Summary

• Building a natural shelter is a key survival skill that can protect you from harsh weather conditions using materials found in your surroundings
• A basic A-frame shelter can be built in less than an hour using only fallen branches, leaves, and a piece of paracord
• Understanding what your environment can provide (branches, leaves, snow, etc.) allows you to adapt shelter techniques to any situation
• Choosing the right location is just as important as the construction technique – it’s essential to avoid hazards like dead trees and areas prone to flash floods
• Experts at SurvivalGrid recommend practicing shelter building before you need it, as the skill requires both knowledge and hands-on experience

When you’re far from civilization and the weather suddenly becomes dangerous, knowing how to build a shelter from natural materials could be the difference between life and death. Being able to build an effective shelter using only what nature provides and a simple tool like paracord is a basic wilderness skill that every outdoor enthusiast should learn.

Building a natural shelter is not only about keeping dry but also about maintaining your body temperature and protecting yourself from the elements. In survival situations, exposure is the number one cause of death. A well-constructed natural shelter can provide the protection you need and conserve the energy you would otherwise spend shivering or sweating.

Our team at SurvivalGrid has tried out numerous natural shelter designs in a range of different settings. We’ve discovered that with the right approach, you can construct a practical shelter in virtually any setting using only natural resources and a bit of paracord.

Getting to Know the Basics of Shelter

Before you start collecting sticks, it’s important to know what a shelter is supposed to do. A well-built shelter serves three key purposes: it shields you from the wind, insulates you from the cold, and keeps rain and snow off of you. All of these things help you stay alive by keeping your body temperature in the survival zone.

Our bodies function best within a specific temperature range. When we step outside of this range, our bodies have to work harder to maintain a healthy core temperature, which can quickly drain our energy. A good shelter can create a small, controlled climate that requires less energy to maintain, leaving you with more energy for other survival tasks.

Depending on where you are, the type of shelter you build will change. In cold and wet places, you’ll need a shelter that’s both waterproof and insulated. In hot and dry places, you’ll need a shelter that provides shade and has good airflow. The shelter-building methods we’ll talk about can be adjusted to suit the specific needs of your location.

Choosing the Ideal Spot for Your Shelter

The spot where you set up your shelter is as crucial as how you construct it. Even the best built shelter can turn into a death trap if it’s in a hazardous spot. Try to find elevated ground that’s protected from possible flooding, but also shielded from the main winds.

Steer clear of constructing your shelter under dead trees or branches, which survival experts refer to as “widowmakers.” These can unexpectedly topple, particularly during windy or rainy conditions. Also, it’s best to avoid areas with game trails, insect nests, and signs of predators.

“An ideal location for your shelter is one that is safe from environmental hazards and is near resources such as water and building materials. Spend at least 15 minutes scouting for a location before you decide—it will be time well spent.”

What to Look for in a Shelter Location

• Elevation to prevent water runoff during rain from flooding your shelter
• Natural windbreaks to protect your shelter from prevailing winds
• No dead branches or unstable trees overhead that could fall on your shelter
• Proximity to building materials such as fallen branches and leaves
• Reasonably near a water source but not in a flood zone
• Not near animal trails, insect nests, or signs of predators

The flat area for your shelter should be about twice your body length to make room for you and your gear. Clear the ground where you will sleep of stones, sticks, and other debris to prevent uncomfortable pressure points that can interfere with your sleep and sap your energy.

What You’ll Need to Build a Natural Shelter

If you know where to look, you can find the materials to build a shelter in most environments. You’ll need three main things: structural supports (like branches or small logs), a framework (smaller branches), and insulating material (like leaves, grass, or moss).

Building a Natural Shelter to Match Your Surroundings

When you’re building a natural shelter, you have to take into account your environment, the materials you have on hand, and what you need the shelter for. If you’re in a forest, you’ll have plenty of materials to build a debris hut or lean-to. If you’re in a desert, you might want to build a pit shelter to take advantage of the earth’s natural insulation. If you’re in a snowy area, you can build a snow cave or quinzhee, which are both well-insulated.

Knowing the advantages and disadvantages of each type of shelter will help you make the best decision for your circumstances. Keep in mind that in real survival situations, perfection is the enemy of adequacy—a simple shelter built quickly is often better than a complex one that leaves you exhausted before you finish it.

Creating an A-Frame: The Most Adaptable Shelter Made from Nature

The A-frame shelter is one of the most adaptable and easy-to-build designs for surviving in the wilderness. It offers superior protection from wind and rain, and it’s so simple that you can build one in less than an hour with just a few tools. This design is suitable for almost any environment where you can find straight branches and natural coverings.

