The history of orienteering in the United States includes both military and civilian interest, with the period of greatest growth between 1970 and 1980. To investigate growth patterns in orienteering, questionnaires were mailed to 42 civilian orienteering clubs and 286 universities supporting senior Reserve Office Training Corps (ROTC) curriculums; 199 questionnaries (60.7 percent) were returned, indicating 27 active civilian clubs and 59 with a Military Science Department (MSD) affiliation, with core regions for civilan clubs in the Northeast and Midwest and for MSD clubs in the South. Factors leading to founding of clubs were experience with European orienteering, active ROTC programs, and prior club experience. Factors serving as barriers to the growth of clubs were lack of: sufficient public interest; geographic training in public schools; effective promotional activity; high-level orienteering meets in an area; adequately detailed maps; and suitable terrain. As better maps are made, the West will probably become another regional core. A 1979 decision to rescind requirements for Military Science Departments to conduct orienteering programs may lead to a decline in number of MSD clubs in the South and Midwest. Appendices include maps of club growth and meets, special contour maps, and the survey questionnaire and results. (MH)