In the world of Red Dead Redemption 2, you can see a lot of rivers, waterfalls, hot springs, lakes, rock formations, and whatnot, all of which resemble real places in the US. You can argue that some of these comparisons are pretty strong.
Rockstar Games blended several parts of America, so these landmarks don’t follow real geography. With that being said, let’s see how some of the famous landmarks of RDR2 compare to their potential counterparts.
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Cotorra Springs
Cotorra Springs is, without a doubt, one of the clearest real-life comparisons. You can’t go wrong with this one. The geysers and hot springs resemble Yellowstone, for sure. The surrounding Grizzlies East area is also likely to be inspired by the Rocky Mountains in Wyoming and Colorado.
Cumberland Falls
Cumberland Falls appears to be based on the real Cumberland Falls. It’s hard to deny that they look alike, apart from some differences in the surrounding land. The very fact that Rockstar kept the same name makes the connection even stronger.
Lannahechee River
Over the couple of times I’ve played the game and spoke with my friends over the past couple of years, I’ve come to believe that Lannahechee River is RDR2’s version of the Mississippi River.
It runs beside Lemoyne and the city of Saint Denis, which itself is based on New Orleans, much like the Mississippi runs through Louisiana. The river also acts as an important route for trade and travel. So there’s that as well.
San Luis River and Sea of Coronado
The San Luis River looks like the Colorado River and I think there’s enough evidence to support it. It flows into the Sea of Coronado, which looks like Lake Havasu on the Arizona-California border. The dry landscape and connection between the lake and river support my theory.
And it’s not just my theory. There has been a lot of debate about this one and a lot of people share the same opinion. Another possible comparison I’ve seen people point out is the Rio Grande, but the Colorado River is the stronger match, in my opinion.
Twin Stacks Pass
Twin Stacks Pass may be based on a similarly shaped rock formation in Nebraska. Look and decide for yourself. I can definitely see the similarity. Feel free to leave a comment if you have any suggestions of your own.
Flat Iron Lake
Flat Iron Lake is interesting in the world of Red Dead Redemption 2. It might be inspired by the Gulf of Mexico, or I’ve even seen people saying that this could be the space where part of Texas would be on a real map. At the end of the day, you can describe it as a fictional body of water created to connect several different regions.
Guarma
Guarma is based on a Caribbean island, for sure, but the question is which one. People say Puerto Rico, especially the western coast around Mayagüez and Aguadilla. I’ve seen people argue that Guarma’s fort resembles the large coastal forts in Puerto Rico.
That’s not all, though. I’ve come across people who say Guarma represents Cuba or it’s located near Cuba. All in all, we can say Guarma is like a mix of Caribbean influences rather than a copy of one island.
Other Smaller Matches
The Serpent Mound point of interest in the game, I believe, is a direct reference to the Serpent Mound in southwestern Ohio. Another possible inspiration is the Three Sisters in Grizzlies East. Rockstar may have been inspired by Three Sisters near Canmore, Alberta, which share the same name and a similar three-peak concept.
But then again, there are plenty of mountain formations that are called Three Sisters, like Kodiak Island, Alaska, and the Three Sisters in Oregon. For that reason, I wouldn’t call this one a definite real-life match, but I can see the resemblance.
Like the towns and states, RDR2’s landmarks are usually blends. Some closely resemble real places, but others may only be similar in some aspects.