Step 1: Making the Ridge Pole

The backbone of your A-frame is the ridge pole, which is a sturdy, straight branch that is roughly 8-10 feet long and at least 2 inches in diameter. This pole will hold up the whole structure, so make sure you pick the right one. Search for hardwood branches that are dead but not decomposing. Fresh green wood is more difficult to use and won’t burn if you later have to reuse your shelter materials for a fire.

After you’ve chosen your ridge pole, look for two trees roughly 7-9 feet apart to hold it up, or make a bipod support with two strong branches tied together with your paracord. The ridge pole should be about chest high. This provides enough space to sit comfortably while also keeping as much heat as possible.

Step 2: Building the Framework

Once your ridge pole is in place, start collecting straight branches that are about 4-6 feet long. These will be used to form the framework of your shelter. Position these branches against your ridge pole at an angle of approximately 45 degrees, and space them out every 6-8 inches. The closer these branches are to each other, the more support they will provide for the materials that will cover your shelter.

Tie the ends of your rib branches to the ridge pole using basic lashing techniques with small parts of your paracord. If you’re low on cordage, you can jam the ribs tightly against the ridge pole and count on the covering layers to keep everything together.

Step 3: Making a Covering That Can Withstand the Weather

The success of your shelter is largely dependent on the layers of covering. Start with the roughest materials on the outside and gradually use finer materials as you move inwards. Start by placing large branches with foliage still attached over your ribs. Then add a thick layer of large leaves or pine boughs, overlapping them like shingles starting from the bottom and working your way up.

For the last layer, put several inches of dry leaves, grass, or other fine debris on. This layering system creates multiple barriers against wind and rain while trapping insulating air pockets. In rainy conditions, the outer layers direct water downward and away from the interior, keeping you dry.

Don’t underestimate the importance of your shelter’s covering thickness. Many people make the mistake of using a layer that’s too thin. Your covering should be at least 6-12 inches thick to ensure it’s insulated and waterproof. If you do it right, the inside of your shelter will stay dry even when it’s pouring rain.

Debris Hut: The Best Insulation with the Least Amount of Materials

When the temperature falls to a dangerous level, the debris hut provides better insulation than the A-frame. This shelter design copies the insulating features of a heavy down sleeping bag by making a small, body-sized space that is surrounded by thick insulating material. Even though it takes longer to build, a well-built debris hut can keep you alive in temperatures below freezing without any additional gear. For more survival tips, check out this guide on outdoor survival skills.

Building the Framework

Start your debris hut by finding a robust pole about 9-12 feet long. This will be your main ridge pole. Prop one end on a stump, rock, or crook of a tree about 2 feet off the ground, creating a sloping support. The other end rests on the ground, forming a triangular space that will just fit your body.

Next, you want to add some ribbing. You can do this by leaning smaller sticks against your ridge pole. The result should look like a fish spine. Make sure the ribs are close together. You don’t want gaps any wider than a few inches. This is the framework that will support the massive amount of debris you’re going to need for proper insulation.

Keeping Your Debris Hut Warm

The debris hut’s true power lies in its insulation layer. Start collecting leaves, pine needles, grass, ferns, or any other dry plant material you can find. You’ll need a lot more than you think—aim for at least three feet of compressed debris covering every part of your framework. Start by making a thick debris mattress inside the structure, then cover the framework completely, working from bottom to top.

At the higher end of your shelter, create a small entrance that is just big enough for you to crawl through. When you are inside, you can pull in more debris to close the entrance. The small space will be warmed by your body heat and the thick layer of debris will stop the heat from getting out. If you are in a survival situation, this natural insulation could keep the inside of the shelter 50-60°F warmer than the outside air.

The debris cover functions by trapping air spaces – millions of tiny pockets that slow down the transfer of heat away from your body. When constructing in wet conditions, aim to use the driest materials you can find for the inner layers, even if the outer layers have to be damp. Your body heat will assist in drying the inner materials over time.

Improving Natural Shelters with Paracord

Just one 50-foot piece of paracord can significantly boost the durability and steadiness of any natural shelter. Paracord, unlike natural cordage, doesn’t stretch when it gets wet and keeps its strength in any type of weather. It’s probably the most useful single item you can have with you for building shelters because of its adaptability.

When it comes to building a shelter, paracord is best used to create a sturdy framework that can hold up against wind and rain. By learning a few basic lashing techniques, such as square lashing for right angle joints, diagonal lashing for angled connections, and clove hitches for quick attachments, you can significantly increase the strength of your shelter.

“I’ve weathered three-day storms in shelters held together with just 30 feet of paracord and proper lashing techniques. When the framework is solid, nature provides all the materials needed for shelter walls and insulation.”

