Where to Find the Gnarly Bark Aquatic Optical Disc in Grounded 2
The Gnarly Bark Aquatic Optical Disc in Grounded 2 sits inside a hollow tree by the excavator and controller, up the branch on the tree’s left side. You will spot the entrance point by a red car parked at the base of the trunk.
The team here at MetaForge climbed this route in-game to confirm every step below, from the branch climb outside to the chamber where the disc sits.
Gnarly Bark Aquatic Optical Disc Location
Head to the area just below the excavator and controller, then look for a red car parked next to the tree you need. Stand facing the tree from the car, and take the branch on the left side rather than the one on the right.
Use the red car as your landmark before you climb, since it is the only reliable way to confirm you are at the right branch.
Additional reading: Grounded 2 Interactive Map. Marker positions are estimates based on in-game testing, so treat them as a guide rather than a guarantee of the exact spot you will land.
What to Bring Before You Climb
Nothing in this location fights back, so you do not need combat gear to reach the disc. Pack the following instead.
- Torch: The inside of the tree has no light source, and you will lose the path around the mushrooms and matches without one.
- Buggy (optional): A mounted Buggy speeds up the outside branch climb, though it is not required for the on-foot route once you are inside the tree.
- Nothing else: There are no keys, codes, or crafted tools needed to open the way into this tree.
An official Grounded 2 announcement from Xbox confirmed Buggies as rideable, tamable mounts with unique abilities, including the web-slinging Orb Weaver used on this climb. Bring one along if you have it unlocked, then head for the red car to begin.
How to Reach the Disc
Follow these steps in order from the red car at the base of the tree.
- Climb the left branch. Head straight up the branch on the left side of the tree, riding a Buggy if you have one, until you reach a cluster of mushrooms.
- Find the hole in the tree. Just past the mushrooms is a hole leading into the trunk. Hopping off the Buggy and jumping up on foot is often quicker than trying to ride one.
- Run up the inside of the trunk. You can ignore everything that spawns here, and move straight up the interior path without stopping.
- Reach the matches and candle. The path leads to a set of matches leaning against a candle. Head up past them.
- Jump across the bark. Follow the piece of bark sticking out from the tree to reach the disc’s chamber.
Grabbing the Disc Without A Fight
That chamber is guarded by bugs that may already be fighting a black ant, and using that fight as cover is the safest way in. If the bugs are not already distracted, bait an attack from them and pull them away from the disc before you run in.
Example scenario: Say the resident bugs are already mid-fight with the black ant when you arrive. In that case, you can walk past them, grab the disc, and loot the body without taking a hit.
Example scenario: Say the bugs are idle instead, with no ant fight in progress. You could throw an attack to pull one bug away from the disc, let it commit to the chase, then dash in to grab the disc while the chamber is briefly clear.
This chamber fight is one of the more avoidable encounters early in Grounded 2, so you rarely need to strike first. Loot the body near the disc, then head back the way you came to safety.
What the Disc Unlocks at the Ranger Station
Bringing the disc back to a Ranger Station unlocks four separate rewards at once: the Toe Biter Buggy, diving boots, the Gnarly Bark cookbook, and mushroom floors. That range makes this one of the more valuable single discs to track down early.
| Unlock | Category | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| Toe Biter Buggy | Mount | A new rideable Buggy option |
| Diving boots | Gear | Required equipment for reaching the Abyss |
| Gnarly Bark cookbook | Recipe book | Unlocks a new set of craftable recipes |
| Mushroom floors | Building | A new flooring option for base building |
Head to the nearest Ranger Station to claim these as soon as you have the disc in hand, especially the diving boots if the Abyss is your next stop.
Gear Up and Head for the Abyss
With the disc turned in, the diving boots waiting at the Ranger Station are what you need to start pushing into the Abyss. Grab them before you head there, since the Abyss is built around water traversal that the rest of your gear does not cover.
Additional reading: Grounded 2 Database for the full list of unlocks tied to every optical disc.
FAQs
Is the Gnarly Bark Aquatic Optical Disc missable in Grounded 2?
No, the Gnarly Bark Aquatic Optical Disc is not missable, since Grounded 2’s optical discs stay in their locations permanently once placed. There is no story point that blocks access to this tree, so you can return anytime once you can reach the excavator and controller area.
What happens if I lose the Gnarly Bark Aquatic Optical Disc after picking it up?
If you die while carrying the Gnarly Bark Aquatic Optical Disc, it stays on your character’s body at the spot where you died, so returning there and looting yourself recovers it. If your body despawned first, head back to the tree chamber and check whether the disc respawned.
Does the Gnarly Bark Aquatic Optical Disc unlock for the whole squad in multiplayer?
Yes, turning in the Gnarly Bark Aquatic Optical Disc at a Ranger Station unlocks its rewards for the whole shared world save, not just the player who hands it in. This matches how unlocks worked in the original Grounded, and Grounded 2 has followed the same pattern in our testing.
Can I get the Gnarly Bark Aquatic Optical Disc without the Orb Weaver Buggy?
Yes, any Buggy that can climb a branch works for reaching the Gnarly Bark Aquatic Optical Disc, since the Orb Weaver only speeds up part of the climb rather than being required. You can also skip Buggies entirely and finish the climb on foot from any point on the branch.
Why is the Gnarly Bark Aquatic Optical Disc called “Aquatic”?
The Gnarly Bark Aquatic Optical Disc is named for what it unlocks rather than where you find it, since its rewards include the diving boots needed for the Abyss. The tree location itself is completely dry, so do not expect any swimming or water on the way to the disc.
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