It is a gift.
Most do not have it.
My son and I have both been blessed with an unusually good sense of direction, him more so than me. It helps to be aware and observant as you go your way, taking special note of unique landmarks, not only as you approach them, but looking back after you’ve passed them since they’ll look different on the way back. I’ve never gotten lost in my life, while a lot of people I know can even get lost in parking lots.
I have no sense of direction whatsoever (girl brain), which is why I am so thankful for my car’s navigation system. If I had a dollar for every time I got lost in the old days....
I have the same sense of direction, desert or mountains, rain or shine, I always find my way back to camp.