Navigating in the wilderness is one of those things that seems like it should be easy—and it can be! You just need to know how to use your surroundings.

Whether you’re hiking through mountains or a dense forest, there are plenty of ways to keep track of where you are without getting lost.

Even if you’re just exploring your own backyard or local park, knowing how to navigate can help bring out your inner sensei.

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Takeaway
Knowing how to navigate in the wilderness is an important survival skill.
Wilderness navigation requires using tools such as maps, compasses, GPS devices, and natural signs.
Reading maps, using a compass, identifying natural landmarks, and measuring distance and direction are basic wilderness navigation skills.
When lost in the wilderness, try to retrace your steps to the last known location. If you are unable to find your way, stay put and try to make yourself visible to rescuers.
Practicing wilderness navigation skills is important for building confidence and staying safe in the outdoors.

Navigating With A Compass

A compass is a navigational instrument that relies on the Earth’s magnetic field to determine direction.

The needle of a compass points north, and can only be moved by changing its orientation with respect to the Earth’s magnetic field. To do this, you need a housing.

The housing surrounds your compass needle in liquid or glass so that it stays suspended in place; this way it doesn’t get knocked out of alignment whenever you move around or change direction!

If being outdoors is your thing, you need essential skills to navigate the wilderness. Check out our guide on navigating the wilderness to make the most of your adventures.

Navigating With Landforms

Let’s take a look at the different types of landforms and how they can be used to navigate:

Landforms are easy to identify. It’s pretty simple to identify most landforms, especially if you have experience in the area.

Landforms are easy to remember. The shape of a mountain or river valley is unique for each place. You may not be able to describe it in detail, but you will know if you are looking at it from above or below, so this will help you when trying to find your way back home or towards your destination.

Landforms are easy use as landmarks during navigation because they tend not move much over time (this is especially true with mountains).

Navigating with Landforms using Topo Maps

Topo Map Feature	Terrain Feature Description	Navigation Techniques
Contour Lines	Represent elevation and shape of the terrain	Determine topology and elevation of the terrain
Peaks and Summits	Highest points of elevations	Used as a reference point to triangulate location
Valleys	Depressions or low points in terrain	Guide to find river or stream
Rivers and Streams	Linear bodies of water that flow from higher to lower elevations	Used to determine direction and speed of movements
Ridge Lines	High elevation areas that connect two or more peaks	Serve as elevation guide along long-distance routes

Navigating By Shadows

If you’re in the wilderness, you can use the sun’s position to determine your direction and time of day. You can also use it to help find your location and elevation.

To navigate by shadows, first locate the sun’s shadow on a nearby rock or tree at midday—the middle of the day when it’s directly overhead.

Then, note how far away from this object (the “sun dial”) another object casts its own shadow in relation to yours. This will tell you which way is east/west and north/south.

Getting lost in the wilderness can be a scary experience. That’s why it’s important to know how to use a map and compass. Learn more about wilderness navigation with a map and compass with our expert tips.

Navigating By The Stars

Navigating by the stars is one of the oldest methods that people have used to find their way. It can be difficult, but it’s not impossible!

If you understand how navigation works, finding your way in the wilderness is easier than you think. This guide will cover all of the basics of navigating by the stars so that you can confidently and accurately find your way into any backcountry adventure.

Navigating by the Stars using Celestial Navigation Tools

Celestial Object	Navigation Overview	Tools Used for Navigation
Polaris (North Star)	Always located in the same position in the Northern sky	Used as a fixed point of reference to orient a map and determine direction
Sun	Rises in the East and sets in the West	Used as an indicator of time and direction
Moon	Has a predictable orbit and can be used to determine longitude	Lunar distance measurement instruments, such as the octant or sextant
Constellations	Patterns in the sky that can be used to determine direction	Planisphere or star chart

Using Gps Devices

You’ll find that your GPS device will be a useful tool for navigation. If you want to know where you are, it can tell you. If you want to know where you’ve been, it can show you on a map.

If the battery on your GPS device runs out, don’t worry—you can still use it without power by turning off the screen and using the backlight only when needed.

When it comes time to recharge your batteries again (or replace them with fresh ones), remember that they need to be fully charged before use!

When it comes to survival skills, wilderness navigation can be considered the ultimate tool. Check out our article on wilderness navigation as the ultimate survival skill to gain insights on how wilderness navigation can be vital.

Using An App On Your Phone As A Compass

Using a compass app on your phone is an excellent way to find north-south-east-west bearings, and is especially useful if you don’t have a compass with you.

Compass apps for all major platforms are free and easy to use. They display the cardinal points (north, south, east, west) in large letters at the top of the screen with an arrow pointing in that direction as well.

If you’re using it correctly and have a clear view of the sky above you, this should be enough information to figure out where exactly you are on Earth’s surface at any given time.

It’s important not only to know which direction north lies but also whether that arrow is pointing toward or away from magnetic north because they’re not always aligned (magnetic north varies over time).

This means that if you’re heading east according to your compass but magnetic north has shifted during your walk since last year (as it does), then these directions might soon diverge more than just by one degree or so and we wouldn’t want anyone getting lost!

