Minecraft 1.20: Everything you need to know about the Trails & Tales update

Minecraft 1.20 update is drawing closer, so we'll tell you everything that's new in the Trails & Tales update

Contents

1. Minecraft 1.20 new mobs: Camels and Sniffers
2. Minecraft 1.20 new biome: Cherry Grove
3. Minecraft 1.20 new blocks: Bamboo and Chiseled bookshelves
4. Minecraft 1.20: Archeology

Minecraft is always moving forwards toward new horizons, with each major update adding a whole host of new features and mechanics to the game. Minecraft 1.20, known as the Trails & Tales update, is no different. It’s bringing new mobs, new biomes, new building blocks, and a whole new archeology system to the game – and that may not even be the full final list of features.

Snapshots are still coming out weekly, and it seems like the official release may be drawing near, so we’re going to round up everything new in Minecraft 1.20 so you can see what’s coming.

Minecraft 1.20 new mobs: Camels and Sniffers

Minecraft Sniffers can find ancient seeds underground

In Minecraft’s endless quest to slowly add every real-world animal to the game, camels are coming to desert villages in the next update. These tamable creatures have a unique benefit over horses, as they’re so tall that mobs can’t hurt you while you’re riding one. On top of that, they can sprint for a while and dash up to ten blocks if executed perfectly, potentially making them an extremely fast new way to travel.

The sniffer won the mob vote at Minecraft Live 2022, and now it’s finally being added to the game. This ancient dinosaur has to have its eggs unearthed from ocean ruins in the new archeology system. They sniff at the ground and dig up ancient seeds which don’t have a purpose just yet, but we’ll let you know as soon as they do.

Minecraft 1.20 new biome: Cherry Grove

Cherry groves in Minecraft are covered with blossom petals on the ground

If you go out and install just about any Minecraft mod that adds new biomes, one you’re guaranteed to find is the cherry blossom biome. These pink trees with equally colorful wood make for an easy win, and they’re so pretty in Minecraft’s visual style. Thankfully, we no longer have to rely on mods to add them, as they’re becoming an official feature in the next update. This also brings a new pink wood type to the game which you can craft in all the ways you’d expect.

Minecraft 1.20 new blocks: Bamboo and Chiseled bookshelves

Chiseled Bookshelves in Minecraft 1.20 let you make varied libraries

Bookshelves are one of Minecraft’s oldest decorative blocks, with their only function being when crafting an enchanting table. However, this update finally lets you use bookshelves to store books. The new chiseled bookshelf starts empty, but slowly grows to look full as you add more books to it.

After existing as a plant in the game for a while, bamboo can finally be crafted together into blocks, with all the flexibility of any other wood type, as well as crafting a raft that has a slightly different appearance to a boat, despite being functionally the same.

There is also a new hanging sign, which uses chains or posts to properly attach itself to anything you place it on. The days of signs awkwardly floating off the side of blocks are finally behind us.

Minecraft 1.20: Archeology

Minecraft 1.20 Trail Ruins are usually found buried underground

Now you can go digging in Minecraft for purposes other than resource gathering. There are now a bunch of different structures called Trail Ruins that can spawn in a Minecraft world. These typically spawn partly underground or underwater, and must be uncovered by the player.

Craft yourself a brush and keep an eye out for suspicious sand or gravel – new blocks that look slightly different from their regular versions. Break them with your brush and you have a chance to get some unique items.

There are the new Armor Trims, which we have full details on in our Minecraft Armor Trims guide, but also pottery shards.

We have a full explanation in our Minecraft Trail Ruins guide, but in short, pottery shards can be crafted together to make the new decorative pot item. You can customize how these look based on the pottery shards you use to put them together.