Finding your North – "seeing the forest for the trees"!

In our last article we took a simple look at how to find your way north using the old adage, “The moss always grows on the north side of the tree.” If you have no moss, or the moss grows everywhere and you’re not sure where to go, here are two more tips that make finding your way north easier when the sun isn’t out.

If the moss can’t give you an accurate reading, don’t get frustrated with that tree, just look up! The sun won’t cooperate, but the trees can still help you find your way. All you need to remember is what we learned when planting seeds in school.

Give this photo a try. Examine the trees and then leave a comment guessing which side of the photo is South!

Remember those little green shoots craving the sun? They’d lean over as far as they could, just to get an inch closer to those life giving rays. Well, those great trees surrounding us now went through that process. They still need that sun so they try to direct their foliage towards that ever so important light. In the Northern Hemisphere the south side of the tree should have more exposure to the sun and therefor better opportunities for growth. This means that there should be a higher concentration of branches and an almost lopsidedness on the southern side of the tree (And of course the reverse for the southern Hemisphere.) Take a couple trees for example, try to find trees that have exposure to direct sunlight because they will make it the easiest to identify. Combine this with the moss and you’re well on your way home.

Ok, maybe you’re in a clear cut… Don’t Panic! In the off chance that you encounter a tree stump, look at the rings. Even though our habits have made it more difficult, we haven’t made it impossible. You can use that stump to help you! You should find the center of the tree farthest away from the north side.

Take a ruler and measure from the center to the edges. Leave your guess  in the comments. credit Thamar Larsen

Combine all these tools together and you should be able to find your north, even in the cloudiest of conditions!


Just remember that there are always exceptions to the rule so it is best to take an average, apply a combination of different skills and ALWAYS bring a compass.


As always, be careful, be prepared and have fun out there. Make sure you are experienced in outdoor survival if you plan to rely on these tips.