The wind whispers through the pines of Cumberland Forest as I tighten my grip on the worn leather of my saddle. It's 2026, and my journey through the vast, untamed world of Red Dead Redemption 2 is far from over. While Dutch's camp holds a familiar, albeit complicated, sense of home, the true test of a gunslinger lies beyond its borders, in the fortified encampments of rival gangs that dot the landscape like festering wounds. These are not just random encounters; they are challenges, each with its own story, its own defenses, and its own treasures waiting to be claimed by those brave—or foolish—enough to try. My quest for 100% completion led me to them all, and the memories of those battles are as sharp as the edge of my hunting knife.
My first real taste of independent action came early, during my time with the gang in Horseshoe Overlook. A tip from one of the boys led me northeast into the dense woods of Cumberland Forest. There, nestled among the trees, was the O'Driscoll Gang Hideout at Six Point Cabin. It was a relatively straightforward skirmish, a baptism by fire. I learned quickly to use the environment for cover, picking off the green-clad ruffians from behind fallen logs and thick tree trunks. The real reward came after the smoke cleared. Scouring the bodies and the modest cabin yielded simple yet valuable plunder: Gold Wedding Rings that glinted in the afternoon sun and a Platinum Pocket Watch that felt heavy and expensive in my palm. It was a lesson: victory in the Wild West is measured in bullets spent and dollars earned.
The confidence from that first win was quickly humbled when I rode south to the southeast coast of Lannahechee. Shady Belle, the former plantation turned Lemoyne Raiders Gang Hideout, was a different beast entirely. This wasn't a cabin; it was a fortress. The air was thick with humidity and the promise of a brutal fight. I dismounted far away, choosing to creep through the surrounding swamps and slave quarters without drawing attention. Peering through my binoculars, I counted the defenders—dozens of them, well-armed and dug in. My plan was one of misdirection. I started the fight from the tree line, then circled around the main house, flushing the Raiders from their covered positions into my line of fire. The battle was chaotic, but methodical looting afterward was its own reward. From one particularly well-dressed lieutenant, I pried a beautiful Platinum Engraved Buckle. The small huts around the property were stuffed with ammunition and sundries, enough to replenish my depleted stocks and then some.
My travels then took me into the darker, more twisted corners of the world. Northwest of the grim mining town of Annesburg, the land itself seemed sick. This was the domain of the Murfree Brood Gang Hideout at Beaver Hollow. These weren't ordinary outlaws; they were savages who preferred the close, visceral work of machetes and hatchets. Approaching their cave, I knew my trusty repeater would be my best friend. I found a rocky outcrop for cover and began picking them off as they scrambled from the mouth of the cave. But the true horror was inside. The cave was claustrophobic, the air stale with blood and damp earth. Here, my long gun was a liability. I switched to my double-barreled shotgun, its roar echoing deafeningly in the confined space as I cleared the final pockets of resistance. The loot here was a mix of the grotesque and the lucrative. Alongside the usual trinkets, chests within the cave held surprising caches of pure cash, a welcome compensation for the nightmares the place inspired.
Later, as the gang's fortunes worsened, a more personal vendetta led me back to the O'Driscolls. Northeast of Little Creek, in the breathtaking Big Valley, sat Hanging Dog Ranch. This was their stronghold. The ranch was large, and the defenders were ready. My heart sank when I saw the Maxim Gun mounted in the barn loft, its malevolent barrel sweeping the yard. A direct assault would have been suicide. Using the outbuildings for cover, I fought my way to that barn, a storm of lead whizzing past my head. Reaching that machine gun and turning it on its former operators was a moment of pure, savage triumph. After the last echo faded, I took my time. I scoured every house on the ranch, finding drawers full of canned goods, cabinets stocked with ammunition, and lockboxes with more of those valuable rings and watches. It was a thorough, satisfying pillaging.
The true end of my story, and the beginning of a new one, came after the main tale was told. As John Marston, I found that peace was a fragile thing, and old habits—and old enemies—die hard. The Del Lobos gang had entrenched themselves in several locations, and clearing them out became my new purpose.
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Thieves Landing: East past Stillwater Creek, this portside den was a tactical nightmare. With few hiding spots, I had to use the maze of docks to my advantage, circling to avoid being surrounded. The real prize wasn't on the bodies; it was on the ship moored at the dock. Below decks, a shiny Gold Nugget and a neat stack of cash awaited.
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Fort Mercer: This fortified outpost, south from Mercer Station, was a hail of bullets. I used the main gate as a bulwark, thinning their numbers before charging in. Scouring the scaffolding and old barracks yielded healing tonics and supplies, a nostalgic reminder of older, simpler times.
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Solomon's Folly & Gaptooth Breach: These epilogue hideouts tested my patience. At Solomon's Folly, I used a long-range rifle to pick off guards by their campfire from a ridge. Gaptooth Breach, a railway camp, required cunning. I sneaked to the high cliffs to gain a positional advantage over the riflemen below. Both held secrets: a Gold Nugget in a fireplace at one, and more in the network of mines at the other.
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The Ultimate Bonus - Twin Rocks: For those of us who embarked on this journey with the Ultimate Edition, a final treat awaited northwest of Armadillo. Twin Rocks was a smaller, quicker skirmish, but the stock of Gin and the extra horse were a nice capstone to my hideout-clearing career.
And here's the secret they don't tell you in the bounty posters: the work is never truly done. I discovered that every Gang Hideout resets after a time. Ride away for a few in-game days, and when you return to Fort Mercer or Thieves Landing, new Del Lobos have moved in, and—crucially—the loot has respawned. This became my personal get-rich-quick scheme. There are no limits to how many times you can raid a hideout. When funds were low, I'd saddle up, ride to a recently cleared camp, and do it all over again. It was a cycle of violence and profit perfectly suited to the lawless land.
From the snowy forests of Ambarino to the arid deserts of New Austin, each gang hideout in Red Dead Redemption 2 is a self-contained story of conflict and conquest. They are the proving grounds where Arthur Morgan and John Marston are forged into legends, not just through the story's scripted moments, but through the player's own initiative. In 2026, these locations remain some of the most engaging, challenging, and rewarding content in any open-world game, a testament to the enduring, brutal beauty of the American frontier.