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Hiking or camping offers an exhilarating way to immerse yourself in nature. However, if you're venturing into unfamiliar territory, it's easy to stray from the trail and lose your sense of direction. While it's always best to carry a compass for safety, you may occasionally find yourself without one. The good news is, there are several methods you can use to find your way when you're compass-less—it's a good idea to familiarize yourself with these techniques before your next adventure in the wild.
Methods to Determine Direction Without a Compass
At night, spot the Big Dipper and use the two stars on its outermost edge to guide you to the North Star, which always points north. Keep in mind that moss generally grows on the north side of trees in the northern hemisphere, and on the south side in the southern hemisphere.
Instructions
Guiding Yourself with the North Star in the Northern Hemisphere at Night
Spot the Big Dipper. The Big Dipper consists of seven of the brightest stars in the sky and can be found high or low in the northern sky, depending on the season. This constellation rotates around the North Star, making it essential for navigation in the Northern Hemisphere. If you're located above approximately 39 degrees north latitude (the latitude of Washington, DC), you can always see the Big Dipper above the horizon. (You can spot it at lower latitudes if you're on the ocean.) The Big Dipper's bowl is formed by four stars, while three others create its handle.
- To remember where to look in the sky based on the seasons, use the phrase “spring up and fall down.” In spring and summer, it appears high in the sky, while in fall and winter, it dips lower toward the horizon.
Follow the pointer stars to find the North Star. No matter the season, the two stars at the edge of the Big Dipper's bowl always point to the North Star. Imagine drawing a line from the pointer stars across the sky to the brightest star in that direction, and you'll locate the North Star.
- If you struggle to find the North Star, extend your arm fully and spread your fingers. The space between the top pointer star and the North Star is roughly the same as the distance from your thumb to your middle finger.
Determine north. Unlike the stars in the Big Dipper, the North Star remains fixed in the sky, always within 1 degree of true north. Once you've found the North Star, you'll know you're facing north. The opposite direction is south, east is to your right, and west is to your left.
- For the best results, use the North Star on a clear night. Cloudy or hazy skies may make it difficult to see the Big Dipper.
- If mountains, trees, or other objects obstruct your view of the night sky, you may not be able to use the North Star for navigation.
Using Two Sticks for Navigation at Night in the Northern Hemisphere
Secure a stick in the ground. Find a stick approximately 2 feet in length and push it into the ground enough to keep it standing upright. It's best to choose a stick that's as straight as possible. Once it's set firmly, sit or crouch so that the tip of the stick is at your eye level.
- If you can't find a stick that’s long enough, tent poles work well as an alternative.
Position a taller stick behind the first one. The second stick should be around 3 to 4 feet long, so its tip extends above the first stick. From your seated or crouched position, align the tips of both sticks with a bright star in the sky. You may need to adjust the sticks slightly to get the star perfectly lined up.
- You’ll know you’ve positioned the sticks correctly if you can draw an imaginary line connecting your eyes, the tops of the sticks, and the star.
Wait for a few minutes. Allow the star some time to “move.” In reality, the star isn’t moving—the Earth rotates, which makes the star appear to shift. Be patient; it may take anywhere from 5 minutes to 30 minutes for the movement to become noticeable. The way the star shifts will help you determine your direction in the Northern Hemisphere.
- If the star moves upward, you’re facing east.
- If it moves downward, you’re facing west.
- If it shifts to the right, you’re facing south.
- If it moves to the left, you’re facing north.
- Sometimes, the star may appear to move in two directions. For example, if it shifts both up and to the right, you’re facing southeast.
Using the Crescent Moon for Navigation at Night
Determine whether you're in the Northern or Southern Hemisphere. The crescent moon can help you identify your general direction depending on which hemisphere you're in. The Northern Hemisphere is the region of Earth north of the equator, while the Southern Hemisphere is the area below the equator.
- North America and Europe are entirely in the Northern Hemisphere. The northernmost part of South America, two-thirds of Africa, and much of Asia also lie in the Northern Hemisphere.
- Australia, Antarctica, the southern third of Africa, about 90% of South America, and some southern islands off Asia are in the Southern Hemisphere.
Find the crescent moon. This technique for determining your direction is only effective when the moon is in the waxing crescent or waning crescent phases, which typically occur for about seven days each month. These phases are usually seen at the start and end of each calendar month.
- If you're uncertain whether a crescent moon will appear on a given evening, there are several online calendars that list the lunar phases for every month. You can simply search for “moon phases calendar” or “lunar phases calendar.”
