With Cut in hand, Kanto finally opens up. Before heading east, make a detour through Diglett’s Cave to pick up Flash: Rock Tunnel, which leads to Lavender Town, lives up to its name.

Goal
Reach Lavender Town through Rock Tunnel
To collect
HM05 Flash, Itemfinder, Everstone
Trainers
9 on Route 9, 15 in Rock Tunnel
Recommended level
24 to 28

🕳️Diglett’s Cave and Flash

East of Vermilion City, Route 11 is full of Gamblers and Engineers. At the end, in the gatehouse leading to Route 12, one of Professor Oak’s aides gives you the Itemfinder if you have caught at least 30 Pokémon: it beeps when an item is hidden nearby.

Route 11

Map
Click to enlarge
Wild Pokémon
Tall grass
Surfing
Old Rod fishing
Good Rod fishing
Super Rod fishing
Trade for Nidorino
Trade for Nidorina
Trainers

10 Trainers · 8,256 ₽ in total

  • Youngster Eddie
    Ekans21
    336 ₽
  • Youngster Denden
    Sandshrew19Zubat19
    304 ₽
  • Gambler Esteban PokéNav
    Growlithe18Vulpix18
    1,296 ₽
  • Youngster Dave
    Nidoran♂18Nidorino18
    288 ₽
  • Gambler Dimitri
    Bellsprout18Oddish18
    1,296 ₽
  • Gambler Ugo
    Poliwag18Horsea18
    1,296 ₽
  • Engineer Maxence
    Magnemite21
    1,008 ₽
  • Engineer Bernard PokéNav
    Magnemite18Magnemite18Magneton18
    864 ₽
  • Youngster Chon PokéNav
    Rattata17Rattata17Raticate17
    272 ₽
  • Gambler Clément
    Voltorb18Magnemite18
    1,296 ₽
Items
  • ItemfinderGiven by Professor Oak's aide at the checkpoint to the east if the player has caught at least 30 different Pokémon species.
  • AwakeningOn the ground, to the northwest near the entrance to Diglett's Cave.
  • X DefenseIn the tall grass in the middle of the route.
  • Great BallOn the ground, in a small dead end south of the building toward Route 12.
  • Escape RopeHidden on a rock at the far northeast of the route near the building.

At the start of Route 11, the entrance to Diglett’s Cave leads straight to Route 2, at the other end of Kanto. Catch a Diglett there, then come out on the Route 2 side: in the gatehouse, Professor Oak’s aide is waiting for you. With at least 10 different Pokémon, he gives you HM05 Flash.

Diglett's Cave
“Great! You have 10 different Pokémon!”
Flash lights up dark places

Diglett's Cave

Wild Pokémon
Walking

⛰️Routes 9 and 10

Go back to Cerulean City and cut the bush east of town: Route 9 winds between the hills, guarded by Hikers and Campers. It leads to Route 10 and its Pokémon Center, at the foot of Rock Tunnel. Inside, another of Professor Oak’s aides gives you an Everstone, which prevents a Pokémon from evolving.

Route 9
The Route 10 Pokémon Center
The Everstone

Route 9

Map
Click to enlarge
Wild Pokémon
Tall grass
Trainers

9 Trainers · 4,284 ₽ in total

  • Picnicker Alicia
    Oddish18Bellsprout18Oddish18Bellsprout18
    360 ₽
  • Hiker Maurice PokéNav
    Machop20Onix20
    720 ₽
  • Camper Christophe PokéNav
    Growlithe21Charmander21
    420 ₽
  • Bug Catcher Brad
    Beedrill19Beedrill19
    228 ₽
  • Hiker Al
    Geodude21Onix21
    756 ₽
  • Bug Catcher Gérard
    Caterpie20Weedle20Venonat20
    240 ₽
  • Camper Tristan
    Rattata19Sandshrew19Sandshrew19Ekans19
    380 ₽
  • Hiker Brice
    Geodude20Geodude20Machop20
    720 ₽
  • Picnicker Emma PokéNav
    Meowth23
    460 ₽
Items
  • TM40On the ground to the southwest of the route, toward the entrance to Cerulean City.
  • Burn HealOn the ground south of the route, in a dead end toward a Hiker.
  • EtherHidden on a rock near the route entrance to the west.
  • Chesto BerryHidden on the ground near Hiker Brice to the north, on a dark green patch of grass.
  • Rare CandyHidden on the dirt path, above Picnicker Emma to the northeast.

