How to Poop While Trail Running (Leave No Trace Bathroom Tips)
How to Poop While Trail Running (Quick Answer)
If you need to poop while trail running, get at least 200 feet off the trail and water sources, dig a 6–8 inch cat-hole, and bury your waste thoroughly. In fragile or high-use areas, pack out waste. Carry a small kit like a PACT Ultra Lite Bathroom Kit which includes a trowel and sustainable wipes. Also consider bringing hand sanitizer, and a bag so you can pack out your toilet tissue.
Why Trail Runners Sometimes Need to Poop Mid-Run
Trail running means long miles, remote trails, and sometimes being far from a bathroom when nature calls. If you trail run a lot, you’ve probably experienced a mid-run bathroom emergency or wondered what to do if you need to poop while running.
It happens more often than runners admit. Long runs, gels, caffeine, and early mornings can all send your digestive system into overdrive and leave you running home with one less sock.
Knowing how to poop while trail running is part of being prepared for long runs, remote trails, and trail races.
The good news: with a little preparation and the right gear, handling bathroom breaks on a trail run can be quick, clean, and easy.
In this guide you'll learn:
- When to bury your poop vs. pack it out
- The essential trail running bathroom gear
- Why sustainable toilet tissue matters
- How to bury your poop
- How to follow Leave No Trace practices
- What to do during a trail race
If you're heading into the backcountry on a long run, these trail running tips will help you handle things quickly so you can get back to doing what you love.
For a complete overview of outdoor bathroom practices, see our full guide:
👉 How to Poop in the Backcountry
When To Bury vs. Pack Out on a Trail Run
Many runners assume the solution is simple: dig a hole and bury your poop, and oftentimes this is an acceptable method. But the reality is more nuanced.
In some environments, poop doesn’t break down effectively when buried. Human waste decomposes through microbial activity in soil. For that to work well, soil needs:
- Oxygen
- Moisture
- Active microbes
Dry, rocky, cold, or heavily used areas often lack the conditions needed for decomposition. In those places, buried waste can remain intact for years. That’s why Leave No Trace guidelines recommend packing out waste in certain environments such as:
- Alpine terrain (above treeline)
- Desert landscapes
- Canyons
- Heavily used trails
- Areas with shallow soil
In forests and healthy soils, burying waste in a 6–8 inch cat-hole is usually appropriate. If you're unsure which method to use, check land manager guidance or learn more here:
👉 Why Burying Poop Doesn't Always Work
Trail Running Bathroom Gear: What to Carry on Every Run
If you're wondering what to do if you need to poop while running, the answer starts with packing and carrying the right gear. Bathroom gear for trail runners needs to be:
- Lightweight
- Compact
- Fast to use
The PACT Ultra Lite Bathroom Kit was designed specifically for this situation. It holds enough supplies for ~3 bathroom trips, weighs about 2.5oz when stocked with supplies and can live in your running vest or belt, so it’s always there when you need it.
Why it works well for trail running:
- Ultralight and compact
- Fits easily in running vests, belts, or small packs
- Includes a trowel for digging a cat-hole quickly
- Contains PACT Wipes and PACT Tabs to keep you clean and support decomposition
- Allows you to handle a bathroom break quickly and responsibly
For most runners, this is the easiest all-in-one solution for trail running bathroom emergencies.
In addition to the all-in-one PACT Ultra Light Kit. Runners should consider carrying:
- Hand sanitizer to kill pathogens on your hands
- Small plastic bag for packing out used paper or wipes
If you’re in an environment where burying your waste isn’t ideal practice, like an arid desert for example, ideally, you’re prepared with a human waste Pack Out Kit (e.g. WAG Bag), and enough space in your vest to carry your poop out with you. For more info and tips on packing out check out our blog post:
👉 How to Pack Out Your Poop While Camping or Backpacking: A Leave No Trace Guide
Use Sustainable Bathroom Wipes on Trail Runs
Traditional toilet paper and wet wipes create a major environmental problem on trails. Many wet wipes contain plastic fibers that never break down, and a range of chemicals that are hazardous to your health and the environment. Even toilet paper can take months or years to decompose depending on conditions.
PACT Bathroom Wipes solve a number of problems for trail runners. First, they’re dehydrated and compressed, and unfold into a wet 9” towel with a small squirt of water (< 1oz). Because they aren’t stored wet, they save weight and never dry out in the packaging. Throw a few in your vest and you’re good to ‘go’.
