So today I wanted to find those weird hidden paint sprays in GTA 5, the special colors everyone talks about. Honestly thought it would be simple. Spoiler: it wasn’t.
Starting Off Clueless
I hopped online like anybody else would, right? Searched for “gta 5 special paint locations”. Found tons of forum posts and old videos. Half the links were dead or led to arguments. People were yelling about spots being patched or just straight-up wrong. Got annoyed real quick. My buddy swore he knew one near Sandy Shores, but his directions were “uh, kinda near that rusty thing… maybe?”. Useless.
Loaded up my save in Los Santos. Just picked a direction and started driving. Aimed north, figuring less traffic, fewer cops messing with me.
The First Wild Gooses
First stop: Chilliad Mountain State Wilderness. Sounded remote enough for hidden stuff. Drove my Mesa up dirt tracks for ages. Saw absolutely nothing that looked like a paint spray marker. Just trees, rocks, and cougars trying to eat me. Seriously, wasted like an hour. Found a cool view, zero paint.
Next idea: The Train Tunnels. Heard whispers about tunnels having secrets. Drove along the tracks near Fort Zancudo. Parked, ran inside dark tunnels with just the headlights. Smelled virtual urine, found garbage, graffiti tags… but no special paint icon. Just damp disappointment and a train that almost splattered me when I wasn’t looking. Panic running is not fun.
Finally Getting a Break (Almost)
Getting desperate. Pulled up the in-game map, zooming all the way in. Spotted this weird little service road snaking off near the Cassidy Creek power lines, super isolated. Thought: “Okay, maybe…” Grabbed a Sanchez bike, easier for off-road.
The “road” was barely a goat track. Bounced that bike through bushes, rocks, almost flipped it ten times. Then, out in the middle of nowhere near some power transformers – BAM. There it was! This little, almost invisible paint spray icon tucked right behind a rusty generator building. Not marked on the map, completely hidden unless you basically fell over it. My guy did his dumb little “found it” animation. Felt like a genius for a whole five seconds.
The Elusive Ones
Okay, got one! Momentum! Tried finding more using the same “look for stupid tiny paths” method.
- Tried the docks near Elysian Island. Got shot at by gang members looking for scrap metal.
- Checked behind the Vinewood Bowl theatre. Nada. Just tourists taking selfies.
- Heard about one under a freeway bridge near Legion Square. Drove every inch under every bridge. Found hobos and trash, no paint spray.
Started believing half of these were myths players made up. Got distracted by a Simeon text wanting a car. Almost threw the controller.
The Ultimate Stupid Hidden Spot
Took a break, had a coffee. Remembered someone mentioning a spot “near the wind farm, underwater kinda?”. Sounded nuts, but why not. Flew a Buzzard heli (stolen, obviously) out to the Alamo Sea wind farm. Dove that thing right down near the water, skimming the surface. Circled the giant metal pillars holding up the turbines.
No way. There it was. Floating barely above the waterline, attached to the base of one of the middle platforms. A paint spray icon. Underwater level? Seriously? Landed the Buzzard precariously on a beam like a drunk bird, swam over. Got it! Felt like I cracked a damn CIA code. Place is ridiculous.
Wrapping Up That Mess
So yeah, that was my afternoon:
- Got lost in woods. Got chased by cougars.
- Almost got hit by a train looking for phantom paint.
- Got shot at near the docks.
- Finally found one hidden behind junk near power lines.
- Nearly crashed a helicopter finding one glued to a turbine pillar underwater.
Moral of the story? Rockstar hides these things like they’re state secrets, probably for laughs watching us scramble. You gotta get off the main roads, zoom way in on that map for tiny details, and be ready to look in utterly stupid places. Patience? Yeah, you’ll need lots of that too. Or just be really stubborn and slightly insane, like me.
