How to Poop While Backpacking (Bury vs Pack Out + Leave No Trace Tips)
Backpacking can take you deep into the backcountry—far from trailheads, crowds and any kind of infrastructure, and that’s part of the allure. But with that reality comes the necessity to prepare for events that are normally an afterthought.
Maybe because it’s taboo or because until recently no one has created good products to support it, how to poop effectively and responsibly in the backcountry is something folks often overlook. This can impact both your experience and the long-term integrity of our public lands.
Knowing how to poop while backpacking is a core backcountry skill—especially on multi-day trips where bathrooms don’t exist.
This post answers the critical question: How do you poop while backpacking?
For a complete breakdown of all backcountry bathroom practices, check out our guide: 👉 How To Poop In The Backcountry.
It’s one of the most common concerns for new backpackers—and something experienced backpackers know to plan for on every trip. Done incorrectly, human waste can contaminate water, spread bacteria and damage the outdoor places we cherish.
Knowing how to poop while backpacking isn’t just about comfort—it’s about protecting the environment and following Leave No Trace principles.
How to Poop While Backpacking (Quick Answer)
If you need to poop while backpacking, first decide whether to bury or pack out. In areas with healthy soil, dig a 6–8 inch cat hole at least 200 feet from water, trails, and campsites and bury your waste. In alpine, desert, or high-use areas, you should pack out your poop using a waste bag system. Always carry a backpacking poop kit.
In This Guide
- When to bury vs pack out poop
- Backpacking poop kit and essential gear
- How to bury poop in the woods (cat hole steps)
- How to pack out poop properly
- Sustainable toilet paper alternatives
- Practical backpacking tips
Why Backpackers Need a Plan for Poop
Unlike a short hike, backpacking means spending multiple days in environments where there are no facilities.
Over time, improperly managed human waste leads to:
- Contaminated water sources
- Increased bacteria and pathogens
- Toilet paper scattered around campsites
- Increased regulations and access restrictions on public lands
This is why Leave No Trace poop practices are essential—not optional.
If you want the full breakdown of backcountry bathroom practices, start here:
👉 How to Poop in the Backcountry (2026 Update)
Bury vs Pack Out: The Most Important Decision
The biggest mistake backpackers make is assuming that burying poop is always acceptable. It’s not.
When You Can Bury Poop
Burying waste by digging a cat hole (6–8 inches deep) works best in environments with:
- Rich, organic soil
- Adequate moisture
- Warm temperatures
- Spread out (versus highly concentrated) visitor use
This is typically true in forested areas where decomposition can happen relatively quickly.
When You Should Pack Out Poop
In many backpacking destinations, packing out is required or strongly recommended because waste does not break down effectively.
This includes:
- Alpine environments (e.g. hiking taller peaks)
- Arid deserts (e.g. Moab, UT)
- Canyons (e.g. on rafting or canyoneering trips)
- Rocky or shallow soils
- Heavily trafficked areas (e.g. National Parks)
In these conditions, the soil base is limited and lacks the microbial activity to adequately decompose poop and/or toilet tissue. So, buried waste can persist for years and accumulate quickly.
For a deeper explanation of why this happens:
👉 Why Burying Poop Doesn’t Always Work
Backpacking Poop Kit: What to Carry
Having the right setup is what turns this from a stressful situation into a ‘feel good’ one. Your kit should be selected based on whether you expect to be burying or packing out during your trip.
Do a quick search on the area you’re heading to in order to determine whether there is guidance on packing out or burying. Many Forest Serve and National Park websites provide this information.
Overall, the best backpacking poop kit should be:
- Appropriate for your environment
- Compact and lightweight
- Easy to use
- Get you clean
For Burying: PACT Lite Bathroom Kit
If you’re backpacking in areas where burying waste is appropriate, having a reliable backpacking poop trowel (i.e. shovel) and sustainable toilet tissue makes the process significantly easier.
If you’re building your system from scratch, most backpackers choose a dedicated setup rather than piecing together a DIY kit.
The PACT Lite Kit is designed specifically for backpackers who need a lightweight, all-in-one system for digging cat holes and managing waste.
It includes:
- A durable, ultralight backpacking poop shovel (trowel) that cuts through tough soil
- Storage for all your supplies inside the shovel
- PACT Wipes and PACT Tabs to keep you clean and reduce your impact on the environment
Why it matters:
Digging a proper 6–8 inch cat hole quickly is critical—not just for convenience, but for proper decomposition. Improvised tools (rocks, sticks) often lead to shallow holes, which increases environmental impact.
Other selling points:
- It holds 5-7 days worth of supplies
- Weighs 4oz when fully stocked
- PACT Wipes are compressed and unfold into a 9” wipe with squirt of water = more clean with less paper
- PACT Tabs use fungal mycelium to break down poop faster
For backpackers who plan to bury waste, this is one of the most efficient and packable backpacking poop kits available.
For Packing Out: PACT Pack Out Kit
In many environments, especially alpine and desert landscapes, the best (and sometimes required) practice is to pack out your poop.
The PACT Pack Out Kit is designed to make this process simple, clean, and manageable—even on multi-day trips.
It includes:
- All-in-one, single-use kit
- Double bagged system to safely store poop
- Supplies to clean and disinfect hands
- Enzyme powder to deodorize and kill pathogens
- Leak-proof containment
- Compact and lightweight design
- Easy to follow instructions
Why it matters:
Packing out waste can feel intimidating at first, but having a simple, dedicated system removes the guesswork. It turns an awkward task into a straightforward, repeatable process.
For regulated or fragile environments, this is one of the most reliable backpacking poop bag systems available.
Use Sustainable Toilet Paper (or Better Alternatives)
Unburied toilet paper and conventional wipes are one of the most persistent problems in the backcountry.
