What is the best way to maintain your bearings while hiking in unfamiliar terrain?

Taking frequent compass readings and plotting your progress on a map is the best way to maintain your bearings while hiking in unfamiliar terrain because it combines the use of traditional navigation tools with a systematic approach to tracking your location. This method allows you to accurately determine your direction and adjust as necessary to stay on course. By regularly checking your compass and marking your position on a map, you create a clear record of your journey, which helps to prevent disorientation and minimizes the risk of getting lost.

Using a compass gives you a reliable reference for navigation that does not rely on external factors, such as the position of the sun or recognizable landmarks. Such factors can change throughout the day or may not be visible in certain ecosystems. Unlike simply trusting instincts, which can be influenced by a range of emotions and assumptions, navigating with a compass and map is an objective method. This ensures that decisions are based on precise information rather than feelings or intuition, which might lead to misjudgment in unfamiliar areas.