Go to the Bathroom in the Woods
Sometimes when you're hiking or camping, you'll need to go to the bathroom. Relieving yourself can seem challenging or off-putting. It doesn't have to be! There are some important things to keep in mind so you can do your business without hassle.
Contents
Steps
Selecting the Right Spot
- Check the waste disposal guidelines and requirements. Even if you're just heading out for a day hike you should know what the proper waste disposal guidelines are for the area you're going to be in. You can usually check this with the park service of whatever area you'll be in.
- Certain terrain requires that you pack out your waste. This is especially true of areas that are sensitive to water pollution like river canyons. You can buy biodegradable containment pouches with which to remove your waste.
- Avoid water, trails, and campsites. You will need to be at least {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} from a body of water, trail, or campsite. This is to avoid water contamination, spread of disease, an unsightly mess, as well as to avoid unwanted attention from animals.
- Try to find a place that isn't too shady, as sunlight will help hasten the decomposition process of your waste.
- Dig a hole. You can use a rock or a spade (if you brought one) to dig a hole at least {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} deep and {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} across. This is often called a "cat hole" and it needs to be so deep to help cover your waste and avoid possible contamination, etc. Make sure that you follow this rule.
Doing Your Business
- Squat and do your business. Some people prefer to find a couple of large rocks or a log to rest their butt against when they are going to the bathroom outdoors, but unless you have a physical disability there's really no reason not to squat.
- Remember, folks who have to squat down to pee, hold your jeans or trousers away from yourself so that you don't pee on them.
- Wipe. You can bring toilet paper or baby wipes with you and use those, although you'll need to put them in a plastic baggy afterwards and carry them out with you. Otherwise you can wipe with leaves, snow, a smooth river stone, whatever works best for you.
- Make sure that you know the poisonous plants or trees in the area where you're hiking, otherwise you might accidentally grab something like poison oak and then you'll be very sorry.
- Cover the hole. When you're finished you'll want to make sure that you cover the hole and your business with soil, leaves, and twigs all the way to the top. This way it won't attract the attention of any inquisitive animals and won't spread contamination or be an unsightly mess.
- Clean your hands. You will want to make sure that you didn't get any contaminate on your hands, so make sure to bring along some hand sanitizer, or biodegradable soap to clean them.
- The reason you need to use biodegradable soap is that regular soap can cause algae blooms in water sources, which is really bad for them.
Using the Bathroom Above the Tree-Line
- If you need to use the bathroom above the tree-line, then follow these rules. Even there you'll want to make sure that you're away from a trail, or water, or where you've set up a campsite. It's best to find an area with exposed rocks and direct sunlight. You'll be doing something that backpackers call "smearing".
- Find a flat, eastern or western facing rock. Again, sunlight on your waste will help make it decompose more quickly and avoid attracting any sort of trouble. You will do your business on this flat rock.
- Find a different, smaller rock that you are able to hold. You will use this to help make sure that you can use it to smear your waste across the first rock.
- "Smear" your waste across the bigger, flatter rock. As gross as it is, this is the best way to make sure that you don't damage other hikers or the environment. The waste will dry in the sun, and flake off when wind comes up. It's the best option for getting rid of it, when you can't bury it.
- Wipe. You can use a smooth rock, snow, or toilet paper that you've brought along. If you're using the latter, you will need to make sure that you pack it out with you in a plastic baggy. Otherwise you'll be putting something in the ecosystem that doesn't belong there.
Tips
- Not only is the {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} rule from the trail important for not making a mess and non-contamination reasons, it's also so that you aren't suddenly surprised by another hiker. Make sure that you follow this rule.
Warnings
- Don't try to hold in your poop during a backpacking or camping trip, even if you're nervous about going outside, because you might damage your colon in the process.
