Death Mountain Trail and Goron City Walkthrough

Covers	Kakariko’s mountain gate, Death Mountain Trail, Goron City and Darunia, the shortcut into the Lost Woods, the Sacred Forest Meadow and Saria’s Song, and the way into Dodongo’s Cavern
Dungeon	None here. Dodongo’s Cavern (Dungeon 2) is opened from the Trail at the end of this chapter and has its own chapter.
Rewards	Goron’s Bracelet, Saria’s Song, 2 Pieces of Heart (the ledge above Dodongo’s Cavern and the Skull Kid’s gift for Saria’s Song)

Zelda sent you to Death Mountain. Show her letter at the Kakariko gate, climb the Trail to Goron City and ask Darunia, the Goron chief, about Dodongo’s Cavern. He will not listen until you play Saria’s Song, so this chapter also takes the shortcut from Goron City into the Lost Woods, where Saria teaches it to you in the Sacred Forest Meadow. It ends at the mouth of Dodongo’s Cavern with the Goron’s Bracelet in hand.

Video Walkthrough with Lilly Hyrule

No-commentary video walkthrough with chapter timestamps for every major section.

Lilly Hyrule

Zelda & Nintendo 🎮 Full Walkthroughs & Tutorials, Reactions, Top Lists, Exclusive Events and Unboxings.

YouTube Instagram Twitch Website

From Kakariko to the mountain

Show Zelda’s Letter to the guard

Death Mountain Trail starts at the north end of Kakariko Village, behind a gate with a guard who will not let a stranger through. Use Zelda’s Letter on him (select it from the item screen while facing him) and he steps aside. You get the letter from Zelda at Hyrule Castle (see Hyrule Field and Castle). If you have not been to Kakariko yet, the Kakariko chapter covers the village.

Death Mountain Trail

Climb to the fork

The Trail is a long switchback path up the mountain. Red Tektites hop at you along the way; lock on and strike them as they land (a vertical slash right after they land works well), and watch for the rocks that tumble down the slope. Near the bottom, on the side of the path, you will see two cracked walls that cannot be opened until you have bombs. Remember them, because the Trail has two small rewards hidden there (see the table at the end of the chapter).

At the top of the first stretch the path splits. The wide, steep path to the left leads to the summit, but it is blocked by boulders for now. Take the narrow path to the right; it runs down past a ring of stones to the large entrance of Goron City, marked by a red flag. Gorons you pass will tell you that Ganondorf has sealed Dodongo’s Cavern, which is where they find their food, and that the boulder stays until Darunia hands him the Goron’s Ruby.

Heart Piece on the ledge above Dodongo’s Cavern

Before you walk into the city, step back to the ring of stones. Beside it a lone Goron sits next to a Bomb Flower on a ledge, and just behind the Bomb Flower the fence is a little lower than the rest. The cavern entrance lies directly below that spot. You can get the Piece of Heart on the ledge under the low part of the fence now: stand with your back to the fence, backflip over it (aim into the corner toward the heart) and land on the ledge below. The heart sits there; collect it and walk back down the path.

If you would rather do it with a bean, plant a Magic Bean in the patch of soft soil that the blast uncovers in front of the cavern (see below), return as an adult, and ride the sprout up to the ledge. As an adult the Hover Boots also work. The backflip is the simplest way on a first visit.

Goron City

Open Darunia’s door

Goron City is a big hollow of rock built on several rings, with a staircase between each. Most Gorons here are hungry and sleepy and will say so. Walk or drop down level by level to the bottom floor, where a large doorway stands next to a Goron guard. The mat in front of it bears the royal crest. Play Zelda’s Lullaby while you stand on it, and the door opens.

Inside, Darunia, the Goron chief, is in a terrible mood and will not discuss the problem. Play Saria’s Song for him. It cheers him up so much that he dances, and afterwards he tells you about Dodongo’s Cavern and that the Goron’s Ruby, the Spiritual Stone of Fire, will be yours if you clear it. He also gives you the Goron’s Bracelet, which lets you pick up Bomb Flowers. Child Link needs it for the whole of Dodongo’s Cavern. (Adult Link is strong enough without it.)

