Intro to Map & Compass Skills @ IRNP
Date: October 24, 2026
Time: 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Location: Indian Rock Nature Preserve
501 Wolcott Rd, Bristol, CT 06010
Cost: $35 member/$40 non-member
Ages: 12 + (all children must be accompanied by a paying adult)
Intro to Map & Compass Skills Workshop
Taught by: Jeff Hatch, Raven Wilderness School
Learn the essential skills of traditional wilderness navigation in this hands-on 4-hour workshop. Participants will learn how to read and understand a topographic map, identify terrain features, properly use a compass, orient a map, take and follow bearings, and account for magnetic declination.
We’ll also cover practical field-navigation techniques including pace count, estimating distance, terrain association, handrails, backstops, and other methods for staying oriented in the outdoors.
The workshop combines classroom-style instruction with practical field exercises, giving participants the opportunity to put their new skills to use navigating through the terrain at Indian Rock Nature Preserve.
No previous map and compass experience is necessary.