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Getting lost is something you need to be ready for if you're going hiking in an unfamiliar area. If you hike often enough, it's practically a given that it's going to happen, so you need a plan for when it does. First of all, it is always a good idea to bring equipment with you such as a digital compass or a GPS receiver. With GPS, it's very hard to get completely lost, because it will give you waypoints and let you know what direction to go in. Likewise, if you've got a compass, you should be using it to generally have an idea of which direction you started out in and which direction you're going.
How to Prevent Getting Lost Outdoors:
1) Watch your surroundings. This is the single most important thing you can do, but often people are just hiking around without paying attention to what's going on around them. Look at things that are distinctive - these can serve as landmarks to help you keep your bearings. It might be a weird looking rock, a streambed, a fallen tree - anything that is somewhat abnormal. Look at things behind you as well as in front of you. That weird rock may look completely different from another angle - and if you're lost, you may be coming at it from a different way.
2) Plan your route beforehand. Make sure you've got a map of the area if there's one available.
3) Hike in groups. If you can, this is a good way to keep yourselves from getting hopelessly lost - generally at least one person will have an idea where you are.
4) Frequently check any compass or GPS you have to know your general direction - where you've come and where you're going to.
5) Pay attention to trails. If you end up getting lost, a trail is your best bet out.
6) If you have kids with you, teach them what to do beforehand. Kids are much more likely to get lost if they wander off, and you need to plan on what they should do. Staying put if they can't find you is probably best - it will let you come to them, and children are more likely to wander randomly. It is also a good idea to point out any landmarks to your children as you're hiking. Let them know that if they get separated, but they see these landmarks, they should wait for you there.
7) If you're going out alone, always let someone else know where you're going and when you plan to get back. Give them a "worry time" when they should start trying to find you.
8) Don't go out into the wilderness when camping without carrying a basic emergency kit - this should include at a minimum some food, water and a way to purify it, and a light source such as a flashlight.
What to Do If You Get Lost:
1) Stop and sit down for a minute. THINK. The minute you realize you are lost, you should keep yourself from panicking and look around you - is there anything obvious that you remember? What direction were you coming from? Have you been changing direction frequently?
2) If you can't think of a way back to your route after a little while, then you should explore your surroundings. A circular pattern is the probably best way to do this. Mark the spot you were sitting at, and explore in circles - go out for a little ways, then start moving around the central spot. See if you notice anything you remember, or if you can find a trail. Even if you have to change routes, the trail will probably take you back to civilization.
Another approach is the spoke search. This involves using the place where you sit down as the "spoke" of a wheel. You need a compass to do this - go a set distance, 600-700 yards or so outwards, to the west. Then return back to the center if you haven't found anything, rest, and go 600-700 yards to the south. Then do the east, then north. The point is to learn the area around you and try to find a landmark you recognize. If you don't, then go out further the next time - double the distance.
3) Use your equipment if you've got it. Keep your bearings with a compass, and remember that your new point of origin is the spot you were thinking in.
4) If you were with a group of people, it is better to sit and stay put. They will notice that you are gone and attempt to backtrack. Likewise, if you are in a group, immediately attempt to find anyone who has wandered off. Look within a reasonable area around the path you traveled. Have a plan beforehand with groups on what to do.
5) Don't dehydrate yourself. This is the biggest risk - panicking and overexerting will cause you to run out of water. If you're in an area with frequent travelers, remember that you are likely to see someone if you stick to the general area, even if they aren't with your party. They will be able to lead you out.
6) When you're moving around and you're lost, always put markers out at set intervals. Piling several rocks together is a good one, or placing a stick into the ground pointed straight up. You need to be able to find your way back and make sure you know what paths you have taken.
7) If you find a stream or a river, following it downhill tends to lead towards a road. That's a rough general rule, though, and you should try searching nearby first.
8) Do not move around at night. Go back to your central "spot" when nightfall is approaching - if it's a bad spot to camp out, then pick another one, but try to either make it nearby or make it a place where you know how to get back there easily. Moving around at night is EXTREMELY likely to get you more lost, and you also can't notice key landmarks.
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