The Goron Shop

The Goron Shop is on the bottom floor, behind a rock wall. Pick up a Bomb Flower, set it against the wall and step away; the blast opens the entrance. Bombs can only be bought if you carry a Bomb Bag, so this will not help until you have cleared Dodongo’s Cavern. Stock: Recovery Heart 10 Rupees, Red Potion 40 Rupees, Bombs (5) 25 Rupees, Bombs (10) 50 Rupees, Bombs (20) 80 Rupees, Bombs (30) 120 Rupees (the larger packs need a bigger bag), and the Goron Tunic for 200 Rupees, which only adult Link can buy.

Shortcut to the Lost Woods

One level above the bottom floor, a tunnel is blocked by boulders. Two torches stand beside it. Light a Deku Stick on the lit torch in Darunia’s room, climb up slowly (a stick burns out quickly, so use a fresh one if it dies) and light the torches. Then use the flame to set off the Bomb Flowers that grow down the passage, which clears the boulders. At the end you come out in the Lost Woods. It saves the long walk through Hyrule Field, and it is your way to Saria’s Song (below). The turns through the woods are in the maze table, and once you have bombs the woods hide three grottos (see Lost Woods bomb grottos).

Saria’s Song through the Lost Woods

Darunia will not listen until you play Saria’s Song. If you do not know it yet, open the shortcut above and go through the tunnel into the Lost Woods. Saria is waiting in the Sacred Forest Meadow at the far end of the woods; she is only there once you have met Zelda. Follow the sound of her song, or the turns in the maze table.

The Sacred Forest Meadow and Saria’s Song

Follow the last turns in the maze table, or the music, to the Sacred Forest Meadow. A gate blocks the way, and a Wolfos jumps out when you step toward it. Back away as it winds up and cut or jump-attack at its tail, or use a Deku Stick. Once it is dead it does not return. Beyond the gate a narrow tunnel is lined with Mad Scrubs who shoot nuts, and the end of it is a short stairway guarded by two more. Reflect the nuts with your shield. In the meadow Saria sits on a stump playing her Ocarina. Talk to her and she teaches you Saria’s Song (N64: C-Down, C-Right, C-Left, C-Down, C-Right, C-Left). You can play it anywhere to call her, and she hands out hints.

Before you leave, look for the ladder near the start of the maze that takes you onto the walls. At the top there is a hole in the middle of the platform. Drop into it to reach a Fairy Fountain with healing fairies, and carry a bottle if you want to keep one. Two more holes in the meadow need things you do not have yet: a Bomb (see Lost Woods bomb grottos) and the Song of Storms (see Adult Link in the forest).

Skull Kid: Piece of Heart for Saria’s Song

Take the first exit to the left. A Skull Kid sits asleep on a stump and does not respond when you walk up to him. Instead, climb on the lower stump across from him, take out the Ocarina and play Saria’s Song. He is so happy that he gives you a Piece of Heart. Saria’s Song is the one Saria has just taught you in the meadow. Later, once he has seen the Skull Mask, this is also the Skull Kid who buys it (see the Mask Trading Sequence).

Go back through the tunnel to Goron City, play Saria’s Song for Darunia and take the Goron’s Bracelet (see Open Darunia’s door).

Open Dodongo’s Cavern

Go and clear Dodongo’s Cavern

With the Bracelet in hand, go back out through the main entrance. Return to the ring of stones, pick up the Bomb Flower beside the sitting Goron, and throw it over the low part of the fence so that it lands on the boulder in front of the cavern. A good throw blows the boulder open. Release a bottled bug onto the patch of soft soil that appears for a Gold Skulltula (any time of day), once you own a bottle. Now continue in Dodongo’s Cavern. Darunia hands over the Goron’s Ruby outside the cave when you are done.

Chapter checklist

Type	Name	Where	How
Song	Saria’s Song	Saria, Sacred Forest Meadow	After you meet Zelda; through the Goron City shortcut and the Lost Woods
Piece of Heart	Skull Kid (Saria’s Song)	Lost Woods, first room to the left; Child Link	Play Saria’s Song on the stump across from him (child)
Heart Piece	Ledge above the cavern	Death Mountain Trail, by the ring of stones	Backflip over the low fence (child); or bean sprout / Hover Boots
Upgrade	Goron’s Bracelet	Goron City, Darunia	Zelda’s Lullaby at the door, Saria’s Song for Darunia
Gold Skulltula	Soft soil at the cavern entrance	Death Mountain Trail	Bottled bug (child, any time)