The Iron Boots are in a chest at the far end of the Ice Cavern, the frozen side dungeon off Zora’s Fountain, and only adult Link can get them. In the Ocarina of Time remake, carry Blue Fire in a bottle to melt the red ice inside, beat the White Wolfos in the last room, and the chest appears.
You need the boots to get into the Water Temple, so this trip comes first. Below is what to bring, how to reach the cavern, the route through it, and how the boots work on the remake’s D-pad.
What to Bring
| Item | Why it helps |
|---|---|
| An Empty Bottle | The one thing you cannot do without. Blue Fire is the only thing that melts the red ice |
| A second bottle | Each bottle of Blue Fire melts one block of red ice, so a spare saves walking back to the flame |
| Hookshot | Reaches the cavern’s three Gold Skulltulas |
| Megaton Hammer | Breaks a Freezard in one hit, and you have it if you come after the Fire Temple |
| Song of Time | Opens an optional chest with a red rupee |
One bottle comes from the bug chase in the Castle Town Potion Shop, and our Cucco guide covers another. Our Gold Skulltula guide has the rest of the tokens.
How to Reach the Ice Cavern
- Get to Zora’s Domain as adult Link. It is frozen over in this era. The quick way is to play the Minuet of Forest (L, X, Y, A, Y, A), then take the Lost Woods water shortcut that comes out at Zora’s River. You can also walk up the river from Hyrule Field and play Zelda’s Lullaby at the falls, as in our Princess Ruto guide.
- Walk past King Zora. He is trapped in red ice in the throne room. Leave him for now and go through to Zora’s Fountain.
- Hop across the ice floes. A Piece of Heart sits on them, listed in our Heart Piece guide.
- Climb the ledge to the north and follow the icy path into the cave, jumping the gap at its end.
The Route Through the Ice Cavern
- Beat the Freezards. Three of them hold the first gate shut, and the Megaton Hammer breaks each one in a single hit.
- Clear the Spinning Blade Room. Collect all five silver crystals around the spinning trap to open the next gate.
- Bottle the Blue Fire. Clear the next room, climb the ruins and break the icicle to uncover the blue flame. Scoop it into your bottle.
- Grab the Dungeon Map if you want it. Red ice blocks the path to its chest. Hold R, pick the bottle from the quick-select bar and press ZR to pour the Blue Fire on it. Then refill.
- Melt the red ice back in the Spinning Blade Room. There are two blocked paths. One is a short detour to the Compass and another blue flame. The other leads to the ice block room you need.
- Solve the ice block room. Push the carved block to reach five more crystals. A wrong push resets the block, so you cannot get stuck. Going around the room clockwise (south, west, north, east) brings it to the high ledge with the farthest crystal, behind red ice. Push the block off the cliff to reset it, then repeat the loop and add one last push south to reach the door.
- Top up your bottle in the passage after the puzzle.
- Beat the White Wolfos. The door locks behind you. Block its lunge with ZL, then hit its back when it finishes a spin. A Deku Nut stuns it, which gives you a clean opening on the blue crack along its spine.
- Open the chest. It holds the Iron Boots, and Sheik then appears to teach you the Serenade of Water (L, R, A, A, Y), which warps you to Lake Hylia.
How the Iron Boots Work in the Remake
In 1998 the boots meant a pause menu trip every time. In the remake they sit on the D-pad: press down to put them on and press it again to take them off. Our quick swap guide covers the whole setup, and Nintendo’s reasoning is in our story on what changed in the Water Temple.
The in-game text sums up the trade: “The weight of these hefty boots makes it impossible to run or swim, but they’re excellent for sinking.” With them on, Link walks along the bottom of deep water, walks through whirlpools and holds his ground against high winds.
Three places to use them straight away:
- The way out of the cavern. Put them on and sink through the small opening in the water. The tunnel takes you back to Zora’s Fountain.
- The floor of Zora’s Fountain. Sink to the bottom in the middle for another Piece of Heart, in a ring of green rupees.
- The Water Temple. The door is under Lake Hylia, and the boots get you down to it. They also let you walk straight through the temple’s whirlpools. Our 1998 Water Temple guide explains how the dungeon’s water levels fit together.
Before You Leave
Fill your bottle one last time on the way out. King Zora is still frozen, and Blue Fire is what frees him, which earns you the other thing the Water Temple demands. Every remake guide is on our Zelda hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are the Iron Boots in the Ocarina of Time remake? In a chest in the last room of the Ice Cavern, off Zora’s Fountain. The chest appears when you beat the White Wolfos.
Can young Link get the Iron Boots? No. The frozen route to the Ice Cavern and the boots themselves are for adult Link.
What do you need for the Ice Cavern? An Empty Bottle for the Blue Fire. The Hookshot is only for the Gold Skulltulas, and the Song of Time only opens a side chest.
How do you put on the Iron Boots quickly? Press down on the D-pad. Press it again to take them off, with no pause menu needed.
Why can’t I melt the red ice? Only Blue Fire melts it, and one bottle clears one block. Refill at a blue flame and try again.
Are the Iron Boots required? Yes. You cannot reach the Water Temple’s door without sinking to it.