How to Get the Ladder in Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Of all the new tools in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, the ladder is probably the one you want the most starting out. It’s the only way to reach those tantalizing cliffs lurking just out of reach, with their resources and chances for iron nuggets.

There’s no way to buy the ladder or find the DIY recipe in shops. In fact, you won’t get the ladder until at least three days into your island experience. Here’s how getting the ladder in New Horizons works.

How to Get the Ladder in Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Step 1: Complete Nook’s Cranny

The first step to getting the Animal Crossing: New Horizons ladder DIY recipe is completing Nook’s Cranny (so start hoarding iron nuggets).

To do that, you need to get Blathers to the island and pay off your tent. We cover that in more detail in our New Horizons shovel guide, but here’s the gist: donate five unique bugs or fish to Tom Nook, then wait until Blathers arrives. Make sure you’ve paid off your tent as well.

A day after Blathers sets up his Museum tent, you should get a conversation with Timmy and Tommy Nookling about building the shop.

Step 2: Get More Residents

The second step to get the New Horizons ladder DIY recipe is inviting more people to live on your island. A day after Nook’s Cranny is built, Tom Nook’s morning announcements get interrupted by a phone call. Critters are interested in moving to your island paradise, so Tom Nook has a task for you: get three resident plots ready.

Speak with Nook until he tells you about his hastiness in promising furnished homes, and he’ll ask if you want to be involved. Speak with him again and ask “What Do I Do?” to start the process.

You’ll then embark on a crafting spree, including building your first bridge.

Step 3: Build a Bridge

Nook tells you the islanders need more space and provides you with a bridge-making kit DIY Recipe. It requires:

• Four sets of wooden stakes
• Four stones
• Four lumps of clay

You can craft one set of wooden stakes with three pieces of regular wood, and clay is a random item that may or may not pop out of rocks when you hit them.

After you’ve gathered the necessaries and made your bridge kit, don’t be hasty about where you build it. This bridge DIY recipe was a one-time thing, and you can’t make another one for a while.

Figure out where you want the bridge, and then go back to Resident Services. Nook gives you a bunch of new DIY recipes, including the Ladder DIY Recipe.

To make the New Horizons ladder, gather four bits each of wood, hardwood, and softwood, and you’re good to go for your Ladder. Fortunately, the  Ladder isn’t breakable so use it to your heart’s content. You’ll need to, in order to get enough materials for making all the furniture required for each new house.

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That’s all you need to know for how to get the Ladder in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Make sure to check out our growing collection of Animal Crossing: New Horizons guides to help you get the most out of your island experience, including:

• Animal Crossing: New Horizons Rusted Part Guide
• Animal Crossing New Horizons How to Get a Mirror
• Animal Crossing: New Horizons Multiplayer and Co-Op Guide
• Animal Crossing New Horizons: How to Make Bells Fast
• Animal Crossing New Horizons Where to Get Bamboo