Minecraft Explorer Map Guide

What Are Explorer Maps in Minecraft?

Explorer Maps are special Minecraft maps that point to structures, biomes, and other destinations. Upcoming Minecraft versions add new Explorer Maps found in Abandoned Camp chests.

A Minecraft Explorer Map held near the Abandoned Camp marked on it

What Is an Explorer Map?

An Explorer Map is a special map item generated with a destination already marked. Unlike a standard empty map, its purpose is not simply to record the terrain around the player: it gives you a direction to travel and a target to discover. Classic examples lead to Ocean Monuments and Woodland Mansions, while newer variants expand the system to more biomes and structures.

How to Get Explorer Maps

Where you find an Explorer Map depends on its type and your Minecraft version. Upcoming versions add Abandoned Camps with new Explorer Map types in their chests.

Trade with and level up cartographer villagers
Search shipwrecks and ocean ruins for Buried Treasure Maps
Check chests when exploring new Abandoned Camps

A Pale Garden Camp Map highlighted inside an Abandoned Camp chest — Abandoned Camp chests can contain Explorer Maps that begin a new journey

New Maps Found in Abandoned Camps

Current Java snapshots add several Explorer Map types to Abandoned Camp chests. Depending on the map, they can lead to another camp or a different type of structure. Java currently includes a few additional destinations not yet confirmed for Bedrock.

Available Maps

Abandoned Camps: Bamboo Jungle, Cherry Grove, Birch Forest, Dappled Forest, Flower Forest, Pale Garden, Swamp, and Windswept Forest
Villages: Desert, Plains, Savanna, Snowy, and Taiga
Buried Ancient City
Buried Trial Chambers
Buried Mineshaft
Desert Pyramid
Jungle Pyramid
Warm Ocean Ruins
Woodland Mansion

A Bamboo Camp Map held in Minecraft with its destination marker visible — Explorer Map names identify the destination type. In this example, it points to another camp in a Bamboo Jungle

How to Use an Explorer Map

An Explorer Map shows your position relative to its marked destination. When you are outside the covered area, your player marker appears near the edge and moves inward as you get closer.

An Explorer Map with the player marker outside its covered area — **Reach the Map Area**Your player marker shows your position relative to the mapped area. Follow the edge marker until it moves toward the map's interior

An Explorer Map partially revealing terrain as the player approaches — **Reveal the Landscape**The map reveals more terrain detail as you enter and explore the covered area. Use coordinates, a compass, or landmarks to stay on course

A player arriving at an Abandoned Camp while holding its Explorer Map — **Find the Destination**The destination symbol marks the area to search. Some destinations are visible on the surface, while others may be underground

Can Explorer Maps Be Crafted, Copied, or Zoomed Out?

Explorer Maps behave differently from standard maps. Each map type is its own item with an icon that reflects its destination.

Explorer Maps are not craftable. Only standard maps are
Cloning creates another copy of the same Explorer Map
Explorer Maps cannot be zoomed out

OR!

Use MineyMap Instead

You do not need an Explorer Map to find and navigate the world. MineyMap lets you:

Keep your live position and XYZ coordinates visible
Understand the terrain between you and the destination
Tracking: Keep a target's direction always in view
Mark useful stops or discoveries with named pins
See structures and points of interest around the world you are playing

MineyMap large map and in-game minimap showing tracked locations with directional indicators and distances in blocks — Find and track structures across your world, keeping their direction and distance visible as you travel