One of the most dangerous aspects of spending time in the wilderness is the potential for getting lost. You are walking along a familiar path and everything is going fine. Perhaps you decide to leave the trail to explore or look for resources, or maybe it is starting to get dark. You get turned around and try to go back the way you came, but nothing is looking familiar.
You immediately think to call somebody or check the GPS on your phone, but you have no signal or the battery is dead. You are lost, and you do not know what to do. This can be one of the scariest scenarios you can possibly face. Most people panic in this situation and start trying to hike out of the woods with no idea which way is the best direction to get to safety. Instead of working their way towards help, they are most often hiking deeper into the wilderness.
The truth is that most people that get lost in the wilderness are actually very close to help. If you stop hiking as soon as you realize that you are lost, you are typically within a mile of a trail, road, or building. However, continuing to try and hike out of the wilderness just makes things worse. It is vital that you stop what you are doing, calm down, and assess your situation. In many cases your best bet is to stay put and signal for help from your current location.
You can do this by building a fire, blowing a whistle, banging on something metal, shining a signal mirror, or even just yelling for help. Being so close to civilization, there is a good chance that somebody will hear or see your signal and come to help. This option ensures that you do not make your situation worse by moving further away from help. If you are going to try to hike out, it is vital that you take the time to get a sense of direction and be strategic about the direction in which you hike.
A few months ago, I went bow hunting in the forest on my uncle’s property in Southern Missouri. Every year we hike to our stands in the early hours before the sun rises, so it can be tough to see where we are going. The only reason we are able to get to our stands is that we had hiked this path so many times. We had the path memorized. I had hiked to this specific stand four or five times in the past, and I was positive that I could find my way there with my eyes closed.
However, I was unaware that my uncle had brush-hogged several new logging roads in this area, so there were all kinds of new roads and intersections that I had never seen before. At each intersection I stopped and second guessed my direction of travel. Did I turn where I was supposed to? Did I miss my turn? In addition, the brush in the area was much taller than the previous season. It had grown from around two feet tall to around six feet tall in just one season. This brush now blocked my view, so when I shined my flashlight I saw nothing but brush. If I was near my stand, I would not be able to see it as the light from my flashlight would never make it that far.
I wandered around in the woods for about 30 minutes before I realized that I was lost. I did not recognize anything around me. For the first time in my life I was turned around on my uncle’s land. I tried to backtrack thinking I could find my stand if I got back to the main logging road. However, I walked for about 15 minutes and still did not recognize anything around me. I ran into a creek that I had never seen before. Finally, I accepted my situation and sat down on the side of the creek. After a while I had more daylight and could start to see further into the woods.
After the sun made it up above the ridgeline, I was able to finally make it back to the main logging road. From there I figured out my intended direction of travel and worked my way towards my stand. It appeared right where I expected to see it. I must have previously walked within 50 yards of the stand and didn’t even realize it because of the tall brush. I tell this story to emphasize the fact that even the most tenured hiker, hunter, or survivalist has the potential to get lost in the wilderness. How you handle getting lost is what will determine your success or failure. In this article I will review all of the different strategies that can be used to figure out a direction of travel if you decide to hike out of the wilderness.
Map and Compass
The most dependable method I have found with which to navigate is using a combination of a map and a compass. When you will be hiking, camping, or hunting on public land, you can typically print an area map off of their website or pick one up at the local conservation office. If you will be hunting, hiking, or camping on private property there may not be a good map of the area. In this case you can zoom in on the area using Google maps and switch to a satellite image. If you print this image you should be able to distinguish roads, buildings, trails, rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, and buildings. Always print the map versus just saving it on your phone as your phone battery may die or you may not have the reception needed to pull up the map. If it is not already on your map, make sure you mark the cardinal directions so you can orient it with your compass.
