The ability to navigate confidently through the landscape is one of the most valuable outdoor skills a young explorer can develop. Long before GPS and digital mapping, travelers relied on maps, compasses, and careful observation of the land to find their way. In this course, students will learn the foundational skills needed to travel with confidence in the outdoors.

Participants will begin by building a strong understanding of map reading, including topographic features, symbols, grid coordinates, and how maps represent the terrain around us. From there, students will learn essential compass skills such as shooting an azimuth, calculating declination, and orienting a map properly in the field. We will also cover practical techniques such as establishing a pace count to estimate distance traveled.

Once these foundations are in place, students will put their knowledge into practice by navigating several pre-set courses in the field. Under the guidance of Cedarwood Outdoor School instructors, participants will learn to apply map and compass skills to real-world navigation challenges.

By the end of the course, students will have a practical understanding of how to read maps, use a compass, and move confidently across the landscape without relying on electronic devices—skills that form an essential foundation for hiking, wilderness travel, and outdoor exploration.