If you get lost on a hike or walk, stop before you walk any further

The path stopped looking right a while ago. The pull is to keep walking, because stopping feels like giving up. The US National Park Service (NPS) and the US Forest Service both say to begin by stopping, and Mountain Rescue England and Wales says to stay where you are once you have called.

If you get lost, stop where you are, walk back the way you came only if you are sure of it and it is safe, and if you are not sure, call 911 (US) or 999 (UK) and stay put until help finds you.

This page is for someone on foot who is not hurt. If you or someone with you is hurt, call 911 or 999 now and tell the call-taker. For chest pain, difficulty breathing or a major injury such as major bleeding or broken bones, the NPS says to call 911, stay put and minimise movement, control bleeding by applying direct pressure to the wound, and keep warm by adding layers. It says that if you have no cell reception, you can flag someone down and ask them to travel back to where there is reception and call 911. If someone in your group is injured, it says to send two or more people to alert the authorities while the rest of the group stays with the injured person. If there is only you and the injured person, it says to help stabilise them using the steps above and then go to look for help.

Stop, then decide

The NPS’s Outdoor Emergency Plan, whose web page was last updated in June 2023, gives three steps. First, retrace your steps: stop and breathe, work out where you are from your map, compass, handheld GPS or landmarks you can see, and, if it is safe to do so, retrace your steps to your planned route. Second, if you cannot retrace your steps, call 911. It says to stay put, because changing location makes it difficult for the authorities to find you, and to move only if there is an immediate threat to your life. Third, if you have no phone or no reception, wait for help, as in the section below.

The US Forest Service says to stop, stay calm and stay put as soon as you realise you may be lost, and not to move at all until you have a specific reason to take a step. It says: “If you are not very, very confident in the route, then it’s always better to stay put.” It also says that if it is nightfall, you are injured or you are near exhaustion, you should stay in place.

In England and Wales, Mountain Rescue England and Wales says that after you call you should stay where you are until the rescue team contacts you, and should not change your position until then.

Read together, they give one test. Walk back only if you are sure of the way and it is safe. If you are not sure, stay and call.

People who discuss this give reasons. Some people say that staying where you are makes rescue likelier than searching for your own way out, because searchers start from the last place you were known to be. One person says staying put also saves energy and water. One person warns that in forest or unfamiliar ground you can easily go round in circles or get hurt. One person says the advice is for someone who is lost, not for someone who knows exactly where they are and that help is a short, known distance away.

If you decide you must move, the Forest Service says that as a very last resort you can follow a drainage or stream downhill. It says this is often a difficult path and could lead to a trail or road, and that it could be very dangerous. Some people say following a stream is often wrong, because streams can lead away from help, and that moving makes you harder to find.

Calling for help

In the US, the NPS says to call 911 and say: the GPS coordinates from your phone, if you have them; the name of the trail or area where you started; your last known location before you became lost; what you can see around you, including landmarks; the types and colours of the clothing you are wearing; the equipment you are carrying; and any medical conditions you have.

In England and Wales, Mountain Rescue England and Wales says to make a note first of your location, with a grid reference if possible; the name, gender and age of anyone who is hurt; what is wrong; the number of people in your party; and your mobile phone number. Then dial 999 or 112, ask for Police, then Mountain Rescue, and give your details. It says to stay where you are until the rescue team contacts you, and that if you have to make a further 999 call, you should follow the same steps in full again.

In Scotland, Scottish Mountain Rescue says the same: call 999, ask for Police and then ask for Mountain Rescue. In Northern Ireland the emergency number is also 999; this page did not check its mountain rescue wording. There is a page here called Say where you are first about what to say on the call, and one called If you can change your voicemail, you can call for help about a weak signal and about texting.

While you wait

If you have no phone or no signal, the NPS says to wait for help and gives these steps, and it says to follow them while you wait after you call, too. Find shelter that protects you from the sun, rain or snow. Check what you are carrying. If you begin to feel cold, put on any extra layers. Do not build a fire if there is a high fire risk or it is wildland fire season, because it could cause a wildfire. Signal: blow your whistle often rather than yelling, flash your flashlight in the SOS pattern (three times quickly, three times slowly, three times quickly) while remembering it drains the batteries, and flash a mirror to alert planes and helicopters. Make yourself visible from the air by laying out the shelter you carry or using rocks to make a shape. Wait patiently.

Some people say a whistle beats shouting because it takes less energy and carries further. Some people say a torch or head torch beats your phone’s light, because phone batteries drain quickly or fail in the cold. The NPS says a mirror helps because it does not run out of battery.

Cold

In England, the NHS says hypothermia is a dangerous drop in body temperature below 35C, and a medical emergency. It lists these signs: shivering; pale, cold and dry skin, where the skin and lips may turn blue or grey (on black or brown skin this may be easier to see on the palms of the hands or the soles of the feet); slurred speech; slow breathing; and tiredness or confusion. For a baby, it says the signs may be being cold to touch, floppy, and unusually quiet and sleepy, with a refusal to feed. It says to go to A&E or call 999 if you think you or your child have hypothermia, and not to drive yourself. While you wait, it says to get to shelter, take off any wet clothing and wrap the person in a blanket, sleeping bag or dry towel with the head covered, give a warm non-alcoholic drink and sugary food if the person is fully awake, keep them awake by talking, and stay with them. It says not to use a hot bath, hot water bottle or heat lamp to warm them, not to rub their arms, legs, feet or hands, and not to give alcohol. In the US, the CDC lists shivering, exhaustion, confusion, fumbling hands, memory loss, slurred speech and drowsiness as signs, says that babies with hypothermia have bright red, cold skin and very low energy, and says to get medical attention immediately. It says hypothermia can happen even above 40°F (about 4°C) if a person is chilled by rain, sweat or cold water. It says someone with severe hypothermia may be unconscious and seem to have no pulse or breathing. For that person, it says to handle them gently, get emergency help at once (911 in the US, 999 in the UK), and do CPR even if they appear dead, while you keep warming them.

