Horizon Zero Dawn Hunting Grounds Trials - How to complete
Hunting grounds are places where you can take on hunter trials in Horizon Zero Dawn. Each one has three trials you can try to complete. The challenges aren’t easy, and you’ll be ranked by the time you take to finish them. The rewards for getting blazing sun medals are nothing to scoff at, and the challenges themselves are interesting. In this guide, we’re going to show you a list of all Horizon Zero Dawn hunting grounds trials, how to complete them.
Nora hunting grounds
The Nora hunting grounds are the first one you’ll find. They’re located in the middle of Nora territory, in the southeast of the map. You should be at least level 8 before you try beating them. There are three trials you can undertake there:
| Trial | Half sun | Full sun | Blazing sun |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parts Alone | 20:00 | 2:00 | 1:30 |
| Logpile | 20:00 | 5:00 | 2:00 |
| Blast Wire | 20:00 | 6:00 | 3:00 |
Here are their objectives and some tips on how to finish them quickly:
- Parts Alone Trial – Destroy canisters on grazers’ backs. The best way to do this is by hiding in tall grass and shooting them with tearblast arrows from a sharpshot bow.
- Logpile Trial – Use logpile traps to kill machines. You should lob a grenade from a sling to rouse the herd and make them run by the trap. Shoot the trap to activate it.
- Blast Wire Trial – Kill grazers using the Carja tripcaster.
Valleymeet hunting grounds
The Valleymeet grounds are on the edge of Nora territory, near the narrow pass that connects the east part of the map with the west. They’re meant for characters level 18 or higher. The three trials waiting for you there are:
| Trial | Half sun | Full sun | Blazing sun |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fire Fight | 20:00 | 1:20 | 0:40 |
| Shock | 20:00 | 2:00 | 1:00 |
| Freeze | 20:00 | 2:30 | 1:30 |
Here’s what you’ll need to do, and how to best do it:
- Fire Fight Trial – Shoot strider canisters with fire arrows.
- Shock Trial – Stun bellowbacks and shoot canisters on their undersides. A tripcaster with shock wires is great for this. Make sure you use arrows with enough tear to break the armor around the canisters.
- Freeze Trial – Kill machines while frozen. Focus on the striders, use frost grenades from a sling and keep in mind the effect is applied only when the meter fills up (and the target is covered in ice).
Spurflints hunting grounds
Spurflints grounds are made for level 18 characters. You’ll find them in the southwestern part of the map, on the eastern edge of the forest. Here are the challenges that await there:
| Trial | Half sun | Full sun | Blazing sun |
|---|---|---|---|
| Watch Out | 20:00 | 3:00 | 2:00 |
| Stalker Kill | 20:00 | 3:30 | 2:00 |
| Sleight of Crate | 20:00 | 1:30 | 0:50 |
The trials are on par with the ones at Valleymeet. Here’s what you need to do:
Greatrun hunting grounds
This one is Greatrun, a level 20 hunting ground. You can find them at the edge of the desert, near the pass that connects the east and west. The challenges you’ll find there are:
| Trial | Half sun | Full sun | Blazing sun |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parts Wrangling | 20:00 | 2:30 | 1:30 |
| Pace | 20:00 | 2:00 | 1:30 |
| Tie Down | 20:00 | 4:00 | 2:00 |
These are a bit tricky, but you’ll know the game inside out at this point, so you shouldn’t have much trouble. Here’s what you need to do:
- Parts Wrangling Trial – Tie down tramplers using the ropecaster.
- Pace Trial – Race glinthawks to watcher corpses.
- Tie Down Trial – Tie down glinthawks using the ropecaster.
Sun Furrows Hunting Grounds
The final Hunting Grounds are the Sun Furrows, a level 30 hunting ground. It’s located in the northwest of the map, in the corner of the desert north of Meridian and south of Cauldron Zeta. These are the challenges that you’ll have to face there:
| Trial | Half sun | Full sun | Blazing sun |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ravager vs. Machines | 20:00 | 2:00 | 1:10 |
| Ravager Control | 20:00 | 4:00 | 2:40 |
| Thunderjaw vs. Ravager | 20:00 | 2:30 | 2:00 |
These are the toughest hunting trials that you’ll have to conquer, make no mistake. However, since you’ve come this far in the game, you probably won’t have too many headaches with them. However, you need to be able to override Ravagers, so make sure you complete Cauldron Rho before you start. This is what the trials demand you do.
- Ravager vs. Machines Trial – Shoot of a Ravager cannon with a tearblast arrows and use it to kill two machines.
- Ravager Control Trial – Override two Ravagers and kill a Thunderjaw. To make it easier, use a tearblast arrow to get the Thunderjaw’s Disc Launcher.
- Thunderjaw vs. Ravager – Use a tearblast arrow to get a Thunderjaw Disc Launcher and use it to kill two Ravagers.
Jeez, half these “tips” are useless: “Blast Wire Trial – Kill grazers using the Carja tripcaster.” Oh really? I wouldn’t have guessed that from THE TITLE OF THE CHALLENGE!
Watch Out Trial – Find and kill watchers silentnly. Use the bushes and tall grass to hide, equip a sharpshot bow and aim for their eyes. – This can only be done with silent strike. Using sharpshoot bow does not count as a silent kill.
Just got the last Blazing Suns, this guide was really damn helpful so I didn’t psyche myself out. Well put-together for the most part. The other comments point out the flaws. 😛
I’ve completed three hunting grounds and when I went to the fourth it got impossible. 1:05 is way too little time to shoot off an loot four crates. I want to platinum this game because my sister did and everyone says she got it because I’m stupid/she’s smart, I hate when I feel stupid and every time I do I just want to die. I’ve seen videos when people do this and I do exactly the same and it just doesn’t work, it’s impossible to do this and everyone who does must cheat or use an exploit. Please tell me what I’m doing wrong and share the cheat/exploit, if you can I can too.
If you wish fast enough, you’ll be able to loot the creates before the shell walkers even pick em up. You’ll have to move fast and they’ll prob see you, but it’s doable.
I didnt do the hunts untill i had the power armor. Finished all 12 remaining suns in about 40 min. Stealth hunts, i got all blazimg suns first try
I just whistled and stealthed them that way
For the Watch Out trial at the Spurflints hunting ground you have to use a silent strike(I.e. with your spear attack), not just any silent method to kill them. So you cant simply shoot out their eyes, it won’t count. Simple correction, but you should be more careful about writing misleading information if you haven’t actually done the trial for yourself.
Agreed. I’m having a hard time finding 4 watchers close enough to silent strike within the time limit, especially given they are mixed in with other dinos.
The best thing to do is slide from tall grass to tall grass. Take the middle rope whistle to the one in front and right then slide to the left side of the map and hit that one before silent sprint to the one in the back.
You’re missing a trial there are five total. The one you don’t have is in the north west or the desert area and it’s trials resolve around overriding enemies and stealing there guns.
There are 5 locations listed, the one you are speaking of is the last one against the ravagers and thunderclaw.