Orienteering combines navigation, endurance and exploration — getting you out into nature
Whether you hike, trail run, or adventure race, orienteering takes your outdoor skills to the next level. Explore hidden terrain, sharpen your navigation skills with map and compass, and enjoy the thrill of the hunt!
Orienteering is an international outdoor adventure sport where you use a detailed map and compass to navigate from point to point in diverse terrain. The challenge? Choosing the best route -- which isn't always the shortest -- between control points. North Texas Orienteering Association puts on 10-12 events each season (October - May) in city parks, state parks and Scout ranches across the region.
WHY YOU'LL LOVE IT:
Trail runners: Run with an extra challenge
- Combine endurance with decision-making on the move.
- Escape the crowded 10K scene — run wild on open trails.
- Test your speed on a course where going off trail is OK, too — you decide.
Hikers: Make your trek a treasure hunt
- Discover parts of local parks few hikers ever see.
- Choose your own pace -- most courses have a 3-hour time limit.
- Enjoy on your own or as a recreational team (2-5 people).
Adventure racers: Sharpen your navigation edge
- Gain the skill that wins multi-discipline races
- Practice in real terrain without race-day pressure (at a FRACTION of the price).
- Build endurance while training your brain to think under fatigue.
FREE Beginner’s Clinic
No experience necessary: We offer a free Beginner’s Clinic before every meet (check each event schedule for timing) that lasts about 15 min. You’ll learn how to read an orienteering map and how to use your compass and e-punch. The instructor will share some navigation tips and strategies. You’ll be ready to tackle your first course!
IT DOESN'T COST AN ARM & A LEG TO TRY
Non-member individual adults pay just $23, plus a $3 e-punch rental fee if you don't have your own gear. Youth 19 and under pay $13. Or, go with a friend on a competitive (2 people) or recreational (2-5 people) team.
We provide the map (which you keep) -- all you need are sturdy footwear, a basic compass (we also have free loaners) and a sense of adventure!
