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Stardew Valley lets you farm, take care of animals, build lasting relationships, and even embark on dangerous adventures in underground caverns. The first underground experience that you will have is with the Mines, located just north of Pelican Town in the mountain area.

Related: Stardew Valley: Everything to Know About Mining

These mines will unlock on Spring 5 of the first year, when the debris blocking the entrance is cleared away. These are not the only underground caverns available though. In this guide, we are going to go over the Skull Key; a mysterious key that will unlock additional adventures. First, let's take a look at where to find this key.

Where To Find The Skull Key

player on floor 120 of mines holding skull key

The Skull Key is located within a chest on floor 120 of the Mines. This is the lowest floor that you can travel to, so the Skull Key is a reward for completing the area.

This key will remain in your wallet and cannot be removed; meaning that once you get the key, you don't have to worry about losing it.

Going through the Mines can be dangerous, but thankfully, you will reach a checkpoint on every fifth floor. This means that if you only make it to floor 10 in one day, you can resume from this location the following day.

The Mines can be deadly if you do not prepare, so be sure to bring plenty of food to help you with this journey. Remember, you don't have to go through all 120 as fast as you can. Try to pace your time mining. Winter makes a perfect season to prioritize adventuring as well; you will not have to worry about tending to your crops.

If you do get low on health in the Mines and don't have any food, head to the Spa. This is a building in the railroad area, with a pool that can replenish your health.

What Does The Skull Key Unlock?

player standing inside skull cavern near iridium ore

With the Skull Key, you can now enter the Skull Cavern located in the Desert area. This is an area similar to the Mines, filled with monsters, minerals, ore, and treasure.

If you have yet to visit the Desert, you will need to repair the bus first. This can be done by completing the Vault Bundle in the Community Center. Rather than donating items, this bundle requires you to donate 42,500g. Alternatively, if you chose to go down the Joja Community Development route, you will need to purchase the bus repair for 40,000g.

Once this is done, Junimos will repair the bus and Pam will resume her job as the bus driver. Between 10:10 am and 5 pm every day, you can pay 500g for a bus ticket to take you to the Desert. After building the Desert Obelisk, you can teleport there at any time for free. You can find the entrance to the Skull Cavern in the upper lefthand area of the map right above the small pond.

The Skull Key will also unlock the Junimo Kart arcade game that can be found in the Stardrop Saloon. This is a mini-game where you control a minecart holding a Junimo through a series of railroad courses.

That's all there is to know about the Skull Key. The Skull Cavern is filled with tons of resources, so don't forget to make your way to floor 120 of the Mines!

Next: Stardew Valley: Complete Guide And Walkthrough