How to Get All the HMs in Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen

Quick HM Checklist (Locations + Badge Requirements)

If you’re the type who likes a “just tell me where it is” answer first, this is your cheat sheet (the legal, non-GameShark kind).
Details and step-by-step directions follow.

HM Basics: What They Are (and Why They’re a Commitment)

HMs are special moves that do double duty: they work in battle and unlock field actionscutting trees, traveling over water, moving boulders, and so on.
In Generation III, the big catch is this:

• Once a Pokémon learns an HM, it can’t forget it normally.
• You can remove HM moves later, but only by visiting the Move Deleter in Fuchsia City.
• Most HM field actions require a specific Gym Badge before they work outside battle.

Translation: teaching HMs is a “measure twice, teach once” situationunless you enjoy building a team of four beloved partners and two reluctant interns whose job is
“carry Cut forever.”

HM01 Cut

Cut is your first real “gate key” HM. It clears small trees that block shortcuts, hidden items, and a handful of progression paths.
You’ll use it constantly early on, then occasionally laterlike that one friend who shows up every few months and still eats all your snacks.

Where to get Cut

You get HM01 Cut on the S.S. Anne in Vermilion City. After battling your rival on the ship, find the Captain in his quarters and help him feel better.
He’ll reward you with HM01.

Step-by-step directions

1. Beat Misty in Cerulean City and handle the Nugget Bridge/Team Rocket interruption so you can progress.
2. Get the S.S. Ticket from Bill and travel to Vermilion City.
3. Board the S.S. Anne, explore, and fight your rival on the ship.
4. Go to the Captain’s room and talk to him to receive HM01 Cut.

How to use Cut outside battle

To actually cut trees in the overworld, you need the Cascade Badge (from Misty). If you have Cut but your Pokémon keeps refusing to play lumberjack,
check your badge case first.

Pro tip

Try not to teach Cut to a Pokémon you plan to keep as a permanent battler unless it naturally fits the set.
Cut isn’t terrible early-game, but it’s rarely anyone’s forever move.

HM02 Fly

Fly is the quality-of-life king. It turns long walks into instant travel, and your future self will thank your past self for not making you jog
through three routes and a cave “for the nostalgia.”

Where to get Fly

You receive HM02 Fly from a girl in a house on Route 16, west of Celadon City. It’s near the Cycling Road entrance area.

Step-by-step directions

1. Reach Celadon City.
2. Head west onto Route 16.
3. Use Cut on the small tree that blocks access to the upper path.
4. Enter the nearby house and talk to the girl inside to receive HM02 Fly.

How to use Fly outside battle

Fly requires the Thunder Badge (from Vermilion Gym). If you grabbed Fly “early” but can’t use it yet, that’s usually why.

Pro tip

If you’re trying to keep your main team clean, a common approach is teaching Fly to a dedicated flier you don’t mind carrying.
The move is strong enough to be useful, but it’s also a two-turn move, so it’s not always ideal in tougher battles.

HM03 Surf

Surf is the HM that turns Kanto from “mostly land” into “wait, how much stuff was behind water?”
It’s also one of the best attacks in the gamestrong, accurate, and widely compatible. If you’re picking one HM that’s worth putting on a real battler, Surf is it.

Where to get Surf

HM03 Surf is in the Safari Zone in Fuchsia City. You’ll get it from the man inside the Secret House.

Step-by-step directions (Safari Zone edition)

1. Reach Fuchsia City and enter the Safari Zone.
2. Navigate through the Safari Zone areas toward the far end where the Secret House is located.
3. Enter the Secret House and talk to the NPC inside to receive HM03 Surf.

How to use Surf outside battle

Surf needs the Soul Badge from Koga’s Gym in Fuchsia City. Yes, the game will absolutely hand you Surf and then say,
“Cool. Go earn the right to use it.” Classic.

Pro tips for the Safari Zone

• Plan your route. The Safari Zone has a step/time limit, and it’s very easy to wander like a confused tourist.
• Ignore “optional” items on your first Surf run. You can come back later when you’re not racing a timer.
• Save before entering. If you get turned around, resetting is faster than reenacting a full safari meltdown.

HM04 Strength

Strength lets you push boulders in the overworld. In battle, it’s a solid Normal-type move for many Pokémonmore respectable than Cut,
and less “why did I teach this?” than some other HMs.

Where to get Strength

Strength comes from the Safari Zone Warden in Fuchsia City, but there’s a catch:
you have to find his missing Gold Teeth inside the Safari Zone first.

Step-by-step directions

1. Enter the Safari Zone in Fuchsia City.
2. In the later areas, locate the Gold Teeth (they’re an item on the ground).
3. Leave the Safari Zone and visit the Warden’s house in Fuchsia City (near the Gym area).
4. Return the Gold Teeth to the Warden to receive HM04 Strength.