Even when buried, it can:
- Take a long time to break down (1-2+ years)
- Get exposed by animals or erosion
- Accumulate in high-use areas
For these reasons, Leave No Trace recommends packing out all toilet paper and wipes in a disposable plastic bag.
PACT Bathroom Wipes are designed to solve these issues. They’re dehydrated and compressed so they save weight and space, never dry out in the packaging but still get you clean like a conventional wipe.
They are:
- Made entirely of plant-based materials
- Free of over 1,000 chemicals commonly used in textiles
- Designed to decompose by 100% in 95 days
For backpackers, they also offer practical advantages:
- You use less paper
- They save weight and space in your pack
- They leave you feeling clean
For most backpackers, this is one of the easiest upgrades you can make to improve hygiene and reduce impact.
For more info on using toilet tissue in the outdoors:
👉 The Complete Guide to Backpacking Wipes That Actually Break Down
Additional Supplies For Your Poop Kit
In addition to choosing the right kit for your environment, you’ll want to carry a few additional items.
Important extras to bring:
- Hand sanitizer for quickly disinfecting your hands on-the-go
- Biodegradable hand soap for cleaning your hands at camp
- Plastic bag for carrying used toilet tissue, wipes or feminine hygiene products
- Trash bag for transporting used Pack Out Kits if you’re hauling your poop for multiple days
With the right kit and extra supplies above, you’ll have everything you need to take care of yourself and the environment you’re in.
How to Bury Poop While Backpacking (Step-by-Step)
If burying poop is appropriate in your location, follow these steps:
1. Find a private spot away from waterways, trails and campsites
Go at least 200 feet away
2. Dig a cat hole
Use a backpacking poop trowel to dig a hole 6–8 inches deep
3. Do your business
Poop in the hole. You got this.
4. Clean yourself
Use toilet tissue like PACT Wipes
5. Add PACT Tabs
Drop 3 in the hole to break down poop faster
5. Cover the hole completely
Fill the hole with dirt and return the area to a natural state
6. Pack out paper
Put your paper in a sealable plastic bag
6. Sanitize
Use hand sanitizer or biodegradable soap
7. Pat self on back
For a job well done
How to Pack Out Poop While Backpacking
When packing out is required, the process is simple but important.
1. Use a dedicated waste bag system (aka PACK Out Kit)
These kits vary slightly but generally come with all the supplies you need. Most are single use, so bring one for each poop during your trip.
2. Poop directly into the inner bag
Poop inside the inner bag. Deposit used toilet tissue and poop powder (to deodorize) inside this bag
3. Seal the bag carefully
Gently remove air and tie an overhand knot to seal the plastic bag.
4. Store it inside the outer bag
Put the inner bag inside the odor-proof outer bag and seal the outer bag
4. Store inside another trash bag
Keeping used waste bags inside a trash bags adds peace of mind when hauling for multiple days
5. Dispose at a proper facility
Deposit all waste bags in a trash can at the end of your trip.
Experienced Backpackers Always Have a Poop Plan
If you talk to experienced backpackers, you’ll hear the same thing:
This isn’t optional—it’s part of the game.
Between altitude, new foods, dehydration, and long days, your body doesn’t always follow a predictable schedule.
That’s why experienced backpackers:
- Research the area to determine the best method(s) - bury or pack out
- Always carry a poop kit - PACT Lite or Pack Out Kit and extra supplies
- Ensure others are prepared as well
- Study Leave No Trace Principles
- It’s just part of being prepared in the backcountry.
Quick Tips for Backpacking Bathroom Breaks
- Know whether you’ll need to bury or pack out before your trip
- Be aware of and follow local regulations around poop practice
- Prep your bathroom kit in advance
- Never bury regular toilet paper or wipes
- Bring extra supplies
- Leave the area looking undisturbed
Final Thoughts
The more people that recreate outdoors, the more important it becomes to handle human waste correctly. Learning how to poop while backpacking is a simple but essential skill. After a few repetitions with your chosen kit or system, it’ll feel second nature.
With the right gear, a clear plan, and Leave No Trace practices, you can minimize your impact and make your trip more comfortable and less impactful.
It may sound surprising, but mis-handled human waste is one of the biggest resource issues and environmental concerns affecting our public lands.
Human waste that isn’t buried properly or packed out in sensitive, high-use areas is one of the biggest drivers of increased regulations on public lands. Typical regulations include things like: instituting permitting systems, reducing the number of permits, closing dispersed camping, and even temporarily closing impacted areas altogether.
Whether you’re digging a cat hole or packing everything out, being prepared with the right system—like the PACT Lite Kit or PACT Pack Out Kit—makes the process faster, cleaner, and easier…
…AND most importantly protects the integrity of our public lands for everyone that comes after you.
FAQ
How do you poop while backpacking?
Decide whether to bury or pack out. In areas with healthy soil, dig a 6–8 inch cat hole, 200 feet from water, trails, and campsites and bury your waste. In alpine, desert, or high-use areas, pack out your poop using a waste bag system. Always carry a backpacking poop kit.
Do you have to pack out poop while backpacking?
It is best to pack out your poop in sensitive and high use areas like alpine environments, arid deserts, near waterways and in areas of highly concentrated use like National Parks and other popular destinations.
What is the best backpacking poop kit?
For burying your waste the PACT Lite Kit is an excellent solution that has received multiple industry awards. For packing out your poop, the PACT Pack Out Kit is lightweight, easy to use and locks in odor.
Can you bury toilet paper while backpacking?
Leave No Trace guidance recommends that all toilet paper and wipes be packed out of the backcountry. Bring a resealable plastic bag to keep your used paper in and dispose of it in the trash afterwards.