Heat

The NHS lists these signs of heat exhaustion: tiredness; dizziness; headache; feeling or being sick; heavy sweating with pale, clammy skin (a change in skin colour can be harder to see on brown or black skin); cramps in the arms, legs and stomach; a high temperature; being very thirsty; and feeling irritable. For heat exhaustion it says to move the person to a cool place, remove unnecessary clothing such as a jacket or socks, give plenty of water to drink, cool their skin with cool water and fanning, and stay with them until they are better, which it says should start within 30 minutes. If you are struggling to treat it, it says to get help from NHS 111.

The NHS says to call 999 now for signs of heatstroke: a very high temperature; hot skin that is not sweating and might look red (harder to see on brown or black skin); a fast heartbeat; fast breathing or shortness of breath; confusion and lack of coordination; a seizure; loss of consciousness; or still being unwell after 30 minutes of resting in a cool place, being cooled and drinking fluids. It says not to drive yourself to A&E. While you wait for help with heatstroke, it says to wrap the person in a cool, wet sheet, or fan them or sponge them down with cold water. If they lose consciousness, it says to put them in the recovery position and tell the ambulance service, check their breathing and pulse, and do CPR if they show no sign of life. The CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, on its page about heat-related illnesses at work, lists confusion, altered mental state and slurred speech, loss of consciousness, hot dry skin or heavy sweating, seizures and a very high body temperature as signs of heat stroke, and says to call 911 for emergency medical care. That page also lists the signs of heat exhaustion and its first aid, in full. The Forest Service says to avoid hiking between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on hot days, and that if you are on a trail in those hours you should find a shady spot and stay there until it cools.

Water

The CDC says that drinking water straight from a clear mountain stream is generally not safe, and that if you are not sure water is safe to drink you should treat it, with boiling the best way. Some people carry bleach or a filter for this. The steps are on the CDC’s page about water treatment when hiking and camping, and this page does not repeat them or weigh thirst against germs for you.

If someone with you is lost, or a child gets lost

The NPS says that if someone in your group becomes lost, you should stop the activity, go to the last known place, call 911 if you have cell service, and go to a ranger station. In the UK, call 999 and ask for the police, and on a hill or moor in England, Wales or Scotland, for Police and then Mountain Rescue. There is a guide here called Someone I love is missing.

For children, the NPS says that if a child gets lost, they should hug a tree and stay put: find a tree, hug it, and stay in one place, or use a bench or large rock if there is no tree. It says to keep warm and dry by adding layers, fastening them, and using a hat or hood, and to make themselves big by using a whistle, waving their arms or flashing a flashlight. It tells children that it is OK if they get lost, that their family and friends are not mad, and that they are worried and looking for them. One person says that parents and Scout leaders tell children who get separated to stay by the car or wait beside a tree.

Before you set out

Tell one person who is not coming where you are going. The Forest Service says to give them exact details of where you are going, the trail you plan to follow, when you will return, the vehicle you are driving and where you plan to park, and the number of people in your group, and not to go alone. Mountain Rescue England and Wales says to include your start and finish points, your expected time of return and your contact details, and to leave the note in a reliable place. If you go alone, it says to be aware of the extra risk, tell people your route and when you expect to finish, stick to it as far as you can, and tell them if your plans change. The NPS says to fill out a trip plan and leave it with a trusted contact who is not going. Some people say the same, so that this person can raise the alarm if you do not report back.

Carry what helps if you are out longer than planned. The NPS names 10 Essentials: shelter (a tent, tarp or bivvy); navigation (a map, compass and GPS); sun protection (sunscreen, hat and sunglasses); extra water and water treatment supplies; extra clothing (a jacket, hat and gloves); extra food; a first aid kit; repair tools (a multi-tool and duct tape); light (a flashlight or headlamp, with extra batteries); and fire (matches or a fire starter). It also says to take a whistle, a mirror and bright clothing. Mountain Rescue England and Wales says to take spare clothing, a hat and gloves even in summer; ample food and water; a map and compass; a torch and head torch; and a whistle. The Forest Service says a GPS sometimes does not receive a signal or the battery fails, so carry a compass you know how to use. One person says gear is no use without the skill to use it, and that you should avoid going off the trail without experience.

Charge your phone first. Mountain Rescue England and Wales says many accidents happen towards the end of the day, when both you and your phone are low on energy. One person suggests a small power bank kept tucked away until needed. One person suggests planning to finish with at least two hours of daylight left, and Mountain Rescue England and Wales says that in winter it goes dark early.

Look back as well as ahead. The NPS says to pay attention to trail junctions, signs and landmarks, and to check often that you are still on your route. Some people say to turn around at trail junctions and look at the view, so you know what it will look like on the way back.

Who this page is not for

If you are hurt, the first lines above and the NPS’s injury steps matter more than this page. If you are in avalanche terrain, or with snakes or large animals, or somewhere with different conditions such as a desert, this page does not cover it. If your car has broken down on a busy road, the rules are different, and this page does not cover them. Joshua Tree National Park, a desert park, says that if your vehicle breaks down on its backcountry roads, it is typically best to stay with your vehicle. If you are stuck in snow, there is a page here called Dig out the tailpipe before you run the heater.

If you are lost, or someone is hurt, right now, call 911 in the US or 999 in the UK.