In order to orient your map with the cardinal directions, you will need to have a good compass and know how to use it. You can bring a separate compass, or you can bring survival tools that have a compass built in. I like to bring both. I have a compass that happens to have a magnifying glass built in for reading fine print on a map. The whole thing is clear plastic so you can see the map details underneath it. The magnifying glass is also great to start a fire if you have plenty of direct sunlight. I have a survival shovel that has a compass built into the handle, a survival bracelet that has one built in, and a set of survival binoculars that has a compass built in. I always like to keep more than one to ensure that both are showing north in the same direction. This way you know if one of them is not working properly.
To use a map and compass together to orient the map, you first place the map down on a flat surface. You will then place the compass down on the map near the indication of cardinal directions. Wait for the needle on the compass to stop moving and note in which direction it is showing north. Then rotate the map to line up north on the map with north on the compass. Hold the compass still while you rotate the map. Once the map lines up with the compass, you will be able to see where all of the general landmarks are in your area. You will then know in which direction you should hike to get to a trail, road, stream, river, lake, or building.
You do have the option of using a compass without a map if you have no map, but it is not as easy. In order for this to work, you need to have a general sense of direction before you head out hiking, camping, or hunting. Whenever you leave the trail or road, you need to note the cardinal direction in which you are travelling. When you head into the wilderness, check your compass. If you are travelling north and need to get back to the trail, then you will head back directly south. This really only works if you have a linear target like a trail, road, creek, river, or shoreline. If you have a non-linear target like a building there is a good chance you will walk right past it.
You can also use a map without a compass if you do not have one. As stated above, maps will have primary landmarks that will help you find your way to safety. However, you have to figure out how to orient your map to use the landmarks as a guide. Your best bet is to find a high point like a hilltop, ridgeline, or mountain peak. You can also climb a tall tree if you feel like you can do it safely. From this vantage point you should be able to see landmarks like roads, trails, creeks, rivers, lakes, ponds, and buildings. Look at the shapes and paths of these landmarks and try to find something similar on the map. Once you find two landmarks that are also on your map, you should be able to rotate your map to orient it properly. Then you can determine the shortest route to civilization.
Using the Sun
The sun is one of the best points of reference for determining your general cardinal directions. On a clear day I almost always have a good sense of the direction in which I am travelling just from how the shadows from the trees appear. The sun rises in the east and sets in the west, so in the morning the shadows will be facing west and in the evening they will be facing east. Of course, this just gives you a rough estimate as the time of year will affect the north/south orientation of the sun.
If you want to get a more accurate gauge of the cardinal directions, you can do so by building a sun compass. Find a stick at least two feet long that is relatively straight. Drive it into the ground so that it is perfectly vertical. This needs to be done on a large dirt patch that is relatively flat. Then, mark an ‘X’ at the end of the shadow it creates. Wait about 20 minutes and then mark another ‘X’ at the end of this shadow. Draw a line between the two ‘X’s. This is your east/west line. Draw a line perpendicular to this one and you will have your north/south line. You have now accurately established all of your cardinal directions and you can orient a map or choose a direction of travel.
Build a Compass
If you do not have access to a compass and do not want to rely on the sun for navigation or it is too cloudy, you can actually build your own compass. You will first need a small container that will hold some water. You can use a cup, cut the bottom off of a plastic bottle, or even use certain types of leaves that have a cupped shape. Fill it with water and find a float of some kind. You can use a cork or a dry leaf. Then, find a straight piece of metal like a sewing needle, a small nail, a straight piece of wire, or a straightened paperclip.
Strike or rub the piece of metal with a metal tool such as the spine of a knife, pliers, a hammer, a railroad spike, or any other thick metal object. Doing this will align the ions and magnetize the straight piece of metal. Place the float in the water and place the straight piece of metal on top. Set it flat on the ground and wait for the float to stop spinning. The metal should align with the north and south poles. Draw a line in the dirt parallel to it. Then draw another line perpendicular to the first. This is your east/west line. You now have all four cardinal directions to orient your map or to decide which way to go.
