Alan Wake 2: How to find the Bunker Woods Cult Stash key

Follow the arrows

An in game image of Saga Anderson from the game Alan Wake 2.
Screenshot by Dot Esports.

As you venture through the story of Alan Wake 2, you are going to need all the supplies that you can get your hands on, especially if you are playing on the higher difficulty levels where supplies are more scarce. 

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Cult stashes are a great way to stock up on supplies, but opening them isn’t always straightforward. One of the puzzles to be found in the Bunker Woods area of the game revolves around finding the key to a cult stash, though it can be a little tricky to do so unless you are particularly eagle-eyed. 

We are going to be looking at where to find the Bunker Woods cult stash key in Alan Wake 2 so that you can grab the supplies found within the stash with ease. 

How to get to the Bunker Woods Cult Stash key puzzle in Alan Wake 2

An in game image of Saga Anderson from the game Alan Wake 2.
Head to the gate to enter Bunker Woods. Screenshot by Dot Esports.

You will come across this puzzle when you are in Bunker Woods for the second time. This will come after you have visited the Valhalla Nursing Home and are making your way back to the town of Bright Falls. There are a few Cult Stashes to be found in the woods whilst you head towards the town, but this particular stash requires a specific key to be opened. 

An in game image of the Bunker Woods map from the game Alan Wake 2.
The cult stash that requires a key in Bunker Woods can be found at the location above. Screenshot by Dot Esports.

When you have finished exploring Valhalla Nursing Home, after beating Cynthia in the Overlap, head to the gate just over the bridge in the backyard area. The bridge is easy to spot, as it is right near the pond outside the nursing home. 

Go over the bridge and you will see the gate. It has a warning sign next to it and is locked with a padlock that can be broken with the bolt cutters. You will have obtained the bolt cutters to get to the point that you are at now, so they will be in your inventory. Snap the lock with the bolt cutters and go through the gate to enter Bunker Woods. 

An in game image of Saga Anderson from the game Alan Wake 2.
Follow the yellow arrows to find the cult stash, but remember that they won’t lead you to the key. Screenshot by Dot Esports.

Once you are through the gate, start going in the direction that will take you back to the town, but use your flashlight to start searching for bright yellow arrows drawn on the trees on rocks as you go. You will eventually find notice that they will start veering off to the left. Follow the arrows, and they will lead you to the lockbox. The arrows will only lead you to the box itself though and not the key. Finding the box is the first step to finding the key, so keep following the yellow arrows and make a note of where to find the box when you get to it. If you are struggling to find the box, check out the image of the map above to see exactly where you need to go in Bunker Woods to find it. 

How to find the Bunker Hills Cult Stash key in Alan Wake 2

An in game image of Saga Anderson from the game Alan Wake 2.
Keep your eyes peeled for the white arrows on a gray slate, as they will lead you to the key. Screenshot by Dot Esports.

Finding the key is a little less obvious in comparison to finding the cult stash, as it is not highlighted with glowing arrows. However, there are arrows that you will need to follow to get to the key. I stumbled upon these arrows purely by accident as I was searching for the key, so hopefully you’ll be able to find them a little more easily than I did. 

When you are following the yellow arrows to get to the cult box, keep your eyes trained on the ground for much more subtle directional arrows. They are white and seem to be drawn on some kind of gray slate. The arrows are also quite a lot smaller than the yellow arrows, making them particularly difficult to spot. 

Their neutral color scheme also blends in more with the surrounding environment, especially in comparison to the yellow arrows, so they aren’t going to be easy to find straight away.  If you are having trouble, take a look at the image above to have a better idea of what the white arrows look like. 

An in game image of Saga Anderson from the game Alan Wake 2.
The stash key can be found underneath a tree closeby to the stash. Screenshot by Dot Esports.

Once you have found the arrows, keep following them, and they will eventually lead you to a certain tree. The key can be found sitting underneath the tree, so grab it and head back to the box to claim your supplies. 

What is inside the Bunker Hills Cult Stash in Alan Wake 2?

An in game image of the inside of a cult stash from the game Alan Wake 2.
You’ll get some ammo and a rocket flare from this cult stash. Screenshot by Dot Esports.

When you have opened the cult stash with the key found under the tree, you will find some ammo and a rocket flare. Rocket flares are much more powerful than regular flares, making them extremely helpful when you are fighting the Taken. Ammo is always useful too. Both the ammo and the rocket flare are sure to help you as you continue through the game whilst playing as Saga, so grab them to add them to your inventory. 

Author
Image of Antonia Haynes
Antonia Haynes
Antonia Haynes is a freelance general gaming writer for Dot Esports who resides in a small seaside town in England where she has lived her whole life. Beginning her video game writing career back in 2014, and having an avid love of gaming since childhood, she became a staff writer in 2018 before becoming freelance in 2023 with her role at Dot Esports. Her ideal day would consist of junk food, fluffy pyjamas and video games because quite frankly going outside is overrated.