How to Navigate With a Compass, Map, and the Sun

Compasses may seem complicated at first glance, but they’re one of the simplest ways to navigate. They help navigators find out which direction is north, then south, east, and west. Knowing how each part of the compass functions and contributes to your sense of geography will reduce your risk of getting lost in nature. Before you learn how to use a compass, it’s important to learn what its basic features are.

1. 1. Baseplate: The compass baseplate is a plastic base for the compass that functions as a straight edge for measuring scale, triangulation, and displaying your direction-of-travel arrow.
2. 2. Housing: The housing connects your compass to its baseplate, and also contains a degree dial which you can use to find your “bearings,” which is the direction you should be traveling marked by degrees. To do this, align the north-pointing magnetic needle with the orienting needle, which should always be facing away from your body.
3. 3. Index line: The index line is a notch on the outer part of the compass ring that indicates your bearings in degrees.
4. 4. Rotating bezel: The rotating bezel sits on top of the compass housing, allowing you to adjust the positioning of your orienting arrow and magnetized needle.
5. 5. Travel arrow: Your direction-of-travel arrow is part of the baseplate that indicates the direction you’ll be traveling. It points away from the compass, and should always point away from you when you’re orienting your compass.
6. 6. Magnetized arrow: Your magnetic arrow uses the earth’s magnetic pole to locate the magnetic north. This will usually be slightly different from “true north” by a few degrees.
7. 7. Orienting arrow: The orienting arrow identifies north and outlines the magnetized needle, which is the one with the red arrow tip that always swings to magnetic north.
8. 8. Orienting lines: The orienting lines are located on either side of the orienting arrow. They move with the rotating bezel and are used to help orient your compass when used with a map grid.
9. 9. Magnetic declination markers: There is almost always a discrepancy between the “true north” pole (which is where the Earth’s longitudinal mines meet) and the Earth’s magnetic north pole. The difference between these two numbers is called “declination,” and it varies at different locations around the world. You should always know your degrees of declination before embarking on a wilderness trip because a variation of a few degrees can lead you off track. Some compasses feature a declination scale, which indicates the current difference in distance between magnetic north and true north.

Compass navigation uses the Earth’s magnetic fields to find magnetic north. However, this north is considered magnetic north and differs from true north, which is the fixed, northernmost point of Earth’s axis where longitude lines converge. Here is how to use a compass.

1. 1. Keep the compass flat. The magnetic arrow will move depending on how often you move, and changing the compass’ position can affect its accuracy. Keep your compass flat in the palm of your hand or on a hard surface to get the most accurate reading.
2. 2. Find your bearings. Pinpoint which direction is north by moving the rotating bezel on the compass until the magnetic arrow lines up inside the orienting arrow. Look at your index lines to find the degrees where magnetic north is located. These are your initial bearings, which should be adjusted for declination.
3. 3. Adjust for declination. Look up the specific degree of declination before you head out for your trip. If your declination is five degrees east, subtract this from your current bearings. If it is five degrees west, add this to your current bearings. This gives you your true north, which you can use to orient your direction of travel.
4. 4. Pay attention to the directions. The face of a compass outlines the four basic cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west (usually abbreviated as NESW)—but it will also show the directions in between, such as northwest (NW) and southeast (SE). Make sure you’re traveling in your intended direction because a few miles off course can prove dangerous while mountaineering, hiking, climbing, or backpacking.
5. 5. Focus on objects in the distance. You’ll want to continuously orient your compass with semi-distant objects as a way to keep your path steady. Use unique structures or identifying markers to help plot out your path to your destination.

Whether you’re using an atlas (which displays the roads in an area), a topographic map (which documents changes in elevation in a landscape), or something else, each type of map works in a similar way in terms of navigation. The map’s legend will provide you with all the information you need to discern its features. Some common features of most maps include the following.

