When you start your journey in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, certain parts of your island are inaccessible. Without the ability to carve out the land or build stairs, you will need a ladder. This guide explains everything you need to know for how to get a ladder in Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
Similar to other items in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, a ladder is craftable at the workbench. However, before you craft your ladder, there are several requirements you have to fulfill.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons (2020) is exclusively available on Nintendo Switch.
Invite villagers to your island
It takes a minimum of three days from the moment you start the game to unlock the ladder crafting recipe. However, it all starts when you invite a new villager to your island.
- Use a Nook Miles Ticket at Dodo Airlines to fly to a new island.
- Find a random villager wandering around and talk to them.
- Keep talking to them until you can invite them to your island. They do not have to become a permanent resident, but you will need them to begin unlocking the ladder.
Open Nook’s Cranny
Once you invite a total of three villagers to your island, Tom Nook requests you to set up his shop. Several materials are necessary, and they include:
- 30 Iron Nuggets
- 30 Wood
- 30 Softwood
- 30 Hardwood
You get Iron Nuggets from hitting rocks, and you get different types of wood from hitting trees. Use an axe for the trees and a shovel for the rocks.
Build a bridge on your island
After inviting several villagers to your island and setting up Nook’s Cranny, Tom Nook contacts you to build a bridge.
As a river divides the present version of your island in two, you will be given a recipe to build a bridge that allows your villagers to cross. This recipe includes:
- 4 Log Stakes
- 4 Clay
- 4 Stones
Select a plot of land for your soon-to-be neighbors
With the complete bridge, head back to Nook’s Cranny and talk to Tom. He will then instruct you to pick three locations to house your new villagers.
You’ll then receive the ladder recipe as a reward.
Craft your ladder
With the ladder recipe in hand, it’s time to head to your workbench and craft the ladder. The recipe requires the following materials:
- 4 Wood
- 4 Softwood
- 4 Hardwood
The good news is, unlike every other item in the game, you won’t need to re-craft your ladder ever again! It will stay in your inventory and be accessible at any time.