If you have been grinding your way through ARC Raiders for any real amount of time, you already know the game does not exactly hold your hand. The world is massive, the terrain punishes anyone who wanders off blindly, and the quest design often expects you to pay attention to every line of text a character throws at you. Celeste’s questline is a perfect example, especially when you hit the Celeste's Journals quest. That is why I decided to sit down and put together this full ARC Raiders Celeste's Journals guide based on actual hands on experience.

Before we dive into the detailed walkthrough, let me give you one quick tip. Since moving between remote points in Dam Battlegrounds can burn plenty of resources, some players like to stock up before attempting longer scavenger loops. If you are someone who likes to stay prepared, you can always buy ARC Raiders coins from PVPBank to keep your stash healthy before taking on tougher quests. One mention, early on, and done.

With that out of the way, let us get into what makes Celeste’s Journals such an oddly tricky quest and how you can complete it without running into the infamous journal bug that so many players keep complaining about.

Why Celeste’s Journals Quest Confuses New Players

Celeste’s Journals sounds simple on paper. She asks you to retrieve two of her lost journals from specific outposts in Dam Battlegrounds. If you read the objective text closely, it sounds like a chill scavenger hunt. But the quest has a few hidden gotchas:

You must collect both journals in the same run, without extracting in between.

The second location is mislabeled on the map, throwing players off.

Hostile activity around both outposts can delay your progress or force you into extraction if things go sideways.

And, to make things more interesting, the quest often bugs out if you extract after picking up just one journal.

This ARC Raiders Celeste's Journals guide covers all of that, so you can get the quest done cleanly, and move on with Celeste's larger storyline.

Where Celeste’s Journals Fits In Her Questline

Celeste gives out a handful of location based assignments. If you have done quests like A Bad Feeling or Greasing Her Palms, you already know how her missions play out. She is all about scouting, exploring infrastructure, and visiting specific buildings or vantage points.

Celeste’s Journals is one of her earlier but more tedious tasks. It is basically a two stop scavenger trip to:

South Swamp Outpost
Northern Outpost overlooking the Red Lakes

And yes, both journals need to be safely in your backpack before extraction if you want the completion to register.

Let us go step by step, starting with the easiest location.

South Swamp Outpost Journal Location

How To Reach the First Journal

To grab the first journal in Celeste’s Journals quest, open your map and make your way toward the Dam Battlegrounds area. From there, head west toward Water Treatment Control. The South Swamp Outpost is located just past that building, sitting low in the swampy terrain.

Veteran tip
Pick up at least one Adrenaline Shot before heading out. You will be doing some long, stamina draining stretches, and it is a lifesaver during unexpected fights.

When you approach the South Swamp Outpost, you will notice a rundown structure with a rusted out doorway and a dome shaped piece sticking off the top. This building almost blends into the swamp if you are not paying attention, especially with fog or bad lighting.

What To Expect Inside The Outpost

The area is crawling with raiders. Depending on the spawn pattern for your run, you may deal with anything from a couple of scouts to a full pack of hostiles.

Clear the immediate exterior first. Trust me, nothing ruins your search like getting blindsided mid interaction.

Once you go inside, check both walls and corners. The journal is usually placed beside a bedroll, easy enough to see once the coast is clear.

Interact with the journal prompt, and you will secure the first half of Celeste’s Journals.

Do not extract. That is the number one mistake players make. If you leave with just this one, the quest can soft lock and you will need to redo the entire thing.

Now it is time for the more confusing location.

Northern Outpost Overlooking the Red Lakes Journal Location

Why This Location Trips People Up

The problem with this objective is the naming. The quest text calls it the Northern Outpost overlooking the Red Lakes. But the map in Dam Battlegrounds labels the area Raider Outpost East.

So if you are following the map literally, you will waste time looking around the wrong areas.

How To Find the Right Outpost

Start from wherever you are in the swamp and work your way northeast toward the outer edge of the Dam Battlegrounds region. The outpost you want sits at the top of a cliff with a wide view of the Red Lakes basin.

Look for rugged, sloped rock paths leading upward. These natural ramps will eventually bring you to Raider Outpost East, which is actually the Northern Outpost referenced in the quest.

What The Outpost Looks Like

From the outside, it has a similar abandoned look to the South Swamp Outpost, except it is positioned much higher with a clean vantage over the Red Lakes. The visibility here is excellent, but that also means raiders can spot you more easily.

Expect a fight. This outpost often has raiders patrolling both the perimeter and the interior.

Where To Find the Journal

Once inside the outpost building, check the usual spots. Like the first location, the journal is placed by a bedroll. Interact with it to secure the second journal.

At this point, you are done collecting. The only thing left is extraction.

Extracting With Both Journals

Make Sure You Do This in One Run

Once both journals are in your backpack, pick a close extraction point and get out. The quest completes successfully only if the game registers both journals during a single extraction.

If all goes well, you will receive:

Magnetic Acceleration
Exodus Modules
Heavy Gun Parts x3

These rewards are solid early game items and help round out your gear progression.

But what if things go wrong? What if the quest bug hits you?

How To Fix Celeste’s Journals Quest Bug

A lot of players run into an issue where the quest does not progress even after retrieving one or both journals. If this happens to you, here is the fix:

Go back to Dam Battlegrounds
Drop any journals from your inventory on the ground
Visit both locations again and redo the search interactions
Extract with both journals in the same run

Doing this resets the quest flags and forces the game to update your progression.

Tips To Make This Quest Easier

Over the course of testing and replaying this quest several times, a few consistent strategies always make it smoother.

1. Travel Light

Do not bring unnecessary gear. You will be crossing long distances and climbing rock paths. Keep your stamina manageable.

2. Clear Hostiles Before Searching

The journal props are tiny. If you start searching during combat, you are asking for trouble.

3. Use High Ground Wisely

Especially around the Red Lakes outpost. Spot enemies early and avoid ambushes.

4. Read the Quest Text Literally

This applies to every Celeste quest. She names locations with pretty high accuracy, even when the map labels are inconsistent.

5. Always Plan Your Extraction Route

There is nothing worse than grabbing both journals and realizing your nearest extraction is swarming with raiders.

Final Thoughts On Celeste’s Journals

Celeste’s Journals is one of those ARC Raiders quests that sounds simple, but punishes anyone who rushes it. If you follow the steps in this ARC Raiders Celeste’s Journals guide, you will save yourself from the most common problems players run into.

Work through the South Swamp Outpost first, then climb to the Northern Outpost overlooking the Red Lakes, secure both journals, and extract in a single run. Stay patient, move smart, and the quest falls into place easily.

If you want deeper guides for Celeste’s full questline or other Dam Battlegrounds missions, feel free to ask anytime.