Field tools · Johto HMs · Original GBC
All 7 HM locations in Pokemon Gold & Silver
A complete HM locations checklist for original Game Boy Color Gold & Silver (not HeartGold/SoulSilver). Every Hidden Machine has one normal pickup, a badge gate for outdoor use, exact map pins, walkthrough anchors, and links into the live TM/HM archive, Team Planner, and Gyms tools.
Fast answer
Pickup order vs field unlock
Get the disk first, then the badge for outdoor use. Flash (Sprout Tower) needs Zephyr. Cut (Ilex) needs Hive. Strength (Olivine Cafe) needs Plain from Whitney—often earned earlier. Surf (Dance Theater) needs Fog. Fly (Chuck’s wife) needs Storm. Whirlpool (Rocket Base + Lance) needs Glacier. Waterfall (Ice Path ball) needs Rising after Clair. Use the Team Planner so one mon is not stuck holding every field move.
At a glance
HM locations & badge requirements
| HM | Move | Where you get it | Field badge | Battle stats | Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HM05 | Flash | Sprout Tower 3F · Sage Li gift |  Zephyr (Falkner) |
Normal · — / 70% / 20 PP | Map · Move · Walkthrough |
| HM01 | Cut | Ilex Forest · charcoal master after Farfetch’d |  Hive (Bugsy) |
Normal · 50 / 95% / 30 PP | Map · Move · Walkthrough |
| HM03 | Surf | Ecruteak Dance Theater · after 5 Kimono Girls |  Fog (Morty) |
Water · 95 / 100% / 15 PP | Map · Move · Walkthrough |
| HM04 | Strength | Olivine Cafe · sailor gift |  Plain (Whitney) |
Normal · 80 / 100% / 15 PP | Map · Move · Walkthrough |
| HM02 | Fly | Cianwood City · Chuck’s wife after Chuck |  Storm (Chuck) |
Flying · 70 / 95% / 15 PP | Map · Move · Walkthrough |
| HM06 | Whirlpool | Team Rocket Base B2F · Lance after Electrode |  Glacier (Pryce) |
Water · 15 / 70% / 15 PP | Map · Move · Walkthrough |
| HM07 | Waterfall | Ice Path 1F · visible item ball (31, 7) |  Rising (Clair) |
Water · 80 / 100% / 15 PP | Map · Move · Walkthrough |
Battle stats and map pins match the live TM/HM and moves tools. Badge outdoor rules follow each Gym Leader’s badge text and the field-move gates in the original GBC games.
Typical Johto route
When each HM shows up in a normal playthrough
- Violet · Sprout Tower — Beat Sage Li for HM05 Flash before or around Falkner. Outdoor Flash waits on Zephyr Badge.
- Azalea · Ilex Forest — After Slowpoke Well / Bugsy, herd Farfetch’d and claim HM01 Cut. Outdoor Cut needs Hive Badge.
- Goldenrod — Earn Plain Badge from Whitney so Strength will work later; clear Sudowoodo toward Ecruteak.
- Ecruteak — Defeat all five Dance Theater Kimono Girls → HM03 Surf. The gift itself does not require the Burned Tower Rival scene; Morty’s Fog Badge enables outdoor Surf.
- Olivine — Cafe sailor hands over HM04 Strength as soon as you talk to him. Plain Badge already covers outdoor boulders.
- Cianwood — Surf west, beat Chuck, then his wife gives HM02 Fly (Storm Badge field gate). The SecretPotion / Amphy loop is not a prerequisite for the gift.
- Mahogany Rocket Hideout — Clear Electrode with Lance for HM06 Whirlpool. Pryce’s Glacier Badge lets you cross real whirlpools (Whirl Islands, etc.).
- Ice Path → Blackthorn — Grab the HM07 Waterfall ball on 1F. Outdoor Waterfall only after Rising Badge (Clair + Dragon’s Den).
Detailed pickups
How to get every HM
HM05 · first available
Flash — Sprout Tower
Climb Sprout Tower, battle through the sages, and defeat Sage Li on 3F. He awards HM05 Flash. Teaching is free anytime; lighting dark caves outdoors needs Falkner’s Zephyr Badge.
- Map pin: Sprout Tower 3F gift
- Walkthrough: Climb Sprout Tower for Flash
- Gym: Violet · Falkner
- Move page: Flash · Item: HM05
- Later dark routes: Rock Tunnel style caves in Kanto still appreciate Flash
HM01 · trees & gates
Cut — Ilex Forest
After Azalea’s Rocket / Slowpoke Well beat and Bugsy, enter Ilex Forest. Approach the runaway Farfetch’d from behind until it returns, then talk to the charcoal master for HM01 Cut.
- Map pin: Ilex Forest gift
- Walkthrough: Recover Farfetch’d and earn Cut
- Outdoor trees need Hive Badge
- Early users: starter, Bellsprout line, Heracross later
- Item: HM01 · Move: Cut
HM03 · ocean routes
Surf — Dance Theater
Enter the Dance Theater, defeat all five Kimono Girls, then speak with the gentleman for HM03 Surf. The gift does not check Burned Tower or the Rival; outdoor water needs Morty’s Fog Badge.
