SnowRunner is Saber Interactive's off road hauling sim, published by Focus Entertainment, released in April 2020 and reaching Steam on 18 May 2021 once Epic exclusivity lapsed. You start in Michigan on Black River, the tutorial map, and work outward through Alaska, Taymyr, Kola Peninsula, Wisconsin and a long run of seasonal regions. There is no combat and no enemy: the opposition is mud, water, load weight, fuel and your own route choice, and it supports four player co-op throughout.
SnowRunner features distinct areas with increasing difficulty. This guide covers every major location in progression order: what to do, what to get, and when to move on. For the step-by-step path, see our walkthrough.
Area Progression Order
| Order | Location | Difficulty | Key Rewards | Recommended Build |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michigan | Starting region | Early trucks, the first upgrade set, and the mud lessons the rest of the game assumes you learned | Highway |
| 2 | Alaska | Second region | Snow and ice handling, chained tyre options, longer haul routes between separated maps | Highway |
| 3 | Taymyr | Third region | Serious Russian offroad trucks, the deepest bogs in the base game, the best test of a recovery plan | Scout |
| 4 | Kola Peninsula | Season 2 DLC region | Northern route planning, new trucks and addons from the season, extended fuel management | Scout |
| 5 | Wisconsin | Season 3 DLC region | Logging contracts, log carriages and trailers, forestry routes through soft ground | Scout |
Michigan: Starting Area
The opening region across Black River, Smithville Dam, Island Lake and Drummond Island, with around 82 missions, the most of any region. Black River is the tutorial map and Smithville Dam acts as the hub connecting to everything else.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Starting region |
| Key Rewards | Early trucks, the first upgrade set, and the mud lessons the rest of the game assumes you learned |
| Recommended Build | Highway |
| Key Equipment | Chevrolet CK1500 |
What to Do Here
- Learn the basics of Deformable mud, snow and water. This is where you practice without heavy punishment.
- Collect starting resources and your first equipment upgrade.
- Clear all main content before moving to Alaska.
- If you're struggling, read our beginner's guide.
Alaska: Early Game
North Port, Mountain River, White Valley and Pedro Bay, roughly 74 missions and the first region where snow and ice matter more than mud. Grip changes without the ground looking any different, which catches out Michigan drivers.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Second region |
| Key Rewards | Snow and ice handling, chained tyre options, longer haul routes between separated maps |
| Recommended Build | Highway |
| Key Equipment | Chevrolet CK1500 |
What to Do Here
- Focus on mastering Winching and recovery. It's critical from this point on.
- Farm for Chevrolet CK1500 if you don't have it yet.
- Complete all objectives for maximum rewards.
- Prepare for the difficulty spike in Taymyr.
Taymyr: Mid Game
Drowned Lands, Quarry, Zimnegorsk and Rift in the Russian Federation, around 59 missions and the base game's hardest region. Drowned Lands in particular is where most players first accept that a route is genuinely impossible in the truck they brought.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Third region |
| Key Rewards | Serious Russian offroad trucks, the deepest bogs in the base game, the best test of a recovery plan |
| Recommended Build | Scout |
| Key Equipment | Chevrolet CK1500 |
What to Do Here
- This is the main skill check. Bring an optimized build.
- Chevrolet Kodiak C70 becomes accessible here. Prioritize getting it.
- Master AWD, differential lock and gear selection for the boss encounters.
- Check our boss guide if you get stuck.
Kola Peninsula: Late Game
Lake Kovd and Imandra, added with Season 2: Explore and Expand. Two large maps in the far north with heavy snow cover and long distances between objectives.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Season 2 DLC region |
| Key Rewards | Northern route planning, new trucks and addons from the season, extended fuel management |
| Recommended Build | Scout |
| Key Equipment | Chevrolet Kodiak C70 |
What to Do Here
- Full build optimization is expected by this point.
- Chevrolet Kodiak C70 should be your primary, fully upgraded.
- Contracts, tasks and cargo loading mastery starts mattering here.
- Farm resources for the push into Wisconsin.
Wisconsin: Endgame
Black Badger Lake and Grainwoods River, added with Season 3: Locate and Deliver, and the region that introduced logging to the game. Log hauling changes both the trailers you use and the physics of your load.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Season 3 DLC region |
| Key Rewards | Logging contracts, log carriages and trailers, forestry routes through soft ground |
| Recommended Build | Scout |
| Key Equipment | Chevrolet Kodiak C70 |
What to Do Here
- This is endgame. Best-in-slot gear and a perfected build are mandatory.
- See our boss guide for endgame fight strategies.
- The reward loop: clear content → upgrade → push harder content.
- Experiment with Heavy for variety once you've mastered the meta.
Exploration Tips
- Clear areas in order: Michigan → Alaska → Taymyr → Kola Peninsula → Wisconsin. Skipping areas means missing resources you'll need later.
- Check every corner: Hidden caches and secrets are often in non-obvious locations.
- Match your equipment: Some areas favor different equipment types.
- Read the walkthrough: Our walkthrough provides exact progression milestones for each area.
- Don't rush: Clearing an area fully gives more resources than speedrunning two areas.
More SnowRunner Guides
- SnowRunner SnowRunner Overview
- SnowRunner Best Builds
- SnowRunner Tier List
- SnowRunner Walkthrough
- SnowRunner Beginner's Guide
- SnowRunner Tips & Tricks
- SnowRunner Weapons Guide
- SnowRunner Combat Guide
- SnowRunner Boss Guide
- SnowRunner Crafting Guide
- SnowRunner Classes & Characters
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