trees are all around, and a short trip down the peninsula in front of your base is as far as you’ll need to go.)
Natural defenses. (Considering it’s a cliff-based peninsula, you have large cliff faces both on the left and right that cannibals cannot climb. Not to mention the pointy cliff face at the top, behind the tree. There really is only one way up and down, and you can easily block that off with a wall and traps. Honestly, there’s not much more defensive building you’ll need to do other than that!)

Being in the same area as the South Beach, it’s in the lower Southeast section. It’s that peninsula at the bottom that juts out toward the sea. More specifically, it is at the very top! It’s not hard to get too, as you can avoid traveling through cannibal camps easily.

1: The Valley

Finally, we have the best base location in the game. The Valley! This location is a jack-of-all-trades for a base, as it has everything you could need or want! Lots of resources, natural barriers, ease of access for YOU but not cannibals, and much more! The Valley is the prime spot to build if you can get there.
Building either on a cliffside, or right in the middle near the lake is the best option for this location. There is plenty of room, but you don’t need to use all of it. All you need to do is pick one side of the valley, then separate it from the other with a wall so cannibals cannot sneak in. You will be set forever!

The Valley is the best place to build a base, and for plenty of reasons:

Very easy to defend! (The Valley is squished between two large cliff faces, so automatically that means cannibals can barely get to you. That also means you don’t have to do too much defensive building! One simple wall to secure your chosen area, and maybe a trap or two, and you’re all set.)
Large building space! (Being such a large area means you can make a truly massive base and not need to worry about cramming too much in. There is no such thing as too much when you build in The Valley. You have an ample amount of room for towers, houses, resources, and anything else you could think of.)
Lots of resources. (The Valley is chock full of everything you could need. Lots of animals spawn there, plenty of berry bushes grow there, and there’s of course the lake. You will have a constant supply of food, water, and even basic building resources at your disposal.)
It’s a central map location! (One main point about The Valley is that it’s in a central point of the map. You can reach just about any camp, cave, or special area from this base location, so resources, tools and end-game loot are everywhere! It’s a perfect spot!)

This location is a bit hard to notice, but it’s in the East section of the map, near the end of the river. It looks like someone poked the island with a pointy stick if you look at the updated map! It’s a far trek regardless of where you spawn, but it is absolutely worth it to get there. Just be careful of the many cannibal camps you need to pass by on the way!