Follow the Water
Most towns, villages, and cities on every continent were built around sources of water. This was done so drinking water was available, so bathing was easier, so fish would be a regular source of food, and so travel would be easier. These bodies of water could be lakes, rivers, streams, or ocean shorelines. Often you are most likely to find people by following water sources. Small water sources like streams tend to flow into larger water sources such as rivers or lakes. Heading downstream will typically give you a better chance of finding people.
To find a body of water, get to a high spot like a hilltop, a ridgeline, and mountain peak, or you can even climb a tall tree. From there you should be able to see any large bodies of water not hidden by trees. If you do not see any bodies of water, look for areas where the trees and plants are greener, taller, and thicker than their surroundings. Often this is where you will find a smaller body of water or a dry creek or river bed. Even following a dry creek or river bed gives you a better chance of finding water than randomly wandering through the wilderness.
Animal activity can also be a good indicator of where you might find water. Most animals follow the same routine every day. They generally will follow the same path to and from water every time they go for a drink. This wears a path in the forest floor where nothing will be growing. You may also see animal tracks or droppings along these game trails.
Following a game trail will often take you to the closest source of water. When choosing a direction on the game trail, downhill is always better. Also, animals typically take the path of least resistance. This means that your hike will be easier if you follow a game trail versus blazing a trail of your own. You will often be able to avoid brush, thorns, and fallen trees if you follow these trails.
Helping Rescue Personnel
As stated above, staying put and waiting for help is often your best bet for rescue. It is hard enough for rescue personnel to find a stationary target. Chasing a moving target just complicates the situation. Always tell a few people where you will be hiking and when you should be home so that they can alert rescue personnel if you do not make it home. If you are unable to determine a logical path to safety, you really should stay put.
If you are with a vehicle, it is almost always best to stay with your vehicle. A large metal object is an ideal target for people to find when they are looking for you. You may have some supplies in the car that can help your situation. Sitting in the car can help you stay out of the wind. You can periodically honk the horn and flash the lights. In addition, if you are willing to take parts off of the car you can use many of them for survival. Seat cushions make for ideal insulation. The battery can be used to start a fire. Wires can make for ideal cordage. You can bang on the hood to make noise for a signal. The mirrors can be used for signaling. The lens from the headlights can be used to magnify sunlight for a fire. Tires can be thrown on a fire for jet black smoke that will most likely get somebody’s attention.
If you do decide to hike to safety, make it easier for rescue personnel to track you down. Mark a large arrow on the ground with rocks or sticks to indicate your direction of travel. Then mark your trail as you hike. Every 20 or 30 yards, use a knife, hatchet, or rock to make a notch in a tree trunk along your path. This will help rescuers follow your path and will also help you get back to your starting point if you decide that you are headed in the wrong direction.
Taking a GPS or PLB (Personal Location Beacon) with you in the wilderness is always a good idea. These devices save lives in the wilderness every year. However, you should never completely rely upon these devices. GPS and PLB devices can get waterlogged if they are dropped in a stream or puddle. They have batteries that will eventually run out of charge. In addition, they both rely upon having a signal to communicate with a satellite. You cannot be sure that you will have a signal along your entire journey. Bring these devices with you, but you should still have more reliable ways to navigate in the wilderness.
It is vital that you take the time to practice these methods of navigation. You can often find an orienteering group to practice your skills. Just be sure that they are using more primitive methods as many of these groups now entirely rely upon GPS. Head into the woods with a group and take a map and compass to navigate. As you become more comfortable with this, try using just a map or just a compass. Then move on to the other navigation methods discussed in this article. You will want plenty of practice navigating with these techniques. If you are comfortable navigating in the wilderness, your odds of survival will be that much better if you ever find yourself lost.
Ryan Dotson is a survivalist, writer, photographer and prepper. Mr. Dotson was raised in the Ozark Mountains. His interest in survivalism began with the Boy Scouts. His father, uncle and grandfather continued to teach him how to hunt and fish. Currently living in Mid-Missouri, Mr. Dotson has begun to write about his experiences of survival here at SurvivalistWarrior.com.