Red & Blue Route 23
The long mountain pass up to the Pokemon League, gated by checkpoints that demand all eight Badges before Victory Road.
Route 23 is in Kanto, with Indigo Plateau to the north. In the story you arrive from Route 22 to the south and continue through its entrance to Victory Road.
ROUTE 23 MAP
Stairs and slopes carry you up toward Victory Road, broken midway by water that needs Surf, and the checkpoint gates stay shut until all eight Badges are in hand.
Route 23 Walkthrough
- Leave the gatehouse from Route 22 and follow the winding lanes north, showing your badges to three guards who wave you through.
- SurfMoveSurfWaterClassSpecialPower95Accuracy100%PP15A strong water-type attack. north from the last post past a guard treading water, then search the sandbar in the middle of Route 23 for a hidden Max Ether.
- Keep surfing past the second water guard to the north shore. Walk the grass east and check its far end on Route 23 for a hidden Ultra Ball.
- Double back west, pass the next guard and climb the long lane north into a small grass patch.
- Search the patch's west edge on Route 23 for a hidden Full Restore. Then head west and north past the final guard to the cave mouth of Victory Road.
Max Ether
Ultra Ball
Full Restore- Step down from that door, walk east to the edge and follow it north.
- At the top, turn west and wind north through the final bends onto the road to Indigo Plateau.
Pokemon Encounters
The climb to the League is high-level grass, where Fearow and a Ditto can reach the low 40s. The reptiles double up by version, Red carrying Arbok and Ekans against Blue's Sandslash and Sandshrew. Heal before you start the walk.
Old Rod1
Good Rod2
Super Rod4
Magikarp
Also found in 25 other locations
ITEMS
Route 23's long climb to Victory Road hides a single Full Restore, Max Ether, and Ultra Ball along the way. Load up before the trek.
Full Restore
Restores HP to full and cures any status ailment and confusion.
Full Restore
Restores HP to full and cures any status ailment and confusion.
Max Ether
Restores PP to full for one move.
Ultra Ball
Tries to catch a wild Pokémon. Success rate is 2×.
Route 23 Guide
Yes. Each version locks away a handful of route species. Ekans, Oddish, Mankey, and Growlithe stay in Red, while Sandshrew, Bellsprout, Meowth, and Vulpix belong to Blue, with Scyther and Pinsir split the same way. Trading with the other version is the only way to fill those gaps.
Three rods, three givers. A fisherman in Vermilion City hands over the Old Rod, which only ever hooks Magikarp. The Good Rod comes from a fishing fan in Fuchsia City and adds Poliwag, Goldeen, and other common catches. The Super Rod, waiting on Route 12, reaches the rod-only rarities listed here.