Red Dead Redemption 2 is full of stuff to do, and no Wild West world would be complete without a spot of treasure hunting. True to the technology of the day, all you're given is a paper drawing of a landmark and some cryptic markings, and tasked with sniffing out the goods. One of the earliest treasure trails you can find is the loot of the Jack Hall Gang, which can give a pretty good payout nice and early in the game. Here, New Atlas runs you through how to find and follow each of the three treasure maps on the trail of the Jack Hall Gang.
The first step is to find the Stranger who clues you in on the whole thing. South of your first camp at Horseshoe Overlook you'll find Flatneck Station. Just east of there you'll find a hill overlooking the river, and a very enthusiastic Stranger peering through a pair of binoculars. Talk to him to receive the first Jack Hall Gang map. It'll cost you 10 bucks, but that's pretty good given it'll net you more than $1,000 by the end.
This first map shows a flat-topped mountain, with some trees on it and a few rocky towers to the right. Does it look familiar from your travels?
Map One – Caliban's Seat
It turns out the treasure-hunting explorer was pretty close to his target – in fact, you can see it with binoculars from the hill he was standing on. That said, it's not too recognizable from this angle.
Follow the river north a little, past your camp to an area called Caliban's Seat. From the right vantage point, you'll be able to see the landmark as it appears in the drawing. You'll notice a red arrow on the "front" of the mountain – that's where you'll find your treasure.
To get there, head around to the left/east side of the mountain, where it slopes upwards gently enough to climb.
Once on top of the hill, you'll see a tattered tent ahead of you. In front of that, the ground slopes away to the right. You'll want to head down there to a ledge.
Follow the ledge around to the left, being careful not to fall off – it won't kill you, but it's annoying to have to go all the way around and climb back up. Soon you'll come to what looks like the end, but it's not. Run and jump across the gap, climb over that big rock, and just a little further ahead you'll find a little nook in the wall on your left.
If you can't find it, keep shimmying along until the game gives you a "Search" option. Inside you'll find a pearl necklace and the second map.
This map shows a kind of forest of thin trees, and three steaming geysers. They form a diamond, with the bottom point circled – that's where your next treasure is.
Map Two – Cotorra Springs
This map is showing you Cotorra Springs, which is a fair way north of Valentine and a little bit west.
Once you get there, you'll find a marshy area with some hot springs and – true to the map – three geysers that go off periodically.
To find the treasure, line them up in the same way they appear on the map. You'll need to head to the eastern side of the clearing, where you'll find a pile of rocks arranged like a monument of some kind. Inside, your next treasure awaits – it's $15 cash and the third and final map.
This one clearly shows a small island with a tall tree on it, with three mountain peaks in the background.
Map Three – O'Creagh's Run
That island stands in the middle of a lake called O'Creagh's Run, which is south-west of Cotorra Springs or directly north of Emerald Station.
Once you get there, it's pretty hard to miss the island.
All you have to do is swim over there, and check the flat, grassy side of the island. Look out for the "Search" prompt, and underneath a rock you'll find the long-lost treasure of the Jack Hall Gang – two gold bars.
To cash those treasures in, head to a Fence to sell them. The gold bars will net you a tidy $500 each, and the pearl necklace will add an extra $4, which (with the $15 cash) brings your total takings to $1,019. Not a bad haul for early in the game.
Need more hints? Check out the rest of our game guides.
