With Minecraft version 26.3, you can finally dive into authentic Autumn Forests and enjoy the cozy season in-game. Build a home under, or even with, the new poplar wood, use the colorful leaves for decoration, or gather mushrooms. The native animals here have adapted to autumn and are perfect for a fresh start in Minecraft. You might even find one of the new abandoned camps full of surprises. They don’t appear only here, but they are an important part of the new biome and make it feel more alive. Today we take a closer look at both the Autumn Forest and the abandoned camps.
Minecraft Autumn Forest biome: features, blocks, and animals
Autumn Forests are a new biome in Minecraft that you can discover on your journey. They are defined by an orange-red palette, with poplars as the trees and a distinctly autumnal look. Even the grass, which is usually more green or blue, appears here in a deep brown. You can occasionally find spruce in these forests; other trees do not generate naturally here.
On the ground, besides the orange grass, you’ll also find patches where no grass grows at all. Coarse Dirt adds even more character to this already melancholic biome. You can also collect leaf piles, whose very dark brown color fits perfectly here. New red shrubs generate only as part of this biome. They retain their color no matter where you plant them. The last new block is the tree mushroom, which only appears on poplars. It works like other mushrooms but can also serve as a platform and cushions fall damage.
The animals of the Autumn Forest are well adapted to their surroundings. You’ll find the cold variants of pigs, chickens, and cows. Sheep also tend to have black wool, with a few lighter specimens mixed in. You can also encounter red foxes here, arguably one of the mascots of a beautiful autumn day. Black and brown rabbits can be seen hopping around as well.
Locations and generation of the Autumn Forest biome
Where do you find this new biome? Autumn Forests feature a cold and rather dry climate, which places them near Cherry Groves, Plains, or even Ice Spikes tundra. However, they never generate next to other forests, making them stand alone. In the middle of a Plains or a Sunflower Plains is often your best chance to find the biome. It can be very small, but some stretch very far.
You can find the new biome in both new and existing worlds. For the latter, travel to regions you haven’t generated yet. Autumn Forests are a bit rarer, but sooner or later you should find one. Or you can rent an affordable Minecraft server and find the Autumn Forest together with friends on your hunt for this beautiful woodland.
Poplar wood in Minecraft: colors, wood variants, and building ideas
The most defining feature of the Autumn Forest is its colorful poplars. This adds another new tree species to the game that lets you flex your creativity. The trees themselves are special, as they can have three different leaf colors ranging from yellow to orange to red. Which one you get is random. The canopies are rather round, and the trunks grow tall. You’ll sometimes find fallen logs in the forest with mushrooms and vines.
Poplar wood includes all the usual wood blocks in the game. It bridges a gap between the very light wood of Pale Oak and the more yellowish Birch. Poplar wood has a warm gray tone that looks very chic. Especially interesting is the pattern of the door and trapdoor with a diamond-shaped cutout and a leaf motif.
Abandoned camps in Minecraft: structure, variants, and biomes
As part of the new biome, a new structure has been added to the game: abandoned camps. They suggest that you might not be the only one who made themselves comfortable in these parts. Camps often consist of a tent with wool stairs and other things that fit a campsite. There are various variants and layouts; it’s rare to see two identical camps.
These camps aren’t limited to the new Autumn Forest; they can also generate in almost any other forest. However, this only happens where new chunks can generate. In already generated parts of your map, you won’t find this new structure. Overall, though, they’re relatively common to discover.
Here’s where you can find the new abandoned camps:
- Meadow
- Cherry Grove
- Forest
- Birch Forest
- Old Growth Birch Forest
- Flower Forest
- Windswept Forest
- Autumn Forest
- Taiga
- Snowy Taiga
- Old Growth Spruce Taiga
- Old Growth Pine Taiga
- Sparse Jungle
- Bamboo Jungle
- Swamp
- Savanna
- Wooded Badlands
- Pale Garden
Camps can therefore vary a lot. In some of them you’ll also find the new straw bed, or perhaps the new seat cushions. Campfires are very common too—after all, you have to survive the cold nights. Depending on the biome, the set dressing differs. In a Bamboo Jungle, for example, bamboo can grow right through the tent; in regular forests you’ll sometimes find tents that were crushed by a tree.
Loot in abandoned camps: containers, copper chest, and rare items
Abandoned camps hold a few surprises if you check their containers closely. You’ll often find chests or barrels as part of the structures, where you can pick up loot. These frequently contain everyday items like bowls, coal, bones, bundles, or candles. Chests also have a chance to roll empty maps or treasure maps.
Some camps, however, are special because they have a hidden copper chest. These aren’t everywhere, and you’ll need to dig a bit to find them. They hide rare items the former campers presumably wanted to keep to themselves. Copper chests often contain ingots, a treasure map, iron gear, or even potions.
Conclusion: Make smart use of Autumn Forests and camps
Autumn Forests are probably among the most beautiful new biomes added to the game. Their colorful poplars stand out immediately and set the biome apart from many other regions of the world. They’re a bit rarer, but all the more delightful when you find one. Keep an eye on plains first, as Autumn Forests often border them. On your search you may also stumble upon abandoned camps scattered throughout Minecraft’s forests. There you can walk in the footsteps of past adventurers and make use of the gear they left behind.
