Orienteering is generally done in parks or other nature areas, though some types of orienteering, such as sprint-orienteering, are done in areas such as university campuses. In the NYC area, there is a lot of orienteering in various NYC parks, such as Marine Park, Prospect Park, Van Cortlandt Park, Inwood Hill Park, and others. There are also often events not too far from NYC in New Jersey. There are NREs (Nationally Ranking Events) which allow a competitor to be ranked on the national leaderboard, and occur all over the country.
Orienteering happens in a range of outdoor spots, like forests, parks, and even urban areas. These places offer different challenges, from navigating through thick woods to crossing streams and climbing hills. Courses are designed to use the natural features, mixing easy trails with trickier sections.
In the US, orienteering clubs vary in size and structure, but they all share a passion for the sport and a commitment to fostering a supportive community. Typically, clubs organize regular events, ranging from local meets to larger regional and national competitions. These events offer opportunities for members of all skill levels to participate, whether they're seasoned orienteers or complete beginners looking to try something new. Many clubs also offer training sessions, workshops, and social gatherings to help members improve their skills and connect with fellow orienteers.
There are 67 OUSA registered clubs in the US.
These clubs host fairly frequent local events. The orienteering clubs close to the NYC area are Hudson Valley Orienteering (HVO), Delaware Valley Orienteering Association (DVOA), Long Island Orienteering Club (LIOC).
OUSA = Orienteering USA, the USA national orienteering organization. Hosts national events and is in charge of organizing US team for international events. International Orienteering Federation (IOF) is in charge of international competitions.
Anyone can register for any type of event.
Here is a list, with a map, of all the local orienteering clubs in the US: Orienteering clubs in the US.
The websites of each local club often have a list or a map of where the next events will occur. Here is an NYC Parks page about orienteering, which has a link to information about orienteering that anyone (in NYC) can do at any time in Alley Pond Park, Queens: NYC Parks Orienteering Highlight.