Map & Compass Navigation Course in NJ

Ever stepped off the trail and wondered how you'd get back if you got turned around? Or needed to beat a thunderstorm to the car but didn't trust yourself to take a shortcut through the woods? Phones die, lose signal and get dropped. A map and compass don't.

Learn it, once and for all, from search & rescue members who navigate off-trail on real searches. We keep the skills simple, drill correct compass stance and accurate sighting, and repeat each technique until it clicks. You'll leave confident you can get yourself home, even when you're slightly misplaced.

• Reading a map: map symbols and features, trail configurations, map scale, and estimating distance four ways

• Contour lines: reading terrain like a picture book: hills, ridges, valleys, saddles, gullies and cliffs, which way is uphill

• The compass: its parts and features, choosing a good one, and the compass stance we teach for accuracy

• Declination: true north vs. magnetic north, why it changes, and how to set your compass for it

• Bearings (azimuths): taking a bearing from the map, following it in the real world, back bearings, and sighting landmarks

• Orienting the map: syncing the map with the land around you so you always know which way you're facing

Every skill is practiced hands-on, and the afternoon puts it to work outdoors on a compass course with flagged control points, finishing with an off-trail navigation scenario.

Morning: in the classroom with maps in hand: map features and symbols, estimating distances, then contour lines and how to read the terrain, then the compass and compass stance practice.

Afternoon: taking bearings from the map, then outside to a compass course near the classroom, following multi-leg bearings and distances to flagged control points. We finish back inside with the rest of the material and a final off-trail navigation scenario.

Anyone who spends time in the woods and wants to be prepared if they ever get lost, even if it's just stepping off the trail for a rest stop and getting turned around. Hikers who want to go beyond the blazes, backpackers, scout leaders, hunters, trail runners, and anyone who's been telling themselves for years they'd finally learn map & compass. No experience needed.

• Length: 1 day, 9am–5pm

• Location: Usually The New Weis Center, 150 Snake Den Road, Ringwood, NJ 07456. We've also taught it at Duke Farms in Hillsborough and other places in New Jersey, so check each date's location above.

• Minimum age: 12 (a parent or guardian must also register and attend for anyone under 18)

• Prerequisite: None

• Class size: Up to 24 students, with a minimum of 3 instructors

• What to bring: A pencil, water, snacks and lunch. Dress for the weather and wear shoes you can walk off-trail in, since the afternoon is outside. Bring your own compass if you have one; if not, we provide a compass for the day.

TrailBound's navigation instructors are search & rescue team members, field team leaders and licensed guides who find people off-trail for real. Everyone who teaches this course:

• Scott Fitterman, Co-Founder: Instructor; Deputy Chief of NJSAR, NJSAR Mountain Rescue Unit (MRU) member, NASAR instructor, NYS DEC search crew chief, Catskill 35er

• Joe Galvan, Co-Founder: Instructor; former NJSAR Lieutenant & Mountain Rescue Unit Lead, Adirondack Winter Mountaineering School instructor, Adirondack 46er

• Brad Sayer: Instructor; Chief of Catskill Mountain Search & Rescue, NYS DEC Crew Boss, Mountain Rescue Unit (MRU) member

• Tommi Paavola: Instructor; NJSAR Lieutenant

• Ryan Raaum: Instructor; also teaches our Bushwhacking courses

• Mark Mielke: Instructor; NJSAR Lieutenant, Field Team Leader & Mountain Rescue Unit (MRU) member

• Nancy Purnell: Assistant instructor; NJSAR Medical Unit member & K9 Support Unit Lead

• Keith Garcia: Assistant instructor; NJSAR Field Team Leader & Mountain Rescue Unit (MRU) member

• Alex (Sasha) Kovalyov: Assistant instructor; NJSAR Medical Unit & Mountain Rescue Unit member

• Frank Vigna: Assistant instructor; CMSAR Field Team Member, NYS Licensed Guide

• Amanda Amabile: Assistant instructor; NYS Licensed Guide

• Jason "Jay" Brinkerhoff: Assistant instructor

• Cooke Harvey: Assistant instructor

• Javier Figueroa: Assistant instructor

• Paul Cooke: Assistant instructor

Meet the whole team on The Cadre page.

5.0 from 289 Google reviews

“Prior to the class I had zero confidence in using map & compass, but after, it boosts my confidence to do more solo hiking. The instructors are knowledgeable, professional, engaging, & helpful.”
— Victoria, 2026

“This course was beyond my expectations - the TrailBound Project team is extremely knowledgeable and also very thoughtful and effective teachers. The whole day was very organized, engaging and empowering.”
— Genevieve T., 2023

“I took the Map and Compass class and left feeling pretty confident in my ability to practice and navigate going forward. … I would recommend anyone who goes out hiking to take this course.”
— Ami B., 2023

“I recently took their Hiking Basics & Safety and Maps & Compass Navigation courses - not only did I learn so much, they were FUN! The information and skills I learned gave me much more confidence during some recent solo hikes.”
— Stacy S., 2024

“I took the Map & Compass course and was practical, engaging, and perfect for all skill levels. Highly recommended!”
— Hugo N., 2024

Do I need my own compass?
No. We provide you with a compass for class. If you want to buy one, get a baseplate compass with adjustable declination and a sighting mirror; see the compasses we teach with on Gear We Recommend.

Do I need any experience?
No. This is a true first navigation course. We start from the basics and build each skill step by step.

How much of it is outdoors?
Most of the morning is in the classroom. The afternoon includes a compass course outside near the classroom, walking short distances off-trail. Dress for the weather.

Do you teach GPS and phone apps?
This course is all map & compass, the skills that work when your phone doesn't. We teach phone apps and online mapping in Digital App Hike Planning.

Can I take it again as a refresher?
Yes. If you've taken this course before, you automatically get 50% off when you register yourself while logged in to your TrailBound account. Refresher spots are limited to 4 per date.

Can my teenager take it?
Yes, from age 12, as long as a parent or guardian also registers and takes the course.

Can you teach map & compass to our group or organization?
Yes. We run private courses for scout troops, clubs, camps and companies anywhere in the New Jersey or New York State area. Contact us.

What's your cancellation policy?
See our Registration & Refund Policy.

• Go off-trail: Bushwhacking (Off-Trail Navigation), where you put these skills to work in the woods

• Plan with apps too: Digital App Hike Planning 1

• Pair it with: Hiking Basics, Gear & Safety and Wilderness First Aid

• Counts toward: the Hiker rocker in the Rocker Program