North of Goldenrod City, the town gives way to meadows. The National Park, with its fountain and flower beds, hosts Trainers’ favorite event three days a week: the Bug-Catching Contest.

Objective
Cross the National Park to Route 36
Rewards
Quick Claw, TM28 Dig, Sun Stone (1st place in the contest)
Recommended level
18 to 22

📬Route 35 and the messenger Spearow

In the gatehouse south of the route, a man entrusts you with his Spearow, Kenya, which carries a letter for a friend. Keep it in your party until Route 31 and talk to the man sleeping near the Berry tree: he gives you TM50 Nightmare. Then go back to the gatehouse to receive an HP Up.

The route has nine Trainers, including Juggler Irwin and his four Voltorb, and an Officer who only patrols at night. In the grass: Nidoran, Drowzee, Abra and, very rarely, Yanma.

Route 35

Map
Click to enlarge
Wild Pokémon
Tall grass
Surfing
Old Rod fishing
Good Rod fishing
Super Rod fishing
Headbutt
Headbutt (special tree)
Swarm
Given
Trainers

9 Trainers · 3,520 ₽ in total

  • Picnicker Kim
    Vulpix15
    300 ₽
  • Camper André
    Sandshrew13Marill15
    300 ₽
  • Picnicker Brooke
    Pikachu16
    320 ₽
  • Camper Yvan
    Diglett10Zubat10Diglett14
    280 ₽
  • Firebreather Bimbo
    Magmar11Magmar13
    624 ₽
  • Juggler Irwin PokéGear
    Voltorb2Voltorb6Voltorb10Voltorb14
    560 ₽
  • Bug Catcher Arnie PokéGear
    Venonat15
    240 ₽
  • Bird Keeper Greg
    Pidgey12Pidgeotto14
    336 ₽
  • Officer Baptiste
    Growlithe14Growlithe14
    560 ₽
Items
  • Flower Mailrowspan="2" | Held by Alfred, the Spearow that the player can receive from the south gate guard.
  • HP UpGiven by the south gate guard after delivering the Spearow with its mail on Route 31
  • TM04On the right-hand path
  • Mystery BerryBush west of the pond (Surf required) (one per day)

⛲The National Park

The southern part of the park is a stroll: on a bench, a lady and her Persian give you a Quick Claw, which sometimes lets you attack first. The northern part, shaped like a Poké Ball, surrounds a fountain. Behind the fence in the southwest, a dead end hides TM28 Dig.

National Park

Map
Click to enlarge
Wild Pokémon

Normally

Tall grass

During the Bug-Catching Contest

Tall grass
Trainers

4 Trainers · 3,080 ₽ in total

  • Pokéfan Beverly PokéGear
    Snubbull14
    1,120 ₽
  • Pokéfan Marcel
    Raichu14
    1,120 ₽
  • Schoolboy Jack PokéGear
    Oddish12Voltorb15
    480 ₽
  • Lass Amandine
    Oddish12Cubone15
    360 ₽
Items
  • Quick ClawGiven by the woman with her Persian on the bench, south of the park
  • NuggetSometimes given by Pokéfan Beverly (if her phone number is registered, obtainable if a Marill is in the party)
  • Paralyze HealIn the east, behind the fence, north of the gate to Route 36
  • TM28At a dead end surrounded by trees, in the southwest, behind the fence
  • Full HealBehind the fence, at the end of the path near the south entrance

🦋The Bug-Catching Contest

On Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, go to the counter of a park gatehouse and sign up: it is free. The rules are simple:

  1. You keep only one Pokémon, the first in your party; the others are held at the front desk.
  2. You receive 20 Park Balls. No other items are allowed.
  3. You have 20 minutes to catch the best Bug Pokémon you can. You can only keep one: if you catch another, you must choose which to keep.
  4. The judges score the catch based on its species, its level and its remaining HP.

The best catches are Scyther and Pinsir, which appear only here in Johto, followed by Butterfree and Beedrill. Come with a Pokémon of around level 20 that can weaken without knocking out (False Swipe is ideal) or put targets to sleep.

Outside contest days, the park is quiet: Caterpie or Weedle in the morning, Sunkern during the day and a swarm of Hoothoot at night. Leave through the east gate to Route 36.