But, those aren’t the only benefits:
- Made from entirely plant-based fibers
- Third party tested to decompose by 100% in 95 days
- FSC-certified so they’re sourced from responsibly managed forests
- Made of OEKO-TEX Standard 100 material so they’re free of over 1,000 chemicals commonly used in textiles like TP and conventional wipes
They also work better for runners because they:
- Clean more effectively than toilet paper
- Require less paper to get you clean
- Save weight and space in your running vest
Leave No Trace guidance strongly encourages people to pack out their paper. However, many trail runners do not. Ideally, you’re bringing a small bag along to carry your paper out. But, if you are burying, PACT Bathroom Wipes help to minimize the impact. Just ensure that the paper is thoroughly buried 6-8” deep and well covered with dirt.
How to Bury Poop While Trail Running (Step-by-Step)
If you’re in an environment where burying your waste is appropriate, follow these simple steps.
1. Move off the trail
Find a spot at least 200 feet from trails, campsites, and water sources.
2. Dig a cat-hole
Use a trowel to dig a 6–8 inch deep cat-hole. Don’t skip this step! Many runners fail to bury their waste effectively because they don’t have a trowel. This is why we made the PACT Ultra Lite!
3. Do your business
Poop in the hole. You got this! Consider it a little extra training for your quads.
4. Clean up
Use PACT Wipes or some other tissue to clean up and ideally pack it out in a ziploc bag. Otherwise, bury thoroughly.
5. Add PACT Tabs
Drop (3) in the cat-hole to kill pathogens and speed up decomposition.
6. Bury the waste
Fill the hole with soil, pack it down with your foot and cover it with debris like rocks.
7. Sanitize your hands
Use hand sanitizer to avoid coming in contact with pathogens.
If you're unsure whether to bury or pack out waste or you want a deeper explanation of the steps, see the full guide:
👉 How to Poop in the Backcountry: Complete Guide
Trail Race Bathroom Tips
Bathroom logistics during a trail race can be tricky. We know firsthand as we’ve worked with world class events like the Leadville 100, High Lonesome 100, Chuckanut 50K and more to implement better waste management strategies for runners on the course. Here’s the high-level tips.
Many races provide porta-potties at aid stations, but longer races or remote courses may require runners to handle bathroom breaks themselves when they’re deeper in the backcountry.
Good preparation helps prevent a stressful mid-run bathroom emergency, and ensure that trail races aren’t having a negative impact on the environment or creating an undue burden for land managers.
Tips for races:
- Know which aid stations have bathrooms and which do not
- Carry a small bathroom kit, especially a trowel for emergencies
- Practice your bathroom routine during long training runs
- If porta-potties aren’t available, get far off trail (ideally more than 200’) and follow Leave No Trace practices, like always digging a cat-hole.
Most experienced trail runners accept that bathroom breaks are part of long races. Being prepared minimizes your impact, and allows you to get going again quickly.
Quick Tips For Trail Running Bathroom Breaks
Photo via Eric Phillips and The Grand Traverse Race
Go before you go.
Sounds obvious, but many mid-run emergencies start with skipping the trailhead bathroom.
Know your gut.
If coffee, gels, or certain foods cause issues, adjust the timing or switch products. The more consistent your pre- and mid-run diet the less likely you’ll be surprised by a bathroom trip.
Carry the gear anyway.
Even if you think you won't need it, the PACT Ultra Lite Kit is light enough that there's no reason not to bring it…just in case.
If burying, dig a good cat-hole.
If you’re in an area where burying is appropriate, always dig a 6-8” hole. Leaving poop on or near the surface isn’t cool.
Pack out your paper.
TP and conventional wipes can take a very long time to break down, always try to pack these items out. At the very least bury thoroughly 6-8” deep.
Final Thoughts
We’ve spent a lot of time on trails over the years, and had a few accidents ourselves - all the result of not being prepared. Since starting PACT Outdoors, we’ve also started consulting with ultra running events like the Leadville 100, High Lonesome 100, and Grand Traverse Race about their waste management strategies.
As land management resources become more scarce and ultra trail running becomes more popular, we’re noticing the impacts that these races have on mountain communities and the sensitive ecosystems around them.
Ask any ultrarunner and they’ll tell you the same thing: if you run trails long enough, you’ll eventually need to go. Experienced runners and all outdoor enthusiasts know that being prepared to poop responsibly is one of the biggest ways they can practice good outdoor stewardship.
That’s why many trail runners carry a small bathroom kit on every long run, even if they think they won’t need it. When a mid-run bathroom emergency happens miles from a trailhead, having the right gear makes the difference between a stressful situation that leaves an unnecessary impact on the environment and a job well done that gets you back on the trail quickly.
And when you're heading out on a long run into the backcountry, check out the PACT Ultra Lite Bathroom Kit so you’re ready for whatever the trail (or your body) throws at you.