What to do if you get lost in the woods?

Getting lost in the woods can be a scary experience and potentially deadly, but fortunately, if you’ve become lost in a forest then at least you’re in one of the better places to get lost. I know how it happened, you were just strolling along admiring the scenery or having a nice long chat with someone when all of a sudden you don’t recognize anything about your surroundings.

If you have a modern cell phone then you should have the option of GPS tracking or being able to call for help, but if something happens to your phone or you lose it, then don’t panic and follow the steps below:

Stay calm and analyze the situation

When you are scared it can cloud your judgment, leading you to perhaps start walking in the wrong direction or starting to run to try and make it out before dark, leading to an accident or you becoming even more lost. Stay calm and collected and analyze your situation. Which direction did you come from? when was the last time you saw another person? and do you remember hearing anything at any point, such as a road or stream? Taking a moment to assess the situation will lead to a better decision in the long run.

A good method to use when you first realize you’re lost is the “STOP” method.

Stop, Think, Observe, and Plan.

Stop
involves staying where you are for a second and trying to calm down, bad decisions are often made out of fear or confusion, and taking a second to clear your head can make all the difference.

Think

Ask yourself as many questions as possible about your situation. How much food and water do you have? Can you remember seeing any landmarks or water systems? if so where do they go and how far away are they? and so on. The more information you can think of will help you in choosing the right course of action.

Observe
How long until the sun goes down and noting which direction it sets in, telling you where the west is. How far away is that road or river you can remember and which landmarks are there in the distance to give you a point of reference?

Plan
After you’ve calmed down and thought of all the useful information you can, it’s time to make a decision based on those factors and not on how you feel or how scared you are.

Keep Listening

If you hear some kind of water source then try to locate it and follow it, as it will connect to something bigger and people have always been active close to water sources. Eventually, it’ll lead to a settlement or house or somewhere you can get help.

If there are no running water systems around, listen for anything artificial. The sound of a road in the distance or even a farmer’s tractor is all the sound of rescue in the event of an emergency. The simple rule is if you hear noises made by people, head that way.

Find a viewpoint

Sometimes this won’t be an option as you may not be able to find any within the trees, but if you have the choice of finding a good viewpoint then take it. Be careful of climbing trees to get a clear view as this may lead to you having an accident, and could turn being slightly lost into a life-or-death scenario.

Head downhill

If you can’t work out your location from some kind of viewpoint then it’s time to start walking. If you’re on a slope then begin walking towards the bottom, as this will most likely lead to something. If you come out in a valley then head in the direction that any water is flowing.

Just keep going

If you are somewhere in the UK there aren’t many huge forests, so no matter which way you walk you’ll find something after a few hours. Unless you’re unlucky enough to get stuck somewhere massive like the Canadian wilderness then it shouldn’t take long until you find something. By my estimates, there isn’t a single forest in Europe that has a gap of more than 20 miles between roads, so the worst-case scenario is you’ll be walking for 2 days max, and that’s if you get lost right next to a road and then head away from it.

Paths

I know this one is obvious but paths will always lead somewhere, and if you follow them long enough you’ll find someone. The only thing to watch out for when following paths is to not go around in circles, as some of the larger forest path networks loop around. To avoid this always watch the angle of the slope you are walking on, and if you’re always heading downhill you won’t walk the same path twice.

Watch out for the dark

If you’re going to be stuck in the woods overnight then it’s a good idea to find somewhere an hour or so before it gets dark. If you’re lost during the day there’s no way you’ll get out at night, so staying put is the only option. It also avoids the chance of passing something you’d see in the distance during the day that could lead to rescue.

If you’re near a water source then perhaps move away 50m or so as most forest animals are very active at night and may come through your camp. You should also stock up on some firewood if you have the option of lighting a fire, and making a basic shelter wouldn’t be a bad idea, as getting soaking wet won’t help your situation.