How to Poop in the Woods: A Leave No Trace Guide for Beginners

Let us address the question every new hiker has but nobody wants to ask out loud: what do you do when nature calls and there is no bathroom for miles? If you have ever cut a hike short because of this, or suffered in silence on a long trail, this guide is for you.

Here is the liberating truth: everybody poops in the woods sometimes, and there is a right way to do it that protects water, wildlife, and the next hiker. The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics has clear, simple guidelines, and once you learn them, the whole thing becomes as routine as any other trail skill. No shame, no mystery, just a procedure.

Why This Matters: The Four Objectives

Leave No Trace frames backcountry bathroom use around four objectives. Understanding the why makes the rules feel like common sense instead of arbitrary fussiness:

1. Avoid polluting water sources. Human waste carries pathogens that can contaminate streams and lakes. Proper burial and distance keep drinking water safe for people and animals downstream.
2. Eliminate contact with insects and animals. Exposed waste attracts flies and animals, spreading disease and creating unnatural, unhealthy wildlife behavior.
3. Maximize decomposition. Buried at the right depth in living soil, waste breaks down relatively quickly thanks to soil organisms. Too deep and it decomposes slowly; too shallow and it does not decompose safely.
4. Minimize social impacts. Nobody wants to stumble on someone else's waste. Proper technique keeps the backcountry pleasant for everyone.

Every rule below serves one or more of these objectives. When in doubt in an unusual situation, reason from these four and you will usually land on the right answer.

Before You Go: Build Your Poop Kit

Experienced hikers carry a small dedicated kit so they are never caught unprepared. It lives in an outside pack pocket and weighs almost nothing:

• A trowel. A lightweight backpacking trowel is the right tool for digging a proper cathole. In a pinch, a sturdy stick or tent stake works, but a trowel is faster, cleaner, and worth the few dollars.
• Toilet paper in a zip-top bag. Bring a modest amount in its own sealed bag. Unscented is best.
• A second zip-top bag for used TP. Yes, you pack out your toilet paper. Double-bag it; some hikers wrap the outer bag in tape for discretion and add a small amount of baking soda to control odor.
• Hand sanitizer. Use it after, every time. A tiny bottle lasts many trips.
• A WAG bag (optional but smart). Waste Alleviation and Gelling bags are required in some areas (river corridors, alpine zones) and are a wise backup anywhere digging is impossible.

Toss in a few dog waste bags too if you hike with a dog. The whole kit fits in a quart-size bag and removes every excuse.

Step by Step: Digging a Proper Cathole

A cathole is simply a small hole for human waste, dug to Leave No Trace specifications. Here is the procedure:

Step 1: Pick your spot. Walk at least 200 feet (about 70 adult steps) from water, trails, campsites, and shelters. Look for a discreet spot with living, organic soil. Avoid places where water pools or where others are likely to dig.

Step 2: Dig 6 to 8 inches deep and 4 to 6 inches wide. That is roughly the length of your trowel blade or from your knuckles to your wrist. This depth hits the zone of biological activity where soil organisms break waste down fastest. In arid, sandy desert environments, dig 4 to 6 inches instead, since decomposition works differently there.

Step 3: Get stable. Squat over the hole. Holding onto a sturdy tree trunk or hanging your backside over a low log helps your balance enormously and lets you relax. Nobody is watching; take your time.

Step 4: Do your business in the hole. If your aim is imperfect, use a stick (not your trowel) to nudge any stray material into the hole before you fill it.

Step 5: Fill and disguise. Cover the waste completely with the excavated dirt, tamp it down with your boot, and disguise the spot with natural materials like leaves, pine needles, or a rock placed nearby. The goal is that no one could tell you were there. A properly buried cathole should be essentially invisible.

Step 6: Sanitize your hands. Hand sanitizer, thoroughly. Then wash with soap and water later when you can do it 200 feet from water sources.

That is the whole procedure. The first time feels awkward; the fifth time is automatic.

Location: The 200-Foot Rule

The magic number in backcountry sanitation is 200 feet, roughly 70 big adult steps, from:

• Water: streams, lakes, rivers, springs, and even dry washes that carry water seasonally. Waste too close to water contaminates it; pathogens travel through soil farther than you would guess.
• Trails: nobody wants to discover your cathole site, and trail corridors concentrate both people and runoff.
• Camps and shelters: keep waste away from where people sleep, cook, and gather.

