Skyrim giants: every giant camp on the map
Skyrim giants are the tall, club-wielding herders you see leading mammoths across the tundra. They are not hostile unless you get too close or attack their animals, but a single club swing can kill a low-level character outright. There are 12 giant camps in our dataset, most of them in Whiterun Hold, the Pale and Eastmarch, and each is a small settlement with a fire, a mammoth cheese bowl and at least one giant.
This page lists every camp, what giants and mammoths drop, why the giant's toe matters for alchemy, and how to handle a fight if you pick one.
Giant camps in Skyrim
| Camp | Hold | Who lives there |
|---|---|---|
| Bleakwind Basin | Whiterun Hold | Giants and mammoths, west of Whiterun |
| Sleeping Tree Camp | Whiterun Hold | Giants and mammoths around the Sleeping Tree and its sap |
| Guldun Rock | Whiterun Hold | Giants; a Heavy Armor skill book at the top |
| Secunda's Kiss | Falkreath Hold | Giants on the road west of Whiterun |
| Talking Stone Camp | Hjaalmarch | Giants and mammoths |
| Blizzard Rest | The Pale | Giants and mammoths |
| Red Road Pass | The Pale | A giant and a mammoth |
| Stonehill Bluff | The Pale | Giants |
| Tumble Arch Pass | The Pale | A giant and a mammoth |
| Broken Limb Camp | Eastmarch | Giants |
| Cradlecrush Rock | Eastmarch | A giant |
| Steamcrag Camp | Eastmarch | Giants and mammoths in the hot springs |
How giants behave
Giants are level 32 with 591 health, far above anything else you meet in the early game. A normal club swing does 160 damage and a stomp or overhead slam about 240, both with heavy knockback, which is where the famous launch into the sky comes from. They also have 33 points of magic resistance.
They are peaceful by default. Walk up to a camp and the giant will raise its club and wave it as a warning; back off and nothing happens. Attack a giant, hurt a mammoth, or stand inside the camp too long and it charges. Giants never enter water, so a river or lake is a safe retreat. You will also meet giants on the roads leading painted cows to a camp, and one giant near Pelagia Farm is the target of the Companions' first fight outside Whiterun.
Mammoths and the camps
Most camps keep a small herd of mammoths. They are level 38 with about 800 health and fight with tusks and a stomp, and they defend their giant as much as the giant defends them. Killing one gives mammoth tusks, which sell well and are needed for Ysolda's favour quest in Whiterun, plus mammoth snout, meat and sometimes a mammoth cheese bowl. The cheese bowls scattered around every camp can be picked up freely; giants do not care about theft.
Camps are marked as clearable dungeons in the game, so they reset after 30 in-game days. Each camp also has a tribute chest near the fire with random gold and gems, one of the better unguarded loot sources early on if you can sneak in and out.
Giant's toe and other loot
Every giant drops a giant's toe, with no exception. The toe is a rare alchemy ingredient with four effects: Damage Stamina, Fortify Health, Fortify Carry Weight and Damage Stamina Regen. Its value to alchemists is that a Fortify Health potion made with a giant's toe lasts 300 seconds instead of 60, and combining it with wheat and creep cluster (or blue mountain flower) makes one of the most valuable potions in the game for levelling Alchemy.
Beyond the toe, giants often carry animal hides, a weapon or armour piece, gems, a soul gem and 100 to 300 gold. Apothecaries stock giant's toes only about a fifth of the time, so hunting giants is the reliable way to gather them.
How to fight a giant
- Keep your distance. Arrows and Destruction spells from a rock the giant cannot climb are the safest approach. Giants are slow to turn, so circling works for melee too.
- Use height. A ledge or the top of a giant camp's rocks puts you out of club range. Unrelenting Force can also push a giant off a cliff.
- Block the slam. With a shield and enough stamina you can block the club, but the knockback still lands. Do not try it under level 20.
- Bring help. A follower or a summoned atronach splits the giant's attention. The giant at Pelagia Farm is meant to be fought with the Companions.
- Poison and paralysis. Giants are not immune to poison, and a paralysis poison turns a hard fight into a free one.
- Lure it to guards. A giant that follows you to a city gate or a Stormcloak camp will be attacked by every soldier there.
A giant with two or three mammoths is a different fight from one alone. Pull the giant away first with an arrow and fight it out of the herd's sight.
On the map: 12 locations
Falkreath Hold 1
Hjaalmarch 1
Whiterun Hold 3
Skyrim giants: every giant camp on the map: FAQ
How many giant camps are in Skyrim?
Our map shows 12 giant camps: three in Whiterun Hold, four in the Pale, three in Eastmarch, and one each in Falkreath Hold and Hjaalmarch.
What level are giants in Skyrim?
Level 32 with 591 health. Their club does about 160 damage per swing and up to 240 for a slam, which is why they can kill low-level characters in one hit.
Are Skyrim giants hostile?
Not by default. They warn you by raising their club if you come close and only attack if you hurt them or their mammoths, or stay inside the camp.
What do giants drop?
Always a giant's toe, plus a chance of hides, a weapon or armour, gems, a soul gem and 100 to 300 gold.
What is giant's toe used for?
Alchemy. Its effects are Damage Stamina, Fortify Health, Fortify Carry Weight and Damage Stamina Regen, and Fortify Health potions made with it last five times longer than normal.
Where is the closest giant camp to Whiterun?
Bleakwind Basin, on the tundra a short walk west of the city, and Sleeping Tree Camp a little further southwest. A lone giant also stands near Pelagia Farm outside the gate.