Advanced Paracord Techniques for Shelter Building

• Create a web-like support structure by weaving paracord between branches
• Use a ridgeline hung between trees to support a lean-to without a ground-based ridge pole
• Fashion emergency guy lines to reinforce your shelter against high winds
• Make a quick hammock by unraveling and reweaving inner strands for greater surface area
• Create drainage channels around your shelter using paracord as a marking and excavation guide

When cordage is limited, prioritize structural connections that bear the most weight or tension. A single well-placed lashing at a critical joint can be more valuable than multiple lashings at less important points. Always use proper knots that won’t slip when wet—the bowline, taut-line hitch, and trucker’s hitch are particularly useful for shelter building.

Snow Shelters: Nature’s Perfect Insulator for Winter Survival

Snow is nature’s perfect insulator when used right. If you build a snow shelter correctly, you can maintain an internal temperature near 32°F even when the outside temperature is -40°F. This is because snow has a lot of tiny air pockets that stop heat from being transferred, much like how fiberglass insulation works in your house.

One of the easiest snow shelters to construct is the quinzhee. All you need is a shovel or some kind of digging tool. Start by heaping snow into a dome shape that is around 6-8 feet high and 8-10 feet across. Leave it to “sinter” (partially melt and then refreeze) for 1-2 hours, this will greatly increase its structural integrity. Then carve out the inside, leaving the walls about 12-18 inches thick.

When constructing snow caves in pre-existing snowbanks, use your paracord to gauge the thickness of the walls as you dig to avoid creating any hazardous thin areas. Always make sure to include a small hole for ventilation and build the sleeping platform above the entrance. This creates a cold sink, which allows the freezing air to gather beneath you instead of around your body.

Surviving in the Desert

Deserts are a harsh environment to survive in, with extreme temperature changes, limited resources, and intense sunlight. In these circumstances, you won’t be as worried about keeping the rain out as you will be about finding shade during the day and staying warm at night.

A desert pit shelter is a great way to use the earth’s natural insulation. By digging about 2-3 feet into the ground, you can create a shelter that will keep you cool during the day and warm at night. Once you have your pit dug, you will need to cover it with a framework made from whatever materials you can find. This could be anything from branches to vehicle parts or even the frame of your backpack. Once you have your framework in place, you can then cover it with clothing, vegetation, or a thin layer of soil. Just make sure to leave a small opening for you to get in and out of the shelter and for ventilation.

On sweltering days, this shelter that’s built below ground can be 15-20°F cooler than the temperature on the surface. When night falls, the ground releases the heat it stored during the day, which helps to keep the temperatures at a level you can survive in. If you’re building in loose sand, you can use your paracord to make the walls stronger or to create a more stable frame for the materials you’re using to cover the shelter.

Keeping Your Shelter Dry

No matter how well you’ve built your shelter, it won’t do you much good if it can’t keep you dry. You can use techniques found in nature to waterproof your shelter and help it stand up to rainy weather. The best way to do this is to layer and overlap your materials, similar to how shingles on a roof work.

Big, glossy leaves from trees like maple, magnolia, or rhododendron can be used as natural shingles when arranged correctly. Begin at the base of your shelter and move upwards, ensuring that each layer overlaps the one below it by at least half. This way, any water will flow down and away from the inside of the shelter instead of soaking through.

Birch bark is an excellent, natural water repellent and can be harvested in large sheets from dead trees without causing harm to living ones. Pine, fir, and spruce branches should be layered with their natural curve facing down to help guide water away from your shelter. In areas with a lot of rain, make sure to extend your roof past the sides of your shelter to create enough distance for the water to run off.

Keeping Your Shelter in Good Condition

A natural shelter isn’t a one-time project—it needs regular upkeep and constant improvements, particularly if you’re in a long-term survival situation. Every day, make sure to strengthen weak areas, add more insulation, and fix any damage from wind or rain. These continuous enhancements will add up over time, turning a decent emergency shelter into a strong survival base.

Make sure to dig drainage channels around your shelter to prevent water from seeping into your sleeping area. You can use a stick, rock, or even your bare hands to dig a simple trench that will divert the water away from your shelter during heavy rainfall. If you want to be precise, you can use your paracord to mark straight lines or to measure the depth of your trenches.

If you’re planning to stay a while, think about adding some creature comforts like beds raised off the ground made from flexible branches, dry storage for your gear, and even some basic furniture made from what you find around you. Not only will these make your stay more comfortable, but they’ll also help keep your spirits up when things get tough.

Common Questions

How much time does it take to construct a functional natural shelter?