How do you judge 200 feet without a tape measure? Count 70 full paces as you walk away from the trail or water. When in doubt, go farther. More distance is always safer than less.

One more location rule: choose a spot with sunlight if you can. Sun and warmth speed decomposition compared to cold, dark, damp hollows.

Toilet Paper: Pack It Out (Yes, Really)

This is the part that surprises beginners, but Leave No Trace guidance is clear: pack out your toilet paper and hygiene products. Buried toilet paper decomposes slowly, animals dig it up, and in many high-use areas the accumulated paper is a genuine eyesore and health issue.

The system is simple: do your business, wipe, and put the used paper in your dedicated zip-top waste bag, not back in the clean TP supply. Double-bag it. It is far less unpleasant than you are imagining, especially with a small opaque outer bag.

What about "natural" toilet paper? Smooth stones, snow, large leaves, and clean sticks have served hikers for millennia. If you go this route, be absolutely certain about plant identification (poison ivy is a mistake you make once) and bury any natural materials in the cathole. Never use these near water.

What about burying TP instead? Some remote areas with deep organic soil and low use still permit burying plain, unscented toilet paper deep in the cathole. But the modern best practice, and the requirement in a growing number of places, is to pack it out. When the local land manager says pack it out, that settles it. Default to packing out and you will never be wrong.

Wipes, tampons, pads, and "compostable" products always get packed out, everywhere, no exceptions. Wipes labeled compostable or biodegradable do not break down in a cathole; they need industrial composting conditions. The same goes for tampon applicators and panty liners.

Peeing in the Woods: The Simpler Rules

Urine is far less of a concern than solid waste, and the rules are correspondingly simpler:

• Go at least 200 feet from water sources, trails, and camp when practical. LNT guidance suggests urinating on a durable surface at least 100 feet from water at minimum.
• Dilution is the solution. Urine is mostly water and breaks down quickly. Spreading it on rocks, gravel, or bare soil is better than concentrating it on one delicate plant.
• Avoid watering the vegetation directly when you can; salts in urine can damage plants and attract animals that dig up the area.
• In arid environments, consider peeing on rocks rather than soil to avoid creating animal attractants.

For groups: spread out rather than everyone using the same bush. Your nose will thank you, and so will the landscape.

Special Situations: Desert, Alpine, Rivers, Snow, and WAG Bags

The standard cathole procedure covers most hiking, but some environments need different handling:

Desert and arid areas: Dig shallower, 4 to 6 inches, since the biologically active soil layer is thin. Decomposition is slow in deserts, so packing out TP is even more important, and in some desert river corridors, packing out solid waste is required.

Alpine and above treeline: The cold, thin soils above treeline barely decompose waste at all. Do not dig catholes in alpine tundra. Use a WAG bag and pack everything out. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy specifically warns against catholes above treeline in New England for this reason.

River corridors: Many popular river trips (the Grand Canyon is the famous example) require packing out all solid waste in approved containers or WAG bags. Check regulations before any river-adjacent trip.

Snow: In winter, bury waste in snow well away from water and trails, understanding it will be exposed at melt. Better: use a WAG bag. Never leave waste on the snow surface near camps or travel routes.

WAG bags, explained: A Waste Alleviation and Gelling bag contains crystals that gel, deodorize, and begin breaking down waste. You do your business into the bag (some include a small privacy tent-like setup; most hikers just use them pragmatically), seal it, and pack it out in its puncture-resistant outer bag. They are required in a growing list of sensitive areas and are the responsible choice anywhere you cannot dig a proper cathole.

When in doubt, check local regulations. Land managers increasingly specify waste rules for their exact area: required pack-out zones, provided toilets, seasonal restrictions. A two-minute check of the park website before your trip beats guessing.

Periods and Hygiene Products Outdoors

Menstruating outdoors is completely manageable with a little planning, and it should never keep anyone off the trail.