- Map pin: Dance Theater gift
- Walkthrough: Ecruteak and HM03 Surf
- Gym: Ecruteak · Morty
- Unlocks Cianwood sea route, Lake of Rage, many caves
- Related: Red Gyarados needs Surf + Fog
HM04 · boulders
Strength — Olivine Cafe
When you reach Olivine for the Lighthouse / Jasmine story, stop at Olivine Cafe. The sailor gives HM04 Strength immediately. Outdoor boulder pushing requires Whitney’s Plain Badge (usually already owned).
- Map pin: Olivine Cafe gift
- Walkthrough: Reach Jasmine at the Lighthouse
- Whitney guide: How to beat Whitney
- Used heavily on Ice Path and later caves
- Move: Strength · Item: HM04
HM02 · travel
Fly — Cianwood City
Surf west from Olivine to Cianwood. Defeat Chuck, then talk to Chuck’s wife outside for HM02 Fly. The SecretPotion / Amphy loop is separate; the Storm Badge enables outdoor Fly between registered towns.
- Map pin: Cianwood gift
- Walkthrough: Chuck and Fly
- Requires Surf access to the city first
- Users: Pidgey/Spearow lines, Noctowl, Skarmory (Silver), Togetic
- Move: Fly · Item: HM02
HM06 · whirlpools
Whirlpool — Rocket Base
During the Mahogany Rocket plot, work through Team Rocket Base B2F with Lance. After the passwords and executives, defeat the three Electrode powering the transmitter. Lance awards HM06 Whirlpool.
- Map hub: Rocket Base B2F
- Walkthrough: Shut down the Mahogany Rocket Hideout
- Field whirlpools need Pryce · Glacier Badge
- Required for Whirl Islands / Lugia path after the Radio Tower wing
- Legendaries hub: Ho-Oh, Lugia & beasts
HM07 · waterfalls
Waterfall — Ice Path 1F
On the route from Mahogany to Blackthorn, traverse Ice Path. On 1F pick up the visible ball at tile (31, 7) for HM07 Waterfall. You can teach it early, but outdoor Waterfall is locked until Clair’s Rising Badge (after Dragon’s Den).
- Map pin: Ice Path 1F ball
- Walkthrough: Cross Ice Path and collect Waterfall
- Gym / badge: Blackthorn · Clair
- Needed for Tohjo Falls and optional late waterfalls; the direct Silver Cave Room 2 route to Red bypasses every waterfall tile
- Post-game: Mt. Silver & Red
Moveslots matter
HM users & party planning
Do not dump every HM on the starter
Surf, Fly, Strength, Waterfall, and Whirlpool eat four moveslots by themselves. Split field duty: a flyer, a surfer, and a Strength user is enough for most of Johto.
Strong early partners
Totodile line covers Surf/Waterfall/Whirlpool well. Birds from Routes 29–46 cover Fly. Geodude / Machop cover Strength. Cut can sit on a grass mon or Bellsprout trade bait.
Move Deleter
HMs can only be deleted in Blackthorn City (Move Deleter house). Plan temporary HM slaves for mid-game, then free slots before the Elite Four if you need competitive moves.
Water package
Surf · Whirlpool · Waterfall share large Water-type pools (65 / 47 / 32 species). Totodile, Quagsire, Gyarados, Lapras, and Kingdra (trade) are common carriers—check exact legality in the TM/HM tool.
Cut & Flash
Cut (60) and Flash (88) have wide Normal/Grass/Psychic pools. Keep them on a bench mon if your ace needs four battle moves.
Fly & Strength
Fly is the smallest list (25)—plan a dedicated flyer. Strength is the widest HM (105); almost any bulky physical mon can hold it without grief.
Run tracker
HM checklist
Checks save in this browser (localStorage). Pair with Run Progress for full story tracking.
Common questions
HM FAQ
Where is every HM in Gold / Silver?
Flash Sprout Tower; Cut Ilex Forest; Surf Dance Theater; Strength Olivine Cafe; Fly Cianwood (Chuck’s wife); Whirlpool Rocket Base B2F; Waterfall Ice Path 1F. See the table above for pins.
Why can’t I Surf / Fly outside?
Teaching the HM is not enough. Outdoor Surf needs Fog Badge; Fly needs Storm Badge; Whirlpool needs Glacier; Waterfall needs Rising; Cut needs Hive; Flash needs Zephyr; Strength needs Plain.
Is this the same as Crystal or HGSS?
Pickup locations above are for original GBC Gold & Silver. Crystal and the remakes change some story beats and maps. Use the site’s Gold vs Silver vs Crystal page if you are choosing a version.
Where is the full TM list?
Use the interactive TM locations checklist for all 50 disks, or open the live TM & HM locations tool for compatibility filters. This page stays focused on the 7 reusable HMs.
Keep exploring