Cairns are one of the main collectibles you will come across while exploring the peaceful world of Outbound. If you have already spent a few hours driving around the forests, hills, and coastlines, you have probably spotted strange little stacks of stones sitting on cliffs or overlooking beautiful scenery. Those are cairns, and finding all of them is part of the game’s collectible progression.

Unlike some collectibles that are heavily hidden, cairns are more about exploration and observation. They are usually placed in scenic locations, near landmarks, beside trails, or on top of hills with incredible views. The challenge is not really solving puzzles. It is more about slowing down, exploring carefully, and paying attention to your surroundings while traveling through each biome.

The game tracks cairn progress toward the “Cairnivore” achievement, so if you are aiming for 100% completion, you will eventually need to find every single one.

This guide goes through every currently known cairn location in Outbound with simple beginner-friendly directions so you can track them down without getting completely lost.

How Cairns Work in Outbound

Cairns are small stacks of stones that you interact with by adding another rock to them.

To activate a cairn:

1. Walk up to it
2. Interact with the stack
3. Place the required stone

Each biome uses different stone materials for cairns.

Biome 1 Cairns

Require:

• Regular Rocks

Biome 2 Cairns

Require:

• Mossrock

So before heading out on a collectible run, make sure you carry the correct material in your inventory.

Tips Before Hunting Cairns

Before we jump into the locations, here are a few things that make cairn hunting much easier.

Explore Slowly

Outbound rewards slow exploration. Many cairns are hidden near overlooks or off the side of roads that are easy to speed past.

Keep Extra Rocks on You

Nothing feels worse than finally reaching a cairn and realizing you do not have the correct stone material.

Use Landmarks Constantly

Most cairns are easier to locate relative to:

• Signal Towers
• Windmills
• Lookout towers
• Campsites
• Bridges
• Roads

Look for Scenic Areas

Cairns are very often placed:

• Near cliff edges
• Beside benches
• On top of hills
• Overlooking rivers or oceans

If a location looks beautiful, there is a good chance a cairn is nearby.

All Biome 1 Cairn Locations

The first biome currently contains:

• 20 known cairns

Biome 1 is honestly one of the best areas to explore slowly because it contains:

• Important beginner resources
• Signal Towers
• Paint flowers
• Bridge routes
• Early collectibles
• Workstation unlocks

Take your time while searching.

Cairn #1

Located southeast of the second campfire below the starting area.

This is usually one of the first cairns players naturally discover while learning exploration basics.

Cairn #2

Found east of the Fire Lookout landmark.

Once you reach the lookout area, continue exploring the nearby cliffs and hillsides.

Cairn #3

Located on top of the hill beside the Signal Tower northeast of the fishing pond.

The higher elevation makes this one fairly visible once you reach the area.

Cairn #4

Found east of the Community Tree landmark.

This one sits in a fairly open area, so it is easier to spot while exploring nearby roads.

Cairn #5

Also near the Community Tree.

This cairn overlooks the road below and is easy to miss if you are only driving quickly through the area.

Cairn #6

Located above the upper pond overlooking the wind turbines.

This is one of the prettier early-game cairn locations because you get a great view of the Windy Fields area.

Cairn #7

Found in the top-left corner of the map.

Look for:

• A small rock formation
• Open field area
• Hilltop position

Cairn #8

This one is near the Signal Tower surrounded by four hills.

On the east hill, there is:

• A bench
• The cairn nearby

Benches are surprisingly useful navigation clues throughout Outbound.

Cairn #9

Also near the four-hill Signal Tower region.

Search around the nearby elevated terrain.

Cairn #10

Located on a hill overlooking the river southeast of the drawbridge.

This is another very scenic placement.

Cairn #11

Across the river from Cairn #10.

Hidden behind cliffside rocks, making it easier to miss than the previous cairn.

Cairn #12

At the edge of the flower field below the Windmill.

This is actually a fantastic location to farm:

• Blue Tulips
• Flower Petals
• Paint materials

So it is worth spending extra time here.

Cairn #13

South of the Windmill on the same elevation level as Cairn #12.

Cairn #14

Drop down from Cairn #13’s position to reach this one.

This small vertical layering of cairns near the Windmill area tricks a lot of players.

Cairn #15

Hidden between rock formations in the northeast section of the map.

This one blends into the environment surprisingly well.

Cairn #16

On top of a rock formation across from the red lookout tower.

The red tower acts as your main navigation point here.

Cairn #17

Beside the Signal Tower southwest of the red lookout tower.

Cairn #18

Beside the Signal Tower east of the red lookout tower.

Cairn #19

Overlooking the abandoned metal vehicle in the eastern mountains.

This area starts feeling much rougher and more rugged compared to the earlier grassy fields.

Cairn #20

Across the waterfall near the top of the steep incline.

You cannot properly reach this area until:

• Your campervan receives upgrades

After this location, you will eventually encounter:

• The broken bridge requiring 30 Everwood Planks

So this cairn is tied fairly closely to later first-biome progression.

All Biome 2 Cairn Locations

The second biome currently contains:

• 25 total cairns planned
• 8 fully documented so far

Biome 2 introduces:

• Redwood forests
• Coastal roads
• Mossrock
• Your dog companion
• More vertical exploration

Unlike Biome 1, these cairns require:

• Mossrock

So make sure you bring some before searching.

Cairn #1

Follow the coastal road from the biome entrance.

Near the first palm trees overlooking the ocean, you will find the cairn.

This is one of the most relaxing viewpoints in the game honestly.

Cairn #2

Located on the mountaintop overlooking the coastline near the biome entrance.

Look for:

• A blue bench
• Cairn slightly ahead

Again, benches almost always hint at collectibles nearby.

Cairn #3

From Cairn #2:

1. Go back slightly
2. Cross the fallen tree logs
3. Follow the mountain path to the right

The cairn overlooks the road below.

Cairn #4

Located northwest of the duck pond mountaintop.

The duck pond area becomes a major exploration hub later.

Cairn #5

On the northeast side of the same duck pond mountain.

Cairn #6

Inside the maze.

Yes, this is probably one of the more annoying cairns in the game so far.

The maze itself can be confusing because many turns look identical, especially during nighttime or bad weather.

The important thing is to stay patient and follow directional markers carefully.

Cairn #7

On the beach beside the Mossrock cliff wall.

This is near the area where you eventually break through Mossrock barriers.

Cairn #8

Located on a log overlooking the pond field beside the maze area.

This one is easy to miss because players often leave immediately after finishing the maze.

Why Cairns Are Worth Finding

At first, cairns may seem like simple optional collectibles, but they actually fit Outbound’s atmosphere perfectly.

Unlike stressful collectibles in other games, cairns encourage:

• Relaxed exploration
• Slower pacing
• Scenic travel
• Observation
• Wandering naturally

You are not rushing through combat zones or grinding objectives. You are simply exploring beautiful landscapes and discovering quiet little landmarks hidden throughout the world.

Honestly, cairn hunting becomes surprisingly relaxing once you get into it

The cairns in Outbound are one of the best examples of how the game rewards curiosity and slow exploration. Many of them are placed in locations players might completely miss if they only focus on objectives and progression markers.

The best approach is honestly simple:

• Drive slowly
• Explore side roads
• Climb hills
• Follow unusual paths
• Check viewpoints and benches

The world of Outbound constantly rewards players who take their time, and cairns are one of the clearest examples of that design philosophy.