How to use Strength outside battle

Strength requires the Rainbow Badge from Celadon Gym (Erika). If you reached Fuchsia the usual way,
you likely already have itjust don’t skip Celadon and then wonder why boulders feel emotionally immovable.

Pro tip

Strength is one of the friendlier HMs to keep on a real team member because it’s not completely useless in battle.
If you must “HM-up” a main Pokémon, Strength is a reasonable compromise.

HM05 Flash

Flash lights up dark caves, most notably Rock Tunnel. Is it strictly required? Not always.
Is it a huge sanity saver? Absolutelyunless you enjoy navigating caves by bumping into walls like a Roomba.

Where to get Flash

You get HM05 Flash from Professor Oak’s aide in a building on Route 2, just south of the Diglett’s Cave exit.

Step-by-step directions

1. Travel through Diglett’s Cave (enter near Vermilion City, exit near Pewter City/Route 2).
2. Head south on Route 2. You’ll see cuttable trees blocking access to the building.
3. Use Cut to reach the building.
4. Talk to Oak’s aide inside. You must have at least 10 Pokémon registered as “Owned” to receive HM05 Flash.

How to use Flash outside battle

Flash requires the Boulder Badge from Pewter City (Brock). That’s the first badgeso if Flash won’t work,
the issue is almost never “wrong badge” and almost always “wrong Pokémon taught” or “you didn’t actually teach it yet.”

Pro tip

If you’re trying to keep your team’s movesets clean, Flash is a great candidate for an HM helper Pokémon.
You’ll use it in a few key places, then happily forget it existsuntil the next dark cave jumpscares you.

HM06 Rock Smash

Rock Smash breaks certain cracked rocks in the overworld. In FireRed/LeafGreen, it’s especially handy in the later game and postgame content.
In battle, it’s… fine. It exists. It tries its best.

Where to get Rock Smash

You receive HM06 Rock Smash from an old man inside Ember Spa on Kindle Road (One Island in the Sevii Islands).

Step-by-step directions

1. Progress far enough in the story to access the Sevii Islands (One Island).
2. Go to Kindle Road and find the cave entrance that leads to Ember Spa.
3. Enter Ember Spa and talk to the old man inside to receive HM06 Rock Smash.

How to use Rock Smash outside battle

Rock Smash requires the Marsh Badge from Saffron City (Sabrina). If you obtained Rock Smash on the islands but can’t break rocks yet,
you’re not buggedyou’re just missing the right badge.

Pro tip

Rock Smash is a classic “HM helper” move. Teach it to a Pokémon that already carries other utility moves, so you’re not sacrificing a key slot on your main sweeper.

HM07 Waterfall

Waterfall is the final HM in FireRed/LeafGreen, and it’s mostly a postgame unlock.
In battle, it’s a solid physical Water move (and yes, in Gen III, Water moves are still Specialso choose the user accordingly).

Where to get Waterfall

HM07 Waterfall is found in Icefall Cave on Four Island (Sevii Islands).

Step-by-step directions

1. Advance through the Sevii Islands story until you can access Four Island.
2. Enter Icefall Cave and navigate the cave’s puzzle sections.
3. Locate the item ball containing HM07 Waterfall and pick it up.

How to use Waterfall outside battle

Waterfall requires the Volcano Badge from Cinnabar Island (Blaine). By the time you can reasonably get Waterfall,
you almost always have this badgeunless you’re doing an unusual challenge run and enjoying chaos.

Pro tip

Waterfall’s field use is limited compared to Surf, but it’s still required for certain spots. Consider teaching it to a Water-type that isn’t already overloaded with utility moves.

Smart HM Strategy (Without Wrecking Your Movesets)

If you’ve ever taught four HMs to a beloved starter and then stared at your screen whispering,
“I’m sorry I did this to you,” welcome. Let’s prevent that.

1) Build an “HM helper,” not an HM tragedy

Many players carry a dedicated Pokémon whose job is utility: Cut, Flash, Rock Smash, Strengthwhatever you need so your main fighters don’t have to.
You don’t need a perfect HM mule; you just need one that can legally learn the moves and won’t collapse in battle every time a Zubat looks at it funny.

2) Put Surf and Strength on “real” battlers (if you must)

Surf is genuinely great, and Strength is at least respectable. If you dislike running extra party members, those two are the least painful HMs to keep long-term.

3) Remember the Move Deleter exists

In Fuchsia City (right near the Pokémon Center), the Move Deleter can remove HM moves when you’re ready to upgrade your movesets.
This is your escape hatchuse it.

