What to do if you are lost in wilderness? Being lost in wilderness can be a scary and overwhelming experience, but it’s important to stay calm and take the necessary steps to increase your chances of being found.
I’ve been camping and hiking for as long as I can remember, but even so, it’s still a good idea to be prepared for emergencies.

The fist thing to do when you are lost is stop moving.
- Don’t panic. This is a very important step to take when you are lost. If you panic, your body will go into survival mode and do what it thinks is best for keeping you alive (which usually involves running as fast as possible).
- Stay put and stay calm. It’s important not to move until you can see where exactly you are in the woods or how far away from civilization there might be around you and by “civilization,” I mean people who have cell phones!
- Don’t go in the opposite direction of where you think you came from (unless that direction leads back home). Remember: if someone is looking for us right now, they’ll probably find us pretty quickly if we follow their tracks back through our last known location on foot; but since no one knows where we were or how long ago it was when they last saw us being chased down by wolves (or whatever), chances are good that whoever finds us won’t know anything about our general whereabouts either unless he/she sees those same tracks again later on during his/her search efforts.*

Next, try to remember what the terrain looked like before you got lost.
Next, try to remember what the terrain looked like before you got lost. If there’s a trail, follow it. If not, look for landmarks that will help you find your way back home. You may also want to try to remember where the sun rises and sets so that when night falls, you can tell which direction is north or south (or whatever).
Then, stay calm and wait until morning.
Once you’ve decided to leave, the next step is to get out of there as quickly as possible.
- Don’t panic, this may be the only time in your life that you’ll have a chance to escape from danger, so don’t waste it!
- Don’t move around or start a fire; if you do find yourself stuck in an awkward position, lie still and wait for morning before moving again (if at all).
One of the first things to do in the morning is to look for power lines.
If you’re stranded in the wilderness, one of your first priorities is to look for power lines. Power lines can be used as a guide by following them to civilization.
If you can’t find any power lines and there’s no sign of civilization on either side of the river or lake, it’s time to start looking for roads or trails. If these are unavailable, then try looking for another way across—a tree-covered hilltop might do the trick!

It can be hard to find your way back if you don’t know where you are going, so it’s important to use anything at your disposal as a compass.
- Use the sun to find direction. The sun sets in the west, so if you’re trying to get home, keep an eye on that direction.
- Use the wind to find direction. If you’re lost and need some help finding your way back home or somewhere else in the wilderness, use the wind as a compass! It will blow from east to west—the opposite of north—and give you an idea of which way is north (or south).
- Use a map and compass together. If all else fails and there’s no light source available at all times because it’s nighttime or cloudy outside then don’t forget about using maps with glow-in-the-dark ink on them! This method can be especially useful when there aren’t any trees nearby for reference points either since these two tools work together perfectly well together so long as one has been marked beforehand with certain markings indicating where certain cities should be located within each state before venturing out into unknown territory.”
Find water.
- Look for plants with leaves that are green and not wilted.
- Look for flowers or fruit on trees.
- Moss can be found on many trees, especially those that have been recently logged or burned. You may also see small clumps of moss in the cracks of rocks where water pools. Make sure to wear gloves so as not to get any spores from this plant onto your skin!
- Water pools are often found near streams, rivers and lakes where there is still snow cover during winter months (or even earlier). If you find one of these puddles, look around carefully before drinking from it because snakes might be hiding nearby!
Look for clues in the environment around you, such as animal prints or tracks that can help lead you back to civilization.
- Look for animal tracks.
- Look for animal droppings.
- Look for animal nests.
- Look for burrows dug by animals, like foxes or raccoons.
- Check out the bark on trees to see if they have been scratched by something big enough that a predator could fit inside it (like a bear).
If there are no animal footprints, try finding edible plants and eating them.
If you are in a forest and have no idea what plants to eat, start with the ones that look familiar. This will help you avoid getting sick from eating something poisonous. If there are no animal footprints, try finding edible plants and eating them. Try not to eat any of the thorns or leaves on the plant as it could be dangerous for your health (like poison ivy). Also remember not to eat anything green because it might be poisonous!
Try creating shelter using leaves and branches if it’s too cold outside.
If it’s too cold outside, try creating a shelter using leaves and branches. You should find a cave or rock overhang to sleep in, as well as gather firewood for warmth. You can also use body heat to stay warm if you don’t have a fire yet.
If you’re traveling through the wilderness with only one other person (or none at all), make sure that this person has enough food for both of them and that they are ready for whatever comes their way!
If possible, follow a stream that leads out of the forest and into a lake or river which will eventually reach civilization.
If you can, follow a stream that leads out of the forest and into a lake or river which will eventually reach civilization.
This is ideal because there are two reasons why: first, it’s easier to travel down than up; second, if you get lost in your surroundings and need to find your way back towards civilization again, it’s easier to do so when following a stream downhill than if you’re climbing uphill alone in the woods.
Always be prepared for an emergency whenever you go camping or hiking.
Always be prepared for an emergency whenever you go camping or hiking. You should have a survival kit on hand, so that in case of an emergency you will have the necessary tools and equipment to get yourself through.
Always know your surroundings before setting out on an adventure. Know what plants are edible and poisonous, where animals live, and where they travel during the day (so that if one does come near you). If possible, try to find out more information about local flora and fauna from someone who has been there before this could help with planning meals or even finding shelter if something were to happen unexpectedly while out in nature.
Conclusion
We hope that this article has helped you understand how to survive in nature. It’s important to be prepared for anything and know how to react when things go wrong. You never know when an emergency might happen, so always keep a first aid kit with bandages and water purification tablets in case something goes wrong during your trip into the woods or mountains.