A canyon in a plains biome.
A canyon[1] or ravine is a deep, long crack generating in the Overworld that can connect with caves. Ravines often appear deep underground but can breach the surface.
Structure[]
Canyons are usually between 85 to 127 blocks in length, and typically less than 15 blocks wide. In Java Edition canyons are usually 27 to 62 blocks in depth. Canyons in Bedrock Edition can sometimes go all the way down to bedrock, causing canyons spawning in mountainous biomes to appear deeper.
A canyon extending down to bedrock causes lava to generate at the bottom. Obsidian often forms at the bottom as water sources flow down into the lava.
Canyons can have small ledges along the top. They can be found at levels 10 to 72, sometimes appearing on the world surface or underwater, forming canyons. They can go deep underground, sometimes spawning slimes or exposing diamond ore. If they reach deep enough, they may also be floored by the lava lakes at level -55. Canyons can cut from surface level all the way down to bedrock, especially noticeable in the Amplified world type.
Underwater ravines can also be found in any ocean biome.
Canyons can connect to caves, dungeons, abandoned mineshafts, and any other generated structures. Due to the large surface area of their walls, canyons often have water and/or lava flowing down them (from springs in the walls, aquifers, or openings to the sea). A canyon that intersects a river, frozen river, or swamp is filled with stone under the body of water.
A lava ocean inside of a canyon.
Similarly to how water oceans replace all air blocks below a certain altitude on the surface, when deep enough in a canyon, all blocks that would generate as air instead generate as lava to form lava oceans.
Data values[]
ID[]
| Configured carver | Identifier |
|---|---|
| [No displayed name] | canyon |
| Feature | Identifier |
|---|---|
| [No displayed name] | [No ID] |
History[]
| Java Edition Beta | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.8 | Pre-release | Added ravines. | |||
| Java Edition | |||||
| 1.13 | 18w06a | Ravines now generate in The Nether. | |||
| 18w08a | Ravines can now generate underwater in oceans. | ||||
| 1.14 | 18w43a | Renamed "Ravine" to "Canyon". | |||
| 1.17 | 21w06a | Canyons can no longer generate underwater in oceans. | |||
| 21w15a | Canyons can once again generate underwater in oceans. | ||||
| 1.18 | Experimental Snapshot 1 | Canyons can no longer generate underwater in oceans. | |||
| experimental snapshot 6 | Canyons can once again generate underwater in oceans. | ||||
| Bedrock Edition | |||||
| 1.2.0 | beta 1.2.0.2 | Added canyons. | |||
| 1.4.0 | beta 1.2.14.2 | Canyons can now generate underwater. | |||
Trivia[]
- In Bedrock Edition the seed 1669320484, as well as any seed calculated from 4294967296 × n + 1669320484, generates a huge canyon extending endlessly from southwest to northeast at coordinate X=−1269, Z=0, shaped by countless identical connected north-south canyons. There are other lines of canyons parallel to this one, but few of them are visible aboveground or have the canyons connected. This seed also generates parallel lines of endless dungeons underground. As of 1.18, nearly all endless canyons are underground.
- It is common to find up to around half a dozen canyons intersecting close even to where they're first found (including vertically, often perpendicularly). So if one finds one, one may find more, soon-enough.
Gallery[]
The first image of a ravine.
An image from of a ravine cutting through a stronghold.
Wide-angle view of endless canyon in Bedrock seed 1669320484.
View toward horizon along endless canyon.
Village generated on rim of endless canyon.
Two canyons joined together underground.
Two canyons open to the sky that generated next to each other, with a river biome between them.
An underwater canyon.
A canyon that exposed a mineshaft.
A deep cliff reaching bedrock levels.
A canyon generated under another canyon.
A small canyon viewed from the sky.
A canyon viewed from inside.
A canyon that has been cut through by an ocean.
A hole in the ground through which a canyon is visible.
Iron and lapis ores exposed to sunlight in deep canyon.
Water flowing into the canyon from nearby river.
A bug that prevents water from flowing into the pit.
A tree that generated in a canyon, next to the lava and mineshaft.
Water generated in midair over a large connected canyon.
A jungle pyramid, stronghold, and mineshaft generated together in one canyon.
A triple canyon with a mineshaft at the bottom.
Naturally generated diamond ore, redstone ore, and lapis lazuli ore found in a canyon. Check the image for seed and coords.
Two underwater canyons merged together.
A 120 block deep canyon in Bedrock Edition.
Relatively slim and shallow canyon in plains biome.
Slim, but rather deep canyon generated in plains biome.
Double ravine with many mineshaft bridges in it.
A ravine that generated underwater.
Ravine with multiple ores, water and lava falls, and stronghold bridge over it.
Badlands mineshaft bridge generated over a ravine.
A ruined portal generated on top of a ravine.
A ravine in bedrock edition.
A ravine in bedrock edition.
A ravine in bedrock edition.
Issues[]
Issues relating to "Canyon" or "Ravine" are maintained on the bug tracker. Report issues there.
References[]
- ↑ "Minecraft Snapshot 21w06a" – Minecraft.net, February 10, 2021