Human waste outdoors: catholes, wag bags and toilet paper

How to deal with going to the bathroom where there is no toilet: digging a proper cathole, when you must pack out waste instead, handling toilet paper and menstrual products, and keeping water sources clean.

By the CampTier team · Updated 2026-10-15 · About 5 min read

Illustrative photo of a forest path at sunset — Illustrative stock photo, not a product photo. Photo: Sergei Akulich (CC0).

Why this matters

Nobody loves this topic, but poorly handled human waste is one of the biggest problems at popular backcountry sites. It can contaminate water with pathogens that make people sick, attract animals, and leave sites unpleasant for everyone after you. The good news is that a few simple habits solve it. Land managers set the rules for each area, and some require you to pack out all waste, so always check the regulations for where you are going. The wider principles are in campsite etiquette and Leave No Trace.

Use a toilet when there is one

Campground toilets, pit toilets and outhouses exist for good reason; use them whenever they are available, even if it means a short walk. Keep a headlamp and hand sanitizer by the tent door for night trips. Do not throw trash, food or wipes into pit toilets, because it makes them much harder and more expensive to pump.

Digging a cathole

Where there are no toilets and the land manager allows burying waste, a cathole is the standard method:

Pick the spot. At least 60 meters (about 200 feet, roughly 70 adult steps) from water, trails and campsites. Choose a place with organic, dark soil if you can, since microbes there break waste down faster, and somewhere people are unlikely to walk or camp.
Dig. Use a small trowel to dig a hole about 15 to 20 centimeters (6 to 8 inches) deep and about 10 to 15 centimeters (4 to 6 inches) wide. That depth keeps waste in the biologically active soil layer while deep enough to deter animals.
Use it. Squat over the hole.
Cover it. Stir in a little soil with a stick, then fill the hole with the original soil and disguise the spot with leaves or needles so it looks undisturbed.

Spread catholes out rather than concentrating them in one area. In a group camping several nights, agree on a general direction away from camp and water.

Tools

A lightweight backcountry trowel is far easier than trying to dig with a heel or tent stake, especially in rooty or rocky soil. Keep it in an outside pocket with a small kit: toilet paper in a zip bag, a second zip bag for used paper, and hand sanitizer.

When you must pack it out

Some places do not allow catholes, or the environment makes them a bad idea:

Desert and arid areas with thin soils where waste breaks down very slowly (some desert areas do allow shallow catholes in specific conditions; follow local rules).
High alpine zones, rocky terrain and glaciers where you cannot dig and waste does not decompose.
Narrow river canyons and heavily used areas where the volume of waste is too much for the soil.
Snow camping, where waste buried in snow simply reappears when it melts.

In these places, you use a waste bag system, often called a wag bag: a sturdy bag containing a gelling agent and odor control, with an outer sealable bag. You use it, seal it and carry it out to dispose of in the trash as directed. Some rivers and parks require portable toilets for groups instead. It sounds unpleasant, but modern kits seal well, and it is completely normal practice in many places.

Urine

Urine is mostly sterile and less of an issue than feces, but it can attract animals seeking salt, who may dig up plants. Urinate on rocks, gravel or bare ground rather than vegetation, and away from water and camp. In some river canyons, land managers ask you to urinate directly in the river because the volume of water dilutes it better than the beach can; follow local guidance.

Toilet paper and wipes

Toilet paper takes a long time to break down, and animals dig it up. The best practice in most areas is to pack out used toilet paper in a zip bag (many people line it with duct tape or add a small amount of baking soda for odor). Some areas allow burying plain, unscented paper in a cathole, but packing it out is never wrong. Wet wipes do not decompose and must always be packed out. Never burn toilet paper; it has started wildfires.

Menstrual products

Pads, tampons and liners must be packed out, in an opaque bag inside a zip bag. Animals are attracted to them and they do not decompose in a cathole. Menstrual cups are an option many backpackers prefer: empty them into a cathole, rinse with clean water away from water sources, and clean hands well.

Hygiene and water

Most backcountry stomach illness comes from poor hand hygiene, not from the water. Wash or sanitize hands every time after using the bathroom and before handling food. Hand sanitizer is helpful but works best on hands without visible dirt; washing with a little biodegradable soap and water, 60 meters from water sources, is better. Never wash or rinse directly in streams or lakes. Treat all collected water; see water filtration for camping.

Pets

Dog waste follows the same rules: bury it in a cathole away from water or pack it out in a bag as required. Bagged waste should never be left on the trail to collect later.

Planning before you leave

Check the land manager's website for the area's waste rules. Some permits come with or require specific waste bag kits, and some trailheads hand them out. Pack enough bags for the trip plus spares, and plan a sealed container or opaque stuff sack for used ones so they are not touching food. Packing lists are in the weekend backpacking packing list.

Kids and first-timers

Talk through the process before the trip so nobody panics at the first trailside emergency. Practice the squat in the backyard; children often find it easier to hold a tree or a parent's hands. A small pre-packed kit for each child, with their own toilet paper and sanitizer, builds independence.

Nighttime and bad weather

Pick a direction for nighttime trips before dark, away from water and other tents. Keep the trowel, kit and headlamp together by the door. In heavy rain, waterproof the toilet paper twice; a soggy roll is useless. If you cannot get 60 meters away safely at night, use common sense, but never go near water.

Leaving no sign

The test for good waste practice is simple: after you leave, the next person should find nothing, not a scrap of paper, not a disturbed patch near the water, not a pile of rocks covering something. That is the standard to aim for every time.

General guidance from CampTier, based on manufacturer instructions and common outdoor practice. We don’t claim hands-on testing. Always follow your gear maker’s care and safety instructions. See our safety notes.