Sadly, human waste is the most common form of pollution in our wilderness areas. On many of my backpacking trips, I often see remnants of used toilet paper and sometimes even human waste at campsites. This is just plain disgusting and can lead to contaminated water sources, attract unwanted wildlife to camping areas, and spread disease among hikers. This problem shows that a lot of backpackers simply lack an understanding of how to properly poop in the woods. With more and more people choosing to enjoy the outdoors, it’s important that we all learn how to do so by following ‘Leave No Trace’ practices. Then our natural areas will remain beautiful places to visit. Here is a complete guide on how to poop in the woods.

Items You Will Need

• Trowel: Helpful in digging a cathole.

• Toilet Paper: Use non-scented, singly-ply toilet paper. It will break down quickly and not attract animals.

• Hand Soap: Any non-scented biodegradable soap will work.

• Ziploc Baggy: This is to carry all your bathroom items.

• Gallon Ziploc Baggy (Optional): To pack out your used wet wipes.

• Wet Wipes (Optional): Some like to use wet wipes for a final wipe.

Find a Location

In finding a place to poop, location is everything. Here are some suggestions on what to look for.

• Find a private spot that is 200 feet away from the trail, campsite, or any water source.

• Look for rich, dark soil, which will be higher in bacteria that can break down your feces more quickly.

• Try to find an area with soil that is soft to make digging a cathole a lot easier.

• Look for and avoid runoff paths that could potentially contaminate water sources.

• Try to find a sunny spot. The sun can speed up decomposition. (This is easier to find out West)

Pro Tip: Don’t wait till you have to go really bad. The whole process of pooping in the woods takes time and your efforts to follow “Leave No Trace” practices will probably go out the window.

Dig a Cathole

Now that you have found the perfect location to do your business, it’s time to dig your cathole. According to “Leave No Trace” practices, your cathole needs to be 4-6 inches wide and 6-8 inches deep. It’s important that the hole is deep enough so it will mask the smell of your feces from animals and aid in decomposition. I highly recommend backpacking with a trowel. It just makes life a lot easier when digging your cathole. I recommend the very ultralight Deuce trowel.

Pick a Position

• The Squat: Straddle the cathole in a low squatting position. Lean forward slightly to balance yourself with your hands on your knees for support.  

• The Assist: This is a modified version of the squat. If you don’t quite have enough thigh strength to hold a squat, the assist position has you use one hand for support behind you.

• The Seated Hang: Look for a fallen log or boulder and hang your rear over the side hovering over the cathole. Use your hands to hold yourself in place. This is the closest thing to a toilet in the backcountry.

• The Tree Hug: Find a tree with a fairly slender yet sturdy trunk that you can grab hold of and lean back into a squat over your cathole. Your feet should be near the base of the tree.

Clean Yourself

After you have handled your business, now it’s time to clean yourself up. The environment-friendly version is to use natural ‘toilet paper’ (sticks, smooth rocks, and leaves) to wipe yourself with. And then use a reduced amount of regular toilet paper to finish off with.

However, let’s be honest, most of us won’t do that because it’s messy and the potential to accidentally contaminate your hands in the process is very high. I recommend just using non-scented, single-ply toilet paper, which breaks down the fastest. Try to use it sparingly, enough to just get the job done. Put all used toilet paper, natural or unnatural, in the cathole.

After that, some backpackers like to polish off that rearview mirror with some wet wipes. If you do this, wet wipes do not break down well in the ground and will need to be packed out in a Ziploc bag according to “Leave No Trace” practices.

Cover It Up

Now that you’re all cleaned up, the next step is to cover everything up and relatively make it look like no one was ever there. Start by filling in the cathole with the original dirt and then stamp it down with your foot. Maybe even sprinkle some leaves and sticks on the spot to make it look natural. Place a rock or upright branch over the space to discourage other people from using the same spot to go to the bathroom.

Clean Your Hands

The last thing to do, of course, is to clean your hands. I recommend Campsuds Biodegradable Soap. It’s very effective and made from natural ingredients so as not to harm the environment. Whatever you end up using make sure to rub your hands vigorously, paying attention to your fingers.

When Required: How to Pack Everything Out

In certain wilderness areas, you’re required to pack out your poop and toilet paper. Coyote Gulch in Utah’s Escalante National Monument is an example of such a place. This rule was instituted due to the large volume of people hiking in a watershed area. In these situations, a Wag Bag is used. It’s a bag that you poo in that contains a special blend of polymers that instantly breaks down the waste and turns it into a deodorized gel. After you have done your business you seal that bag up and then this goes inside a second securely sealed Ziploc bag that keeps it all contained. Once you’re back in civilization, the entire wag bag goes into the garbage. This is the ultimate “Leave No Trace” option.

In Conclusion

We have such beautiful natural areas that we’re able to enjoy on this earth. Let’s do our best to keep these places pristine by following “Leave No Trace” practices. This includes digging a proper cathole to bury our poop and toilet paper.

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