Ice Spikes

Ice spikes is a frozen biome full of tall towers of packed ice rising out of snow. It is rare and one of the most striking sights in Minecraft. This ice spikes biome finder searches your seed for you. Type the seed above, and the map moves to the nearest ice spikes area and marks it with a biome icon, along with others in range.

Where ice spikes generate

Ice spikes need the lowest temperature in the game and very low humidity. Those conditions overlap with snowy plains, so the two biomes almost always sit together. Frozen rivers often separate them.

As it gets slightly warmer, ice spikes can also border cherry groves and dappled forests. Ice caves are common below, especially near the coast. Because the climate window is narrow, the biome stays rare and patches are fairly small.

Inside the biome, the ground is mostly flat between the spikes. So once you arrive, it is easy to walk around and pick the best spikes to mine.

What you find in ice spikes

The ground is snow blocks instead of grass. Large spikes and smaller ice patches made of packed ice cover the land. Under overhangs, spikes can even hang down like icicles.

• Blocks: packed ice, snow blocks and regular ice.
• Animals: rabbits. Polar bears do not spawn here in Java Edition.
• Hostile mobs: strays, zombies, creepers and spiders.

Vegetation is almost absent. There are no trees, so you cannot gather wood inside the biome.

How to find ice spikes with the map

Enter your seed and edition. The map pans to the closest ice spikes and outlines the biome. Then check the list on the left. It shows more patches by distance, and clicking one moves the view there.

When you arrive in game, F3 should show minecraft:ice_spikes. You will also see the spikes from far away, because they stick out above the flat snow. To skip the trip, teleport with /tp @s X 110 Z. Then fly or fall gently, because the spikes are tall and slippery.

Uses of the ice spikes biome

Packed ice is the main reason to come here. It does not melt and it makes boats and mobs slide fast. Also, nine packed ice craft into blue ice, which is the fastest ice for boat roads in the Nether.

You need a Silk Touch pickaxe, though. Without Silk Touch, packed ice breaks and drops nothing. So enchant your tool before the trip.

For builders, the biome is a stunning base location. For example, a castle among the spikes looks unique. However, food is scarce, so bring supplies. Strays also make night travel risky.

Ice spikes vs other frozen biomes

Ice spikes often get confused with nearby frozen areas. Here is how they compare:

• Snowy plains: flat snow with grass underneath, a few spruce trees and no spikes.
• Ice spikes: snow blocks instead of grass, no trees and towers of packed ice.
• Frozen ocean: sea ice and icebergs. Icebergs are where blue ice generates naturally.

So if you need packed ice, ice spikes are the best choice. If you need blue ice without crafting, look at icebergs in frozen oceans instead.

One more tip: packed ice does not melt near torches, while normal ice does. That makes it safe for builds with light sources. Also, the spikes vary a lot in size, so a few big ones can supply a whole project.

Ice spikes version history

Java 1.7.2 added the biome as ice plains spikes. For a long time it was the only source of packed ice. Java 1.10 removed most passive mobs. Then 1.13 renamed it to ice spikes, and since 1.18 it counts for Adventuring Time.

Ice Spikes FAQ