4) Badge checks solve 80% of “My HM doesn’t work” problems

If an HM works in battle but not on the map, it’s almost always because you don’t have the required badge yet. Before you panic, open your badge case.
Your Pokémon isn’t brokenit’s just unionized.

Common Mistakes That Make You Feel “Softlocked” (But Aren’t)

• You have the HM, but you never taught it.
  HMs don’t activate by vibes. Use the HM on a compatible Pokémon first.
• You taught the HM, but you don’t have the badge.
  Fly, Surf, Strength, Rock Smash, and Waterfall all have badge requirements for field use.
• You’re in the Safari Zone and the timer/step limit ran out.
  It happens to the best of us. Re-enter, plan a route, and pretend the previous run was “scouting.”
• You skipped counting your “Owned” Pokédex entries for Flash.
  The aide wants at least 10 owned species. If you’re short, go catch a couple quick route Pokémon.
• You spread HMs across too many party members.
  Suddenly your team is seven moves away from doing real damage. Consolidate utility when possible.

Trainer Experiences: The HM Hunt, the Safari Timer, and Other Character-Building Moments

Let’s talk about the emotional side of collecting HMs in FireRed/LeafGreenbecause the game doesn’t just hand you tools,
it hands you small life lessons disguised as cuttable trees.

First, the S.S. Anne Cut moment. You board the ship feeling fancy, like you’re about to sip a lemonade and enjoy a luxury cruise.
Ten battles later, you’re weaving through cabins like a door-to-door salesperson, and then you find the Captain seasick in his room.
The game asks you to help him, and you dobecause you’re a hero, obviouslyand then he hands you Cut.
It feels like a medal. It also feels like the start of a long relationship with shrubbery.
Suddenly every tiny tree is a personal challenge, and you’re cutting shortcuts like you’re late for a meeting.

Then comes Fly, the first time you realize the game actually wants you to backtrack… a lot.
You step into that Route 16 house, talk to the girl, and receive Fly like it’s a gift from the gods of convenience.
The first time you use it successfully, it’s like discovering fast travel in an open-world game.
The tenth time you use it, you start wondering how you ever lived without it.

And then there’s Surf, aka “The Safari Zone Humbling Experience.”
You walk into the Safari Zone confidentmaybe too confident.
You take two wrong turns, chase a rare Pokémon you don’t even need, and suddenly the step counter is yelling at you like a disappointed coach.
The Secret House starts to feel like a myth: “Some say it exists. Others say it’s just a legend told to scare new trainers.”
When you finally reach it with five steps left, your brain produces a victory fanfare that the game never bothered to include.
You talk to the guy inside, get Surf, and immediately think: “I will never take water routes for granted again.”
(You will. But for a few minutes, you won’t.)

Strength is its own mini-quest comedy. You’re already in the Safari Zone chasing Surf, and now you’re also hunting Gold Teethbecause apparently dentists don’t exist in Kanto.
You find them, return them to the Warden, and he gives you Strength like this was a totally normal afternoon.
Your reward is pushing boulders around, which sounds simple until you realize half the puzzles are designed to make you push the wrong one first,
then stare at the screen, then push it back while pretending you meant to do that.

The postgame HMsRock Smash and Waterfallhit differently. By then, you’re more experienced.
You’ve survived Team Rocket shenanigans, navigated dark caves, and probably developed a mild hatred for the words “This isn’t the time to use that!”
Getting Rock Smash in Ember Spa feels peaceful… until you remember you still need the Marsh Badge to use it properly,
and the game gently nudges you back into “go earn it” mode.
Waterfall in Icefall Cave is the capstone: you’re doing puzzles, exploring hidden parts of the Sevii Islands, and picking up a move that’s less about “main story progression”
and more about “completionist satisfaction.”
It’s the game’s way of saying, “If you made it this far, you’re one of us now.”

In the end, collecting all HMs is less about the moves themselves and more about how the game teaches you Kanto’s logic:
progress is earned, shortcuts are rewarded, and every time you think you’re done backtracking… you’re not.
But heythat’s part of the charm. Also, Fly makes it hurt a lot less.

Wrap-Up

Getting all the HMs in FireRed/LeafGreen is one of the most satisfying “tools unlocked” journeys in classic Pokémon.
Once you have Cut, Fly, Surf, Strength, Flash, Rock Smash, and Waterfall, the world opens upoptional paths, postgame areas, hidden items, and a smoother overall ride.

If you take only two things from this guide, let it be these:

1. Always check the badge requirement when an HM won’t work outside battle.
2. Be picky about who learns whatHMs are sticky, but the Move Deleter is your cleanup crew.

Now go forth, cut the trees, surf the seas, and push the boulderspolitely, with your knees, and preferably not into a corner you can’t escape from.