Ice Arrows are in the big chest at the end of the Gerudo Proving Grounds, an optional dungeon at Gerudo Fortress that the 1998 game called the Gerudo Training Ground. In the Ocarina of Time remake, show your Gerudo Pass, pay the entry fee, collect at least seven Small Keys from its rooms, and spend them on the row of locked doors that leads to the chest.
It is one of the most demanding stops in the game, because almost every room wants a different item. Below is what to bring, how to get in, what each room asks of you, and whether the arrows are worth the trouble.
What You Need Before You Go
Come late. Nearly every late item gets used in here, and it is much less work once you have finished the Spirit Temple.
- The Gerudo Pass. Free the four captured carpenters at Gerudo Fortress and the captain hands it over.
- Rupees. Every visit costs the entry fee again, including going back in after you leave. Our rupee guide covers topping up.
- The Fairy Bow, Longshot and Megaton Hammer. You use all three repeatedly.
- The Iron Boots and Zora Tunic. For the water room. Our Iron Boots and Zora Tunic guides cover both.
- The Hover Boots and Goron Tunic. For the lava room.
- The Lens of Truth. Several walls and ceilings here are illusions.
- The Song of Time and Scarecrow’s Song. One raises blocks, and the other gets you to an upper floor.
- Bombs, Bombchus, Din’s Fire and the Silver Gauntlets. For the rooms where something has to blow up, burn or move.
How to Get In
- Walk through Gerudo Fortress with your pass, so the guards leave you alone.
- Find the guarded gate. In the 1998 game it was at the front of the fortress building; in the remake look along the paths around the fortress, toward the horseback archery range.
- Talk to the Gerudo at the gate. Pay the fee and you are in.
Leaving means paying the fee again to come back, but your progress is saved, so you can step out for supplies and pick up where you left off. The Small Keys you find only work in here, so do not plan on spending them anywhere else.
What Each Room Asks of You
The rooms can be done in any order. Nintendo kept the original dungeons’ mechanisms, so these are the 1998 rooms, and the ones that hold what you need:
| Room | What to do | Tools |
|---|---|---|
| Stalfos room | Beat the two Stalfos for a key | Your sword |
| Dinolfos room | Beat the two Dinolfos and the Beamos for a key | Sword and bombs |
| Lava room | Raise blocks and collect the crystals | Song of Time, Hover Boots, Goron Tunic |
| Water room | Fill the pool, dive and take the key | Song of Time, Iron Boots, Zora Tunic |
| Fire Slug and Fire Keese room | Beat the enemies, smash the statues for a key | Megaton Hammer |
| Lava statue room | Shoot the eyes to drain the lava, then reach the upper floor | Fairy Bow, Scarecrow’s Song, Longshot |
| Boulder and Wolfos room | Find the way through and collect the crystals | Lens of Truth |
| Grate room | Find the false ceiling for a key | Lens of Truth |
The Route to the Ice Arrows
- Clear rooms until you have at least seven Small Keys.
- Return to the entrance hall and take the front door.
- Follow the left-hand path through the locked doors, opening each one as you go. The right-hand way into the same door room costs two extra keys, so stay away from that side.
- Open the big chest at the end of the corridor. Ice Arrows are inside.
- Press the button in that room to open the main gate, which saves you walking all the way back.
The dungeon holds no Pieces of Heart or Gold Skulltula tokens, so you can leave as soon as you have the chest. Our Heart Piece list and Gold Skulltula list show what is worth looking for at the fortress instead.
Are Ice Arrows Worth It?
They are easy to skip. The story never requires them, and the dungeon is a lot of work for one item. They freeze what they hit, and each shot costs a little magic.
Their best moment is a late boss: freeze one of Bongo Bongo’s hands in the Shadow Temple, and the fight gets a good deal shorter. Otherwise they are a handy way to pin down a fast enemy. If you are chasing every item, get them. If you only want the end of the game, spend the time on Fire Arrows and the rest of your Great Fairy upgrades instead. Our 1998 item list shows how the upgrades fit together, and every remake guide is on our Zelda hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are the Ice Arrows in the Ocarina of Time remake? In the big chest at the end of the Gerudo Proving Grounds, at Gerudo Fortress.
How much does the Gerudo Proving Grounds cost? There is an entry fee each time you go in (10 rupees in the 1998 game). Your progress stays saved when you leave.
How many Small Keys do you need? At least seven, spent on the locked doors along the left-hand path to the chest.
Is the Gerudo Training Ground the same place? Yes. That is the name the 1998 game used.
Do you need the Gerudo Pass? Yes. You get it by freeing all four carpenters at the fortress.
Are Ice Arrows required to finish the game? No. They are entirely optional.