Ladders
Image: Nintendo Life

Ladders: they're like stairs, but you have to use your whole body. Everyone knows stairs are easier, but not everyone can afford stairs in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, whether that's financially or spatially, and ladders are a cheap, renewable resource for ascending cliffs without forking out a ton of Bells for a staircase.

They are a pain, though. Having to get an entire ladder out of your pocket isn't most people's idea of a good time. With the addition of new, permanent (and customisable) ladders, the poor old regular ladder might just be obsolete forever!

Here are the steps (pun intended) to getting your own perma-ladder.

Animal Crossing Permanent Ladder Guide

Head to the Nook Shop

Ladders
Image: Nintendo Life

The Nooklings sell a "Ladder Set-up Kit" in their cabinet. It costs 2,000 Bells. You can then learn the recipe from your inventory!

Gather materials

Ladders
Image: Nintendo Life

Each perma-ladder requires 5 wood and, perhaps unsurprisingly, a ladder. Try not to think too hard about how exactly 5 extra wood makes it "permanent".

If you don't have a ladder, you can either buy one from the cabinet for 500 Bells, or make one with 4 Wood, 4 Softwood, and 4 Hardwood.

Customise

Ladders
Image: Nintendo Life

You can change the colour of your ladders with just 1 customisation kit. The options are natural, blue, red, yellow, green, and white.

Place the ladder

Ladders
Image: Nintendo Life

Walk up to your desired location, select the kit in your inventory, and "set up next to cliff". That's it!

Why use ladders, and not inclines?

Well, inclines are limited to 10 per island, and cost anywhere from 98,000 Bells for a natural ramp all the way up to 228,000 Bells for a steel ramp. Inclines also take up a lot of space on the island, and removing or moving them is a process that takes days.

Ladders are cheap, fast to make, and there's no limit on them. They may not be as pretty, but they get the job done!


This article is part of our Animal Crossing: New Horizons walkthrough, which includes a Complete Fish List, Complete Bug List and Complete Sea Creatures List. If you're looking for specific fish or bugs, we can tell you how to catch the elusive Coelacanth, Mahi-Mahi, Giant Trevally, Stringfish, Golden Trout and all the Sharks and Beetles, along with a full list of critters leaving at the end of the month (unless you visit Kapp'n's Boat Tour islands, of course!).

We can also help with How to Spot Redd's Fake Paintings and Statues, How to Make Bells Fast, How to Breed Flowers, How to Get more DIY Recipes, How to Upgrade Nook's Cranny, where and when to find special characters like Gulliver, Sable, Label, Wisp, Celeste, Pirate Gulliver and Jack, plus tips on using the Star Wand, Tool Ring, Rock Trick, Cutting Down and Moving Trees, using amiibo on Harv's Island, How to Back Up Your Island Data, How to Time Travel, How to Get a 5-Star Island Rating and a whole lot more.

If it's new content you're looking for help with, we can help you find gyroids, unlock Brewster's café, use the new Pro Camera App for selfies, enact new ordinances, get the beloved Froggy Chair, and even learn How to Cook.

And finally, Where to Buy Animal Crossing: New Horizons on Nintendo Switch, if for some reason you haven't yet picked up the game, and How To Buy The Happy Home Paradise DLC, too!