A simple emergency shelter can be built in 30-60 minutes, while more complex or weather-resistant designs might need 2-3 hours. Speed comes with experience—an experienced shelter builder can work twice as fast as a beginner. Always weigh the time investment against immediate needs for protection from the weather.

When you’re short on daylight or the weather is quickly getting worse, concentrate on building a basic shelter first. You can then make it better little by little as you have time. A lean-to, even a basic one, can keep you from getting hypothermia if you have enough insulation.

Which natural materials should I not use when constructing a shelter?

Do not use poison ivy, poison oak, poison sumac, or similar irritant plants in your shelter construction—even when dry, these can cause severe reactions. Also avoid extremely resinous woods like certain pines for interior framework, as they can drip sap onto clothing and skin. In some regions, hollow dead wood may harbor insect colonies or venomous creatures.

While it’s not always possible in survival situations, aim to avoid using living materials when there’s enough dead material around. This is both a moral and practical consideration—green wood is heavier, harder to work with, and the moisture it contains can reduce the effectiveness of insulation.

Can I use these methods in any environment?

The basic rules of building a shelter apply to any environment, although you may need to adjust your specific methods and materials based on your location. For example, desert shelters need to provide shade and regulate temperature, while arctic shelters need to insulate against the cold and protect against wind. In the tropics, shelters need to be well-ventilated and protect against heavy rain.

The trick is knowing what the main environmental threats are in your area and tackling those first. If it’s cold, you need to focus on keeping the heat in. If it’s hot, you need shade and a breeze. If it’s wet, you need to stay dry. You can adapt the basic types of shelter we’re going to talk about to meet your specific environmental needs.

What length of paracord should I have for a reliable shelter?

Having as little as 25 feet of paracord can significantly enhance a natural shelter if cleverly used at crucial structural areas. Ideally, you should have 50-100 feet for total shelter versatility. Keep in mind that paracord can be untwisted in emergencies—a single 50-foot piece has seven inner strands that can be pulled apart to yield over 300 feet of thinner cordage.

When you’re in a situation where you don’t have a lot of cordage, focus on using it for the ridgeline and the main parts of the structure. For the less important connections, you can make natural cordage out of plant fibers, pieces of clothing, or any other materials you can find.

What’s the biggest blunder people make when constructing natural shelters?

The biggest blunder is constructing a shelter that’s too big. A shelter that’s too roomy requires more materials, takes more time to construct, and—most crucially—is much more difficult to warm with just body heat. Your survival shelter should be just big enough to fit you and your essential gear, with very little extra room.

There are also some other common mistakes that people make such as not having enough insulation (the walls or roof are too thin), choosing a bad site (like a low area that is prone to flooding), and not having enough protection from the wind. These mistakes can often be avoided if you just take a few extra minutes to plan before you start building.

Practice Makes Perfect in Shelter Building

As with any survival skill, you need to practice building shelters to become proficient. Try constructing different types of shelters in safe environments before you find yourself needing to do so in an emergency situation. Each time you practice, you’ll build muscle memory, get better at choosing the right materials, and become faster—all of which are crucial when you’re under stress or the conditions are getting worse and you need to build a shelter. For more tips on outdoor skills, check out this guide on compass training.

Here at SurvivalGrid, we suggest setting aside time throughout the year to practice your survival skills in different weather conditions. The methods that work great in the summer may need to be tweaked a bit for the winter. The only way to really understand these seasonal differences is to experience them yourself, not just read about them.

Here are some tips to help you master the art of natural shelter building:

• Start by practicing in your backyard or during authorized camping trips.
• Challenge yourself by trying to build shelters with minimal tools, then with no tools at all.
• Test your shelters in various weather conditions, but remember to do so safely.
• Time yourself to see how quickly you can build a shelter. This can help you improve your efficiency.
• Practice with family members to build team skills.

Keep in mind that building a natural shelter is both a science and an art. While the principles remain the same, each shelter you build will be unique. This will depend on the materials available, the environmental conditions, and your specific needs. Embrace this creativity as part of the process. Sometimes, the most effective solutions come from adapting techniques to your unique situation. For more insights, you might want to explore Hiking Dude’s blog for tips and experiences related to outdoor skills.

There is nothing quite like the peace of mind that comes from knowing you can build a shelter no matter where you are. Once you’ve learned these techniques and put them into practice, you’ll never look at a forest, desert, or snowy landscape the same way again. Instead, you’ll see potential shelters everywhere you look.

For a deep dive into wilderness survival training and gear recommendations, check out SurvivalGrid. We’re committed to equipping outdoor enthusiasts with the skills they need to handle anything Mother Nature throws their way.