3 Ways to find North without a compass

Have you ever been stargazing and wonder where north is? Or ever been on a hike and forgotten your offline gps? Finding north has been an important skill for humans since ancient times and if you love the outdoors you might find this skill very useful. Today we will talk about simple ways to find North without a compass.

The Sun Method

One of the simplest and oldest methods of finding north is by using the sun. This method is especially helpful if it’s early morning or late afternoon, as these are times when shadows are particularly long.

All you have to do is find a stick or pole and place it in the ground (vertically) so that it casts a shadow. Then mark where the end of that shadow lands and wait 15 minutes. Mark where the shadow lands again after 15 minutes have passed—the line between these two points will point roughly toward true north.

The Moon Method

This method takes a little more time and requires a bit more knowledge of the stars. But as a general rule, Between Sunset and midnight, the side of the moon that receives light, points West. Between midnight and Sunrise, the illuminated side of the moon points East.

If you want to be more specific, you can use the crescent method which indicates you should follow the direction that the moon's face is pointing down towards the horizon and where it intersects to find south. This method works best when the moon is high in the sky and not close to the horizon.

The Stick Shadow Method

This method is similar to the sun method but uses only one stick rather than two points on a line over time. Start by choosing a straight stick about 3 feet long (or longer) and thrusting it into soft soil until only 6 inches remains above ground level—forming what looks like an upside-down L shape from far away. Wait until late afternoon or early evening when shadows are at their longest, then move around until there are two stick shadows side by side pointing in opposite directions; one should be casting a shorter shadow than the other due to its lower angle relative to its position on the ground (this would be due east). The longer stick should cast its shadow directly toward true north (and south).

There are many ways to find direction in nature without using traditional compasses or GPS devices; all it takes is some knowledge, patience, observation skills, and practice! Whether you choose to use shadows from sticks or poles, familiarize yourself with constellations like Polaris (the North Star), consult maps of moonrise times before heading out into nature—with these tips in mind finding true north shouldn’t be too hard! With enough practice soon enough even novice adventurers can master finding direction in nature with ease! This can also be a fun skill to learn with your older kids.

Happy exploring!