Route 10

Map
Click to enlarge
Wild Pokémon
Tall grass
Surfing
Old Rod fishing
Good Rod fishing
Super Rod fishing
Trainers

6 Trainers · 4,612 ₽ in total

  • Picnicker Heidi
    Pikachu20Clefairy20
    400 ₽
  • Pokémaniac Achille PokéNav
    Rhyhorn29Lickitung29
    1,392 ₽
  • Picnicker Carole
    Pidgey21Pidgeotto21
    420 ₽
  • Hiker Luigi
    Geodude21Onix21
    756 ₽
  • Hiker Guillaume PokéNav
    Onix19Graveler19
    684 ₽
  • Pokémaniac Hervé PokéNav
    Cubone20Slowpoke20
    960 ₽
Items
  • EverstoneGiven by Professor Oak's aide in the Pokémon Center if the player has caught at least 20 different Pokémon species.
  • Super PotionOn the wall next to the Pokémon Center near the east entrance of the Tunnel, requires Cut.
  • Max EtherOn the ground in front of the pylon east of the Power Plant, requires Surf.
  • Persim BerryBefore entering the cave, southeast of the Pokémon Center on a dark green patch of grass.
  • Cheri BerryBefore entering the cave, near Picnicker Heidi on a dark green patch of grass.
  • Nanab BerryAfter leaving the Tunnel, to the northeast on a dark green patch of grass.

🔦Rock Tunnel

Without Flash, you’ll barely see anything: teach it to a support Pokémon and use it as soon as you enter. The cave has two floors. The path goes down to the basement, back up, then down again before coming out to the south, at the end of Route 10. Fifteen Trainers, mostly Hikers and Picnickers, line the way.

Rock Tunnel
The tunnels lit up by Flash
At the back of the cave
  • OnixRockGround

    Rare (5%), Onix is a good Rock and Ground catch, despite a modest Attack.

  • MachopFighting

    Machop will become Machoke then Machamp, a mainstay Fighting-type.

  • GeodudeRockGround

    Geodude are everywhere: sturdy, they'll be useful against Lt. Surge if you go back.

  • MankeyFighting

    Mankey, then Primeape: a fast Fighting-type against Normal-type Pokémon.

Rock Tunnel

Wild Pokémon
1F
B1F
Rock Smash
Trainers

15 Trainers · 10,936 ₽ in total

  • Pokémaniac Quentin
    Cubone23Slowpoke23
    1,104 ₽
  • Hiker Jean-Luc
    Geodude19Geodude19Geodude19Machop19
    684 ₽
  • Hiker Tanguy
    Onix20Onix20Geodude20
    720 ₽
  • Hiker Lucas
    Geodude21Graveler21
    756 ₽
  • Picnicker Erin
    Bellsprout22Clefairy22
    440 ₽
  • Picnicker Kim
    Pidgey19Rattata19Rattata19Bellsprout19
    380 ₽
  • Picnicker Christelle
    Meowth20Oddish20Pidgey20
    400 ₽
  • Pokémaniac Jean-Marie
    Slowpoke25
    1,200 ₽
  • Picnicker Marthe
    Oddish22Bulbasaur22
    440 ₽
  • Pokémaniac Stéphane
    Charmander22Cubone22
    1,056 ₽
  • Hiker Alain
    Geodude25
    900 ₽
  • Hiker Éric
    Machop20Onix20
    720 ₽
  • Picnicker Sofia
    Jigglypuff21Pidgey21Meowth21
    420 ₽
  • Hiker Dorian
    Geodude21Geodude21Graveler21
    756 ₽
  • Pokémaniac Arthur
    Slowpoke20Slowpoke20Slowpoke20
    960 ₽
Items
  • RepelB1F: on the mud east of the north entrance.
  • Escape RopeB1F: in the middle of the level near Hiker Lucas.
  • PearlB1F: on the mud to the east, to the north near the exit toward Lavender Town.
  • Max EtherB2F: on the mud to the northwest.
  • ReviveB2F: on the mud in a dead end to the southwest.

👻Lavender Town, the town of ghosts

Lavender Town is a small, melancholy town, dominated by the Pokémon Tower, a graveyard where lost Pokémon rest. With no way to identify the spirits haunting the floors, you can’t get far: you’ll need the Silph Scope, which Team Rocket holds in Celadon City. Pay a visit to the Name Rater, who can rename your Pokémon, then take Route 8 to the west.

Lavender Town
The haunted floors of the Pokémon Tower

Lavender Town

Items
  • Poké FluteGiven by Mr. Fuji in his house after the hero has beaten Team Rocket in the Pokémon Tower.