Trail Navigation and Trail Awareness with Craig Caudill

Always start with a reliable trail map. This can be a physical or digital map from a reputable source. Study the map before hiking to familiarize yourself with the trail, key landmarks, and any intersecting path or terrain features.

Pay attention to trail signs and markers. These are often color-coded or numbered to help you stay on the right path. However, please don't rely solely on these markers, as they can sometimes be missing or vandalized. 

Understanding topographic maps is key. Learn to read contour lines, symbols, and scale—Nature Reliance offers more insight here. 

Knowing how to use a compass with a map is a fundamental outdoor skill. The most basic of these skills is orienting your map to the north. This is where you use your compass to find magnetic north and align the edge of your map to the compass. This allows you to more readily see land features on the map. 

While technology should not be your only navigation tool, GPS devices, and smartphone apps can be valuable, especially for tracking your route or in emergencies. If you use a modern phone, you do not need cell phone coverage to use GPS as these phones have GPS chips in them. They do, however, need cell coverage to pull in map data. Download that data before you go to the trail. 

Be observant of your surroundings. Changes in vegetation, river directions, and even the position of the sun can provide clues to your location. While these things are rarely indicated on an actual map, knowledge of them will help you orient that map to your
location. 

Remembering the features you pass and being attentive to
subtle trail changes are crucial for both navigating and retracing your steps if needed. One key trick is to look back behind you often as you hike on a trail. By doing so, you will imprint common terrain features into your mind in case you need to come back in that direction. 

Good navigation skills can prevent you from getting lost, which is vital for your safety, especially when hiking alone. If the need arises for you to go off trail, then good navigation skills will be necessary. 

Staying on the trail helps protect the natural habitat and prevents erosion and other forms of environmental damage

Being confident in your navigation skills enhances your enjoyment
of the hike. It allows you to explore more and worry less.

Invest in quality trail maps. Look for detailed, up-to-date ones, and cover the area you're exploring. Trail maps can be found at both federal and state parks. They can also be found on those parks’ websites for download or purchase. A good trail map often contains important or scenic features to check out while you are in the area. 

Choose a baseplate compass and don’t get the cheapest option. Knock off brands make compasses that are poor quality. Choose a reputable brand like Suunto or Brunton. 

Besides a map and compass, consider a GPS device or a reliable
navigation app on your smartphone. My favorite app is Caltopo. Two other good ones are Gaia GPS and Alltrails. Make sure your devices are fully charged, and always carry a portable charger
and cord. 

There are numerous online resources and apps that offer free
maps and trail guides. Websites like AllTrails or the National Park Service offer extensive information on trails across the U.S. 

You can find a list of National Park Service Maps, here!