Imagine a line from the moon's “horns” to the horizon. Keeping your focus on the moon, mentally extend a line from the two points of the crescent down to where the skyline meets the earth. If you're in the Northern Hemisphere, the spot where this line touches the horizon will point approximately south. In the Southern Hemisphere, the line will point toward the north.
- If you're struggling to trace the imaginary line to the horizon, it might help to hold a stick through the tips of the crescent moon to serve as a guide.
Using an Analog Wristwatch for Daytime Navigation
Check that your watch is set correctly. For this method to work, you'll need an analog watch with moving hands that is set to the right time. Make sure your watch is functioning properly, with both the hour and minute hands moving as expected.
- This method won't work with a digital watch, as the hour hand of the analog watch is essential for determining your direction.
Hold the watch flat against the ground. Ideally, the watch should be placed on a level surface. You can take it off your wrist and position it so it rests flat in the palm of your hand. Hold it out in front of you, similar to how you would hold a compass.
- If you find it difficult to steady the watch, use your other hand to support the one holding the watch from below.
Adjust the watch based on your hemisphere. The method of using a watch to find your direction depends on your location in the world. In the Northern Hemisphere, position the watch so the hour hand points directly at the sun. In the Southern Hemisphere, orient the watch so that the “12” is aimed at the sun.
- In the Northern Hemisphere, with the hour hand pointing at the sun, look at where the “12” is. The halfway point between the hour hand and “12” will indicate south, while the opposite direction points to north.
- In the Southern Hemisphere, with “12” pointing at the sun, find the halfway point between “12” and the hour hand to determine north, with the opposite direction being south.
- During daylight savings time (spring to early fall), adjust the hour hand backward by one hour to obtain the most accurate direction.
Observing Nature for Daytime Navigation
Assess the trees for their denser side. Trees are rarely perfectly symmetrical, and one side will usually have more growth. Since plants rely on sunlight, the side that gets the most sun will generally be fuller. In the Northern Hemisphere, the sun primarily travels through the southern sky, so the denser side of the tree will likely face south. In the Southern Hemisphere, the denser side typically faces north.
- To accurately identify the heavier side, walk around the tree a few times. Looking at just one or two sides might not give you the full picture.
- This method works best with solitary trees in open fields. In forests, where trees compete for light, it may not be as clear which side is the heaviest.
Look for moss on trees. Moss typically thrives on the shaded side of trees. In the Northern Hemisphere, moss will generally grow on the north-facing side of the tree. In the Southern Hemisphere, it will usually appear on the south-facing side.
- Keep in mind that other factors can influence moss growth, such as trees being shaded by nearby trees or growing on slopes, which may affect the direction you expect to find moss.
Identify the giant barrel cactus in the desert. The giant barrel cactus, found in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, tends to lean toward the south. This is because its northern side is shaded from the sun, causing it to grow more rapidly. If you encounter a giant barrel cactus, the direction it leans toward is south, with the opposite direction being north.
- The giant barrel cactus typically grows between 3 and 9 feet tall and features spines in various colors, including red, tan, and yellow. Older cacti often bloom with bright orange or yellow flowers.
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Whichever method you choose to determine direction without a compass, the key is practice. Make sure to rehearse your technique multiple times with a compass nearby to confirm that you can achieve accurate results when it matters most.
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Another helpful strategy is the LURD method, which stands for "Left, Up, Right, Down." This approach can be applied to any star, not just the North Star. As you face north, the stars will appear to rotate left; to the east, they move up; to the south, they move right; and to the west, they move down.
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In areas where the roads form a grid system and you're unfamiliar with your route, you'll likely encounter a crossroad at some point that can help you regain your bearings.
The suggestions in this section come from the valuable experiences of Mytour readers like yourself. If you have a helpful tip to share on Mytour, feel free to submit it in the field below.
- A simple yet effective method to determine your direction during the day is to observe the sun. The sun rises in the east and sets in the west, and the same principle applies to the moon as well.
Precautions
- If you're planning a hiking or camping trip to an unfamiliar area, it's a good idea to invest in a compass or GPS device. It's easy to get lost in unknown terrain, and being unable to find your way back to the trail could put you in serious danger.
- While compasses are extremely useful, they can be more harmful than helpful if you're not familiar with their use. A GPS-enabled phone is typically a safer bet for navigating in an unfamiliar location.
