Wilderness Safety

Lost? Now What

What to do in the first hour after you realize you're lost — and what not to do. Guidance from the U.S. Forest Service.

The best tool for surviving a night out is advance planning. Expect the unexpected and plan accordingly. Even for a few hours out, pack enough to stay hydrated, fueled, and ready for any weather.

Before you go

  • More than enough food and water for the activity you have planned.
  • A compass you know how to use. A GPS is useful, but signals drop and batteries fail. Cell phones frequently have no coverage at all.
  • Appropriate maps. Study the terrain and your planned route. Know where you are going and how you will get back.
  • Sturdy hiking boots, clothes you can layer for changing conditions, and spare socks in case the ones you are wearing get wet.
  • A blanket, a flashlight, matches in a water-resistant container, and anything else that would get you through a night outside.
  • Check with the local ranger district or forest office for warnings — fires, bear activity, flooding, trail or road closures.

Then tell someone. Give them exact details: where you are going, the trail you plan to follow, when you will be back, the vehicle you are driving and where you plan to park, and how many people are with you. Do not go alone.

If you do become lost, your most important tool is a positive mental attitude.

Stop

As soon as you realize you may be lost: stop, stay calm, stay put. Panic is your greatest enemy.

Think

Go over in your mind how you got to where you are. What landmarks should you be able to see? Do not move at all until you have a specific reason to take a step.

Observe

  • Get out your compass and establish direction from where you are standing. Do not walk aimlessly.
  • If you are on a trail, stay on it. Trails are marked with signs at intersections and with diamond blazes — though signs are sometimes vandalized or stolen.
  • As a very last resort, follow a drainage or stream downhill. This is often a difficult route and can be genuinely dangerous, but it may lead to a trail or road.

Plan

  • Based on your thinking and observations, come up with a few possible plans, think them through, then act on one.
  • If you are not very, very confident in the route, it is always better to stay put.
  • If it is nightfall, you are injured, or you are near exhaustion: stay in place.