Cliff Cave HGSS · Johto Area

Cliff Cave on the Johto map — Cliff Cave on the Johto Pokégear map (marked at Cianwood City)

Cliff Cave is a small cave on Route 47 that links the route’s clifftop and its shoreline. Its upper exit leads on to Route 48 and the Johto Safari Zone, while the lower exit opens onto the sea near the Embedded Tower. A wide mix of Rock, Fighting and Water Pokémon lives inside, including the rare Steelix.

Region: Johto
Wild Pokémon: 15
Items: 2
Trainers: 0
HMs: Surf, Rock Smash

Connects to: Route 47

Wild Pokémon

Cliff Cave

Walking in the cave encounter rate 10
Pokémon	Type	Lv.	Morning	Day	Night
Golbat	PoisonFlying	20–22	20%	20%	24%
Geodude	RockGround	19	20%	20%	20%
Machop	Fighting	19	10%	10%	10%
Onix	RockGround	20	10%	10%	10%
Krabby	Water	20	10%	10%	10%
Kingler	Water	22	10%	10%	10%
Machoke	Fighting	22	4%	4%	4%
Wooper	WaterGround	18	5%	5%	–
Quagsire	WaterGround	20	5%	5%	–
Graveler	RockGround	20	4%	4%	–
Steelix	SteelGround	23	2%	2%	2%
Zubat	PoisonFlying	18	–	–	5%
Misdreavus	Ghost	20	–	–	5%

Hoenn Sound

Makuhita 20%, Lv. 19–20

Absol 20%, Lv. 20–22Play the Hoenn Sound radio channel (after the National Pokédex): replaces four 10% grass slots.

Sinnoh Sound

Chingling 20%, Lv. 19–20

Bronzor 20%, Lv. 20–22Play the Sinnoh Sound radio channel (after the National Pokédex): replaces four 10% grass slots.

Rock Smash
Pokémon	Type	Lv.	Chance
Krabby	Water	20–26	80%
Kingler	Water	28–31	20%

Edge Gate

Surfing encounter rate 15
Pokémon	Type	Lv.	Chance
Wooper	WaterGround	20–30	90%
Quagsire	WaterGround	30–40	10%

Fishing
Rod	Pokémon	Lv.	Chance
Old Rod	Magikarp	10	100%
Good Rod	Magikarp	20	85%
Good Rod	Poliwag	20	15%
Super Rod	Magikarp	40	70%
Super Rod	Poliwag	40	30%

Chances are the game’s encounter slots: grass and caves 20/20/10/10/10/10/5/5/4/4/1/1, with every slot changing by time of day (morning 4:00–9:59, day 10:00–19:59, night 20:00–3:59); surfing 60/30/5/4/1; all three rods 40/30/15/10/5; Rock Smash 80/20; Headbutt 50/15/15/10/5/5. HG and SS mark Pokémon found in only one version. Where to find every Pokémon.

Items

Item	How	Where
Ultra Ball	Hidden	Cliff Cave
Big Pearl	Hidden	Edge Gate

Hidden items can be found with the Dowsing MCHN Pokégear app.

Tips

Go through the cave’s upper path to reach Route 48 and the Safari Zone.
The lower exit leads to the sea, where Waterfall and Rock Climb open the rest of Route 47 and the Embedded Tower.
After you get the National Pokédex, breakable rocks appear on the lower floor and can hold a Claw Fossil (HeartGold) or Root Fossil (SoulSilver).
Rock Smash also turns up Krabby (80%) and Kingler (20%).
Steelix is a 2% encounter at any time, and Misdreavus appears only at night (5%).
An Ultra Ball is hidden in a corner of the cave.

Walkthrough: Part 25: The Embedded Tower and the Safari Zone

FAQ

Where is Cliff Cave in HeartGold and SoulSilver?

On Route 47, west of Cianwood City through Cliff Edge Gate.

How do you get a fossil in Johto in HGSS?

Smash the rocks in Cliff Cave after receiving the National Pokédex; they can contain a Claw Fossil in HeartGold or a Root Fossil in SoulSilver.

Can you catch Steelix in Cliff Cave?

Yes, at a 2% rate in the morning, day and night.

What Pokémon can you catch in Cliff Cave in HeartGold and SoulSilver?

15 species: Golbat, Geodude, Machop, Onix, Krabby, Kingler, Machoke, Wooper, Quagsire, Graveler, Steelix, Zubat, Misdreavus, Magikarp, Poliwag.

Sources & picture credits

Guide text is original retrogameindex writing, checked against Bulbapedia and the game data. Wild Pokémon and encounter chances, items, trainers, rematch teams, gifts and shops come from the pret/pokeheartgold decompilation, and the Pokémon sprites and dungeon entrance pictures are drawn from the game’s own graphics in it. The position maps are the Gold/Silver wiki’s Pokégear map renders. Location pictures and trainer sprites © Nintendo / Creatures / GAME FREAK, archived from the Pokémon Wiki on Fandom (listed on the image gallery).