Riverside – The Safest Haven in the Knox Country Hellscape

As an experienced survivor in the brutal world of Project Zomboid, I’ve learned first-hand that finding a safe area to settle is the difference between temporary luck and lasting through the long dark nights until rescue finally comes. And in my many hours surviving the sprawling map of Knox Country, one location stands out as the closest thing you‘ll get to a reliable safe zone in the apocalypse – the humble town of Riverside.

Why Riverside is the Safest Location

Riverside isn’t a huge metropolis – it tops out around 1,500 total zombies according to community surveys. But what makes Riverside so relatively safe is that nearly half the undead are concentrated in the southern trailer parks and along the main downtown strip. This leaves plenty of areas on the outskirts that, with proper fortification, can become impenetrable sanctuaries. The best part is the natural barrier provided by the river to the north, limiting approach angles.

Of course, true safety is fleeting in Project Zomboid’s ultra-punishing world. But Riverside grants far more flexibility for inevitable mistakes. You can misjudge threat levels, waste precious ammunition, or have mental lapses without immediately dooming a promising run. The rural farmlands provide bountiful foraging to rebound. And the zombie population density grants chances to practice combat tactics before inheriting end-game bases nearer town.

Riverside isn’t just the statistical safest start, but the psychological confidence it breeds sets you up for surviving the truly brutal locations as the months wear on and the undead migrate.

Other Viable Safe Zone Contenders

While my personal journey to 4-month survival began in Riverside, other areas can serve as functional sanctuaries with enough prep. Here are some other contenders:

Rosewood

This quaint rural town boasts only 300 initial zombies. While the population density picks up near the main street, you have slim pickings in the farmland outskirts. The true jewel is the brick fortress that is the fire station near downtown. The second floor lacks exterior access as long as you destroy the stairs or stairwells. Barricade the ground floors, craft sheet rope for supply runs, and you’ve got fortress impenetrable to shamblers.

Muldraugh

Muldraugh teeters between beginner friendly and moderate difficulty with around 1,200 zombies peppered across town. The tavern on the east edge of town provides a solid base thanks to existing walls and nearby foraging. Storage facilities and warehouses northwest of downtown lack windows, allowing focus fortifying doors. And the rural outskirts have several isolated homes and warehouses perfect for self-sufficient bases. The only downside is higher overall zombie density compared to other small towns.

West Point

I do not recommend beginners start in West Point, the largest and most dense location. But for seasoned veterans, the sheer challenge becomes thrill. The payoff is higher concentrations of critical equipment given the expanded zones. Just beware, one mistake cascades quickly here given roaming hoards can rapidly swell to 100+ zombies from every gunshot echo through the cityscape.

Rural Retreats – End Game Base Locations

As the months wear on in Zomboid, zombie migration concentrates the undead in population centers as rural refugees reanimate. This phenomenon opens surprising end-game base opportunities in the countryside as the hordes gravitate inward.

Here are some of my personal favorite rural base locations I’ve uncovered in endless playthroughs:

McCoy’s Logging Camp
This secluded logging camp already sports exterior walls and a main warehouse. Reclaim the overrun buildings house-by-house and fortify the exterior gates. Then live off the existing food stocks and rich foraging opportunities from surrounded forest land.

Ekron
The smallest village location provides existing homes reinforced with stone walls. Connect them via catwalks. Hit nearby farms when you need perishables.

March Ridge
This remote campground set against a hill creates a natural barrier on 180 degrees. Reclaim the bathrooms block-by-block and create an elevated fortress overlooking a lethal drop into the valley below.

Here‘s a breakdown of late-game rural base zombie populations based on my own data sampling:

Of course, no matter how fortified your position, remember that staying alive long-term requires constantly hunting for supplies to sustain yourself. But choose the right starting and end-game locations, and your chances skyrocket. The Knox Country map isn’t all gloom and doom if you know where to take refuge!

Over 500 hours into my endless struggle to outlive the apocalypse, Riverside remains the first spark of hope I kindle with every new survivor. Its reliable safety grants priceless assurance as you set forth desperately searching for the next scrap of security among the perpetual horrors that haunt our new reality. If this guide helps even one person endure just a little bit longer, sharing my painful lessons proves worth undead nightmare I now endlessly endure each passing day. Good luck out there, survivors. And watch those backs! The one who gets you never groans first…