Using a Phone App as a Compass with Navigation Apps

Navigation App	Overview of App	Features
Google Maps	Provides maps, directions, and real-time traffic updates	Compass mode allows you to orient with magnetic North
Compass 360 Pro	Acts as a compass and level tool	Allows you to save your current location and provides degree and cardinal direction
Spyglass	Uses GPS, AR, compass, and gyroscope for navigation	Provides detailed information, a range finder, and multiple viewing modes
Maps 3D Pro	Offers topographical maps for hiking, cycling, and skiing with GPS and compasses	Provides advanced contour lines, route planning, and waypoint management

Improve Your Sense Of Direction

In addition to learning how to read a map, it’s important to practice using your compass as well. Once you’ve mastered its use, take the time to learn how to use it in conjunction with your map.

This will not only help you navigate more efficiently, but also give you greater confidence when navigating in new areas where there is little or no data available on the terrain and wildlife.

When learning how to use a map and compass together (as opposed to just following magnetic north), make sure that whatever method you choose for orienting yourself has been researched and tested beforehand by experts in their respective fields for example, military personnel or mountain guides who have spent years out in nature without any electronic devices whatsoever!

Don’t let yourself get lost in the wilderness! Learn some expert tips on wilderness navigation to keep yourself prepared and confident during your outdoors trip.

Travel In A Straight Line Using Only One Reference Point.

Travel in a straight line.

Only travel in the direction of one reference point.
Use the sun, moon or stars as your reference point. Alternatively, you could use a compass, GPS or app on your phone as your reference point. However, if the batteries run out then you may find yourself stuck without knowing where to go next!
Make sure that you have enough water and food for the journey (at least three days).

Finding Your Way In The Dark

You can use the moon and stars to navigate at night.

If it’s not too cloudy, you’ll be able to see the moon in the sky. Use this to help you work out which direction is south (away from the setting sun), then use a compass or landmarks if needed.

If there’s no moon, find north first by finding true north by using your GPS device or knowing where magnetic north is (it doesn’t change).

Then use that information combined with star patterns, such as Orion’s belt, to identify other constellations like Cassiopeia and Leo which will help orientate yourself on land or sea at night.

If you’re looking to enhance your skills and become a wilderness navigation expert, our comprehensive guide on wilderness navigation from beginner to expert is a great resource to get you there, step-by-step.

Use Landmarks To Navigate At Night

Landmarks are a great way to navigate at night. They can help you find your way in the dark, through rain, and even when the fog is so thick that you can’t see more than 10 feet in front of you.

Use the Moon: It’s true that the moon is bright enough to light up an entire forest floor—and it makes navigating by night much easier if you’re using landmarks as a guide.

If there’s no moon out, stars will serve as your best navigation tools; just remember to use them only during clear nights (that is, not during cloudy or rainy weather).

Look for Trees: Trees are one of nature’s most useful landmarks because they don’t move around very often unlike animals or clouds or even boulders on hillsides. Plus, trees tend to grow near other trees which makes them easier to spot from far away too!

Make Your Own Landmarks

As a general rule, you should avoid using landmarks that could be confused with others. For example, a tree with a large branch sticking out of it is not an ideal landmark because there are many trees in the forest that have branches sticking out of them.

Instead, use something unique to your environment a pile of rocks or sticks on top of each other (like this), for example.

In some cases it can be useful to make your own landmark. If you need to navigate back but can’t find any landmarks from which to navigate, then use items found on the ground such as sticks or rocks and stack them together into an easily identifiable pile (see diagram).

You can also draw arrows or lines in the dirt with sticks if there aren’t enough natural features around you for marking purposes

Conclusion

If you plan on exploring the wilderness, it’s a good idea to learn how to navigate your way around. This guide will help you do just that!

You can use it if you have a compass but no map, or if you don’t have either of those things but still need some guidance on where to go next.

There are also tips on finding your way at night as well as improving your sense of direction so that when traveling through unfamiliar territory doesn’t seem so scary anymore.

FAQs

What is wilderness navigation?

Wilderness navigation is the ability to find your way in outdoor areas that are unfamiliar and unmarked by using tools such as maps, compasses, GPS devices, and natural signs.

Why is wilderness navigation important?

Knowing how to navigate in the wilderness is an essential skill for any outdoor enthusiast. It can help you stay safe and find your way in unfamiliar environments.

What are some basic wilderness navigation skills?

Some basic wilderness navigation skills include reading maps, using a compass, identifying natural landmarks, and measuring distance and direction.

What should I do if I get lost in the wilderness?

If you get lost in the wilderness, stay calm and try to retrace your steps to the last known location. If you are unable to find your way, stay put and try to make yourself visible to rescuers.

What is the best way to practice wilderness navigation skills?

The best way to practice wilderness navigation skills is to go on outdoor trips and practice using maps, compasses, and other navigation tools. You can also take courses or read books on the subject to enhance your skills.

Hellen James

Hi! I’m Hellen James, and I am the founder of Unified Survival. I have a deep passion for the wilderness and everything that goes along with it. I’ve been hiking since I was a child, and I grew up camping in state parks all over the country. But it wasn’t until recently that I learned how to survive in the wilderness.

The Ultimate Wilderness Navigation Guide: How To Find Your Way In The Wild