December, 2026 Southern Californa's Sonoran Desert is sunny and mild in December. The San Diego Tracking Team invites you to participate in our Wildlife Tracking Training & Certification being conducted in Anza Borrego Desert State Park in early December 2026. We'll be tracking in the Anza Borrego Desert. Each program is preceeded by a free "Prep Day" of with expert instructors to get you familiar with desert track and sign. The 2-day workshop is at once intense, fun & participative.
Learn more: San Diego Desert Tracking Training
Lodging and Free Camping in Anza Borrego: Lodging & Camping in Borrego Springs, CA
January 2027 ONTARIO CANADA - Lynx, Wolf, Moose Tracking Adventure
Join Alexis Burnett of EarthTracks on a tracking and trailing trip into the north woods. We will focus our scouting and tracking on finding sign, tracks and trails of the Canada Lynx as well as wolves, moose, deer, marten, fisher, otter, flying squirrels, spruce grouse, snowshoe hare. This trip is epic. INFO: Canada Tracking Adventure
FIVE WEEKENDS IN THE AMERICAN SOUTHWEST
When much of North American is under snow, the sun shines in SoCal and Arizona. The Wildlife Tracking Institute (WTI) is offering another 5-month Southwest Tracking Intensive this winter. meet one weekend a month in some of the wildest and most gorgeous deserts, canyons, rivers, and mountains in the Southwest. With expert instructors, focused mentorship, and a time-honed curriculum, we'll give you a rock-solid foundation in the art and science of tracking, and plenty of new skills on top—plus a profound connection to the wild landscapes we visit. Beginner, intermediate and experienced trackers welcome. For more info: WTI Intensive
February 2027 ONTARIO CANADA: Winter Wildlife Tracking Trip
Our 26th year of Wildlife Tracking led by Alexis Burnett of EarthTracks on a trackinin Algonquin Park with . This trip is the highlight of our winter season as we wander across frozen lakes and through the forests and bogs of one of Ontario’s oldest parks. We will have an opportunity to track eastern wolves, moose, marten, fisher, otter, flying squirrels, spruce grouse, red fox and many more. Join us in creating a tight knit community of nature enthusiasts as we learn and practice the ancient skill of tracking and connecting to the land. INFO: Winter Wildlife Tracking Adventure
February 2027 ARIZONA Wildlife Tracking Certification
The Wildlife Tracking Institute invites you join TCNA expert Wildlife Instructor Marcus Reynerson, for a full weekend of desert tracking in the Sky Island Mountains and San Pedro River of southeastern Arizona. We'll spend two full days immersed in observing, learning, and answering questions about the incredibly rich animal life in this region—one of the most diverse in North America. More Info: Sonoran Tracking Training
ON-LINE HOME STUDY
Learn Tracking At Your Pace From Home
With Personal Instruction from Expert Trackers
The Gold Standard of On-Line Tracking Training in North America is Southwest On-Line Tracking Training, affectionately known to hundreds of expert trackers as: SWOTT. As a student you are mentored and coached by a faculty of expert track and sign instructors. More Info: Southwest On-Line Tracking Training (SWOTT)
Tracking is like wearing "magic glasses" and having a super power... you see what was previously "invisible"
The ability to read animal tracks and sign is like putting on magic glasses that grant you a superpower: suddenly you see things you never saw before—things most people walk right past without a clue.
In desert sands, wind reveals crisp paw prints of a kit fox or the sinuous trail of a sidewinder; in forest mud or snow, you spot the quiet tread of a deer or the stealthy prowl of a coyote. What was invisible becomes a vivid story of movement, intent, and survival right underfoot.
With these glasses, you begin to understand the wild—sensing animals’ caution, curiosity, hunger or fear, predicting their next move. It’s a rare, almost magical connection to nature that transforms the outdoors forever.
The following images provide you with a glimpse of the dedication of our participants, the excitement of discovery, and the beauty of nature through the lens of wildlife tracking. From practical skills development to celebrating milestones, these images showcase the vibrant spirit of our community and the profound connection we foster with the natural world.