• Pack out everything. Used tampons, pads, liners, and wipes go in a dedicated opaque zip-top bag. Double-bag for discretion and odor control.
• Consider a menstrual cup. Reusable cups dramatically reduce waste to pack out. Empty it into a cathole (6 to 8 inches deep, 200 feet from water), wipe or rinse, and reinsert. Carry a small bottle of water and hand sanitizer for cleaning your hands.
• Bring extra bags and hand sanitizer beyond what you think you need. Redundancy is comfort.
• Do not bury hygiene products. They do not decompose in a cathole and animals will dig them up. This includes anything labeled biodegradable or compostable.

Bears and menstruation: this worry comes up constantly, and wildlife agencies have found no evidence that menstrual odors attract bears any more than other human scents. Standard food storage and camp hygiene practices are what matter. Do not let this myth keep you indoors.

What NOT to Do: Common Mistakes

Mistake	Why It Is a Problem	Do This Instead
Going right next to the trail or water	Contaminates water; exposes others to waste	Walk 200 feet (70 steps) away first
Digging too shallow (or not at all)	Surface waste spreads disease and attracts animals	Full 6 to 8 inches deep, fully buried
Digging too deep (12+ inches)	Below the biological zone; waste barely decomposes	6 to 8 inches hits the active soil layer
Leaving TP on the ground or in a fire pit	Litter; TP does not burn completely	Pack it out in a zip-top bag
Burying wipes or hygiene products	They do not decompose; animals dig them up	Pack out all wipes, tampons, and pads
Putting a rock or log over waste instead of burying	Not burial; the next hiker finds it	Dig the hole, fill it, disguise it
Going above treeline in a cathole	Alpine soils do not decompose waste	Use a WAG bag and pack it out
Washing yourself or dishes in the stream	Soap and food pollute water even if biodegradable	Carry water 200 feet away, use tiny amounts of soap, scatter strained dishwater

When the Ground Will Not Cooperate

Rocky soil, dense roots, and frozen ground can make digging a proper cathole genuinely difficult. Do not settle for a shallow scrape and call it good. First, try moving to a new spot; soil varies enormously within a few dozen feet, and a softer patch is often nearby. Look for areas under trees where needle duff has built up deep, workable soil.

If you truly cannot dig 6 to 8 inches anywhere reasonable, switch to a WAG bag and pack everything out. That is exactly what they are for. What you should never do is leave waste shallowly buried or on the surface because the ground was hard. The "I tried" cathole that is two inches deep is barely better than no cathole at all, since animals and erosion will expose it within days.

In winter, frozen ground is a given. Carry WAG bags as standard winter kit, the same way you carry extra layers. Experienced winter hikers consider them as non-negotiable as a headlamp.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it legal to poop in the woods? On most public lands, yes, provided you follow Leave No Trace practices and any local regulations. Some sensitive areas require packing out solid waste or using provided toilets, and violating those rules can mean fines. Always check the specific regulations for your destination before you go.

What if I do not have a trowel? Improvise with a sturdy stick, a tent stake, or even your heel in soft soil, but aim for the full 6 to 8 inches. A proper trowel is a small, cheap upgrade that makes the job dramatically easier; add one to your kit before your next trip.

How far is 200 feet, really? About 70 big adult steps. Walk away from the trail or water counting your paces until you hit 70, then find your spot. When in doubt, keep walking; extra distance never hurts.

Do I really have to pack out toilet paper? Leave No Trace says yes, and a growing number of land managers require it. Buried TP decomposes slowly and gets dug up by animals. The zip-top bag system is simple and far less gross than beginners expect. Default to packing it out and you will always be compliant.

What should I do if I see someone else's waste on the trail? Do not just walk past it. If you can safely bury it properly with your trowel, that is a genuine act of trail stewardship. At minimum, report heavily impacted areas to the land manager. And let it reinforce your own good habits.

Can I just hold it until I find a bathroom? On short hikes near trailhead facilities, sure. But holding it for hours is uncomfortable, distracting, and on longer hikes simply not realistic. Learning the cathole method frees you to enjoy longer trails without anxiety. Your body will thank you.

A Quick Disclaimer

Leave No Trace practices here reflect the current guidance of the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, but specific regulations vary by park, forest, season, and ecosystem. Some areas require packing out all waste, provide backcountry toilets, or restrict where you can go. Always check the local land manager's rules for your exact destination before heading out, and follow the strictest applicable guidance.