Route 28 HGSS · Johto Route
Route 28 is a remote mountain road that runs west from the Pokémon League Reception Gate on Route 22 to Mt. Silver, crossing back into Johto. In HeartGold and SoulSilver it opens late in the game, once Professor Oak lets you into the Mt. Silver area, and it has a Pokémon Center at the foot of the mountain. A reclusive celebrity lives in a hidden house here.
- Region
- Johto
- Wild Pokémon
- 14
- Items
- 3
- Trainers
- 0
- HMs
- Cut, Surf
Connects to: Mt. Silver · Route 22
Wild Pokémon
| Pokémon | Type | Lv. | Morning | Day | Night |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Ponyta | Fire | 40 | 30% | 30% | 30% |
 Tangela | Grass | 39 | 30% | 30% | 30% |
 DonphanHG | Ground | 40 | 20% | 20% | 20% |
 Rapidash | Fire | 41–43 | 10% | 10% | 10% |
 Doduo | Normal | 41 | 5% | 5% | – |
 Dodrio | Normal | 43 | 5% | 5% | – |
 Sneasel | DarkIce | 42 | – | – | 10% |
 UrsaringSS | Normal | 40 | 20% | 20% | 20% |
| Rod | Pokémon | Lv. | Chance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Old Rod |  Magikarp | 10 | 85% |
 Poliwag | 10 | 15% | |
| Good Rod | Poliwag | 20 | 60% |
| Magikarp | 20 | 40% | |
| Super Rod | Poliwag | 40 | 80% |
| Magikarp | 40 | 20% |
| Pokémon | Type | Lv. | Chance |
|---|---|---|---|
 Heracross | BugFighting | 39–40 | 50% |
 Aipom | Normal | 39–40 | 30% |
 Natu | Psychic | 39–40 | 20% |
| Pokémon | Type | Lv. | Chance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heracross | BugFighting | 41–43 | 50% |
| Aipom | Normal | 41–43 | 30% |
| Natu | Psychic | 41–43 | 20% |
Use Headbutt on a tree (taught by the tutor in Ilex Forest). Which trees are “common”, “rare” or empty depends on the last digit of your Trainer ID.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| TM35 Flamethrower | Item ball | Route 28 |
| Rare Candy | Hidden | Route 28 |
| TM47 Steel Wing | Gift | House |
Hidden items can be found with the Dowsing MCHN Pokégear app.
Tips
- Cut the tree east of the Pokémon Center to reach the celebrity’s house; she gives you TM47 Steel Wing in return for keeping her hideaway secret.
- TM35 Flamethrower is just beyond the celebrity’s house.
- A Rare Candy is hidden in the dead end in the northeast.
- Donphan lives here in HeartGold and Ursaring in SoulSilver; Sneasel comes out at night.
- You can’t fly back to Johto from Route 28; use Route 26 or the Indigo Plateau instead.
Walkthrough: Part 23: Mt. Silver and Red
FAQ
How do you get to Mt. Silver in HeartGold and SoulSilver?
Professor Oak grants you access after you’ve earned all 16 Badges; Route 28 leads west from the Pokémon League Reception Gate to the mountain.
Where is TM47 Steel Wing in HeartGold?
The celebrity in the hidden house on Route 28 gives it to you. Use Cut on the tree east of the Pokémon Center to reach her.
Where is TM35 Flamethrower in HeartGold and SoulSilver?
On Route 28, just past the celebrity’s house.
What Pokémon can you catch in Route 28 in HeartGold and SoulSilver?
14 species: Ponyta, Tangela, Donphan, Rapidash, Doduo, Dodrio, Sneasel, Ursaring, Poliwag, Poliwhirl, Magikarp, Heracross, Aipom, Natu.
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).