1. 1. Map key: The map key (or legend) is a visual glossary that tells you what all of the symbols on a map mean. A map’s legend will mark different kinds of roads and trails using colored lines, dotted lines, solid lines, and more. Map keys are also vital to identifying other features of your map, such as bodies of water, mountains, or any other obstacles that can impede your journey. It is usually located in the bottom right corner of a map.
2. 2. Map scale: The scale ratio shows you how to measure distance on your particular map. For example, if the map scale is one inch for every mile, then every inch of the map is equal to one mile. When you’re planning out a route, make sure to take your map scale into account to gauge how far you will need to go to reach any destination.
3. 3. Contour lines: Contour lines indicate elevation changes on a topographic map. Lines that are close to one another indicate steeper elevation changes, and ones that are farther away indicate gradual slopes. The degree of elevation change in a landscape can usually be determined by looking at the map scale and the contour lines together.
4. 4. Compass rose: A map will always have a fixed directional compass printed on its surface (usually on the bottom or at the top of the map) to help you find the cardinal points and orient your map.
5. 5. Gridlines: Gridlines help the map reader determine the latitude and longitude of a given location.

Knowing how to navigate without modern technology is critical if you’re embarking on a long wilderness expedition. If you don’t have access to a GPS, using a map and a compass together is the best way to orient your location and find out where you need to go. Here is an overview of how to use a map.

1. 1. Orient your map. There should be a compass printed in one of the corners of your map that indicates which direction is north. You can also orient your map with a handheld compass, which can help you locate magnetic north, and then true north, which reveals where south, east, and west are.
2. 2. Triangulate your current position. With the help of a compass, you can use landmarks or other distinguishing features on a map to triangulate your current location. First, find three landmarks on your map that you also see in person. Point your direction of travel arrow towards each one of these landmarks one at a time, rotating your compass to find out which direction (north, south, east, or west) each of these landmarks is in relation to you. Use the straight edge of your compass baseplate to connect these three landmarks. The inside of the triangle indicates your current location.
3. 3. Pick your route. Once you have the map oriented and know where you are, choose a place on the map you want to go. You can estimate the distance to your destination using the map scale, and plan your route accordingly. Alternatively, you can transpose your compass on top of your map. Draw a line between your current location and your destination, with your “direction of travel arrow” pointing towards your destination. Adjust your rotating bezel so that your magnetic arrow and orienting arrow line up, and add or subtract to adjust for declination. Make sure that your orienting lines align with the “east” and “west” lines of your map. The index line should give you your “bearings”, or the angle your path should continue on to reach your destination.
4. 4. Keep an eye out. Once you start moving along the desired route on your map, check your surroundings frequently as you read the map. If you’re out in the wilderness or in a setting with few distinguishing features, it can be easy to lose your place. If you’re in a survival situation, the last thing you want to do is waste time reorienting your map.

There are still a few ways that you can help yourself find your way, even if you don’t have a map or compass. Here are three ways to navigate without a map or compass.

1. 1. Create static electricity. To find north without a map or compass, all you need is a sewing needle, an ungrounded material (such as fabric or rubber), and a bit of water. Rub the needle with the ungrounded material to create some friction, then place that needle in a small puddle of water. When done correctly, the needle will become magnetized and point to magnetic north.
2. 2. Use the sun. You can use the sun to find your true north. As a starting point, the sun always rises in the east and sets in the west. Place a stick vertically in the ground and note where the shadow points. When the sun is at the highest point in the sky at noon, the shadow will point due south (in the northern hemisphere), and shadows will move clockwise. In the southern hemisphere, shadows will move counterclockwise.
3. 3. Use an analog wristwatch. You can use an analog wristwatch as a makeshift compass to figure out directions. In the northern hemisphere, hold the watch flat with the hour hand pointing toward the sun. The line designating the midpoint between 12 and the hour hand will provide you with a north-south line which can give you a rough indication of your bearings.

Certain outdoor activities carry an elevated risk of serious injury. Wilderness scenarios require extensive survival gear, including but not limited to food, water, maps, protective clothing, and first aid, along with mental and physical fortitude. This article is for educational and informational purposes, and is not a substitute for hard skills and expertise.

Prepare for any outdoor journey by grabbing a MasterClass Annual Membership and committing Jessie Krebs’s wilderness survival course to memory. As a former United States Air Force Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape instructor, Jessie can teach you everything you need to know about packing for a trip (neon is the new black), purifying water, foraging (crickets: the other white meat), starting a fire, and signaling for help (forget SOS).