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Do you use your phone to find your way when hiking? Researchers have some advice for you
Four out of five Norwegians use digital maps when they are out in nature. Mobile phones have now become a virtual compass in our backpacks.
The more we rely on digital solutions, the more important it is that the technology actually points us in the right direction.
“In challenging terrain, the margins that separate safe trails from dangerous detours are very small. If the digital track is 50 metres wrong, it can have major consequences,” says Ole Edward Wattne.
He is a researcher at NTNU's Department of Design.
How we orient ourselves
Together with colleague Frode Volden, Wattne has studied how people find their way when they are out in nature.
They have examined whether a well-known theory of wayfinding in man-made environments, Barker’s taxonomy, also applies in forests and mountains.
In a survey, 401 people answered how they orient themselves when they are out hiking.
Most were young adults between 20 and 39 years old. The participants described which strategies and tools they usually use.
The researchers analysed the responses in relation to choices, how well the travellers understood the terrain, and which tools people actually use.
A clear finding: As many as 81 per cent use digital maps on their phones. Google and Apple Maps are the most popular.
“This means that we must ensure that the good principles and practices for labelling and orientation are included in the digital domain,” says Wattne.
Instagram lures people out – and leads them astray
The researchers also point to another development: beautiful photos of nature on social media are getting more and more people to seek out demanding hiking destinations.
“Many people are lured by spectacular photos from so-called ‘honey-pot locations’ such as Trolltunga and Lofoten. When inexperienced hikers only navigate with a map on their mobile phone, the risk of getting lost or ending up in dangerous situations increases,” says Wattne.
He refers to research from the UK suggesting that rescue operations are increasing among young people who rely solely on mobile navigation.
We navigate the same way in cities and in nature
Wattne and Volden found that the strategies we use in man-made environments also apply in the outdoors.
Barker’s taxonomy describes three types of behaviour: social, semantic, and spatial strategies.
The researchers believe these are directly transferable to how we find our way in nature. This gives us a set of behaviours that humans use regardless of the type of environment we are in.
These are the three ways we find our way:
- Social strategies: We use others as a ‘compass’. For example, we follow someone who seems familiar with the area, or ask for directions.
- Semantic strategies: We interpret signs, maps, and digital symbols. This can be trail markings or Google Maps.
- Spatial strategies: We use our senses and the terrain: a valley, a peak on the right-hand side, a river. The terrain becomes our reference.
The digital generation must learn more ways to navigate
The researchers saw that the participants in the study often combined several strategies at the same time. In other words, we use technology, our understanding of the terrain, and social information when navigating outdoors.
“We should teach the digital generation to use social and spatial strategies in addition to the semantic ones from the mobile phone. Several strategies provide safer and better experiences in the backcountry,” says Wattne.
The researchers emphasise that safe travel is not about putting your phone away, but about having alternatives if the technology fails.
Paper maps, marked trails, and asking other hikers remain important tools for your backpack.
Reference:
Wattne, O.E. & Volden, F. Wayfinding behaviours in natural environments, Journal of Navigation, 2025. DOI: 10.1017/S0373463325101367
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Read the Norwegian version of this article on forskning.no
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