Guide to the Sky Pillar in Pokemon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald

Rayquaza’s domain in Pokemon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald is the Sky Pillar, here’s where it is and how to get in.

The Sky Pillar is found in an out-of-the-way location in gen-three Pokemon titles. Though players can technically come very close to it as soon as they have the ability to use Surf, they can’t gain entry until much later on. Even after gaining access, it’s not easy to reach the top. Pokemon players are given a rare test of their reactions and puzzle-solving skills.

That said, the fact that it offers up access to arguably the strongest Pokemon of its generation makes it worth visiting. Here’s where to find the Sky Pillar in Pokemon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald and how to reach the top. Do note that this plays out differently in remakes Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire.

Where is the Sky Pillar in Pokemon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald?

The Sky Pillar can be found along the northern perimeter of route 131. 

The Sky Pillar will be blocked off for much of the game, but will open up in Ruby and Sapphire after beating the Elite Four. In Pokemon Emerald, Wallace will indicate when it is fully accessible to the player.

Players can access the Sky Pillar by heading to Pacifidlog Town and sailing east. Hug along the rocky border to the north and look for a path that weaves into the Sky Pillar. After they gain entry, a series of puzzles awaits them.

How to get through the Sky Pillar

To get through the Sky Pillar, players need to use the Mach Bike.

While Pokemon doesn’t traditionally have any execution requirements for players and lets them play at a leisurely pace, the Sky Pillar is one of the rare exceptions. Players need to use the Mach Bike to get across a series of floor tiles that break if they stop. Moving over a broken tile results in the player dropping to the level below. The Acro Bike is not fast enough to get the player over these tiles.

This ultimately results in players having to weave their way through these tricky areas on the Mach Bike. Players will need to be precise in their movements, otherwise they will hit an obstacle and drop. The good news is that there are only a few floors before reaching Rayquaza. This is still one of the most challenging parts of early-generation Pokemon games despite not actually requiring any battles. It will be interesting to see how this area feels on Nintendo Switch given the possibility of a re-release via Nintendo Switch Online.