You’re packing for a trip and the gear checklist is long. But there’s one crucial campsite system that often gets overlooked until it’s urgently needed: the bathroom. So, what is bathroom camping? It’s the comprehensive practice of managing all your personal hygiene and sanitation needs while in the outdoors, ensuring you stay clean, healthy, and minimize your impact on the environment. It goes far beyond just knowing how to dig a cat hole.
A solid bathroom camping strategy covers everything from choosing the right toilet system and managing waste to washing your hands and dealing with menstruation in the backcountry. Getting this right is a cornerstone of responsible outdoor ethics and can make or break your comfort level on a trip. Let’s break down everything you need to know to master this essential skill.
What Is Bathroom Camping
At its core, bathroom camping is your entire plan for going to the bathroom, brushing your teeth, washing your body, and handling other hygiene tasks while camping. It’s not glamorous, but it’s vital. Whether you’re at a developed campground with flush toilets or deep in the wilderness practicing Leave No Trace principles, you need a plan.
Ignoring this aspect can lead to pollution of water sources, the spread of illness, and an unpleasant experience for you and others. A good system keeps you confident and the wilderness pristine.
The Golden Rules of Outdoor Sanitation
Before we get into the gear and techniques, you must understand the two non-negotiable rules. These are the foundation of all bathroom camping practices.
* Protect Water Sources: Always do your business at least 200 feet (about 70 adult steps) from any lake, stream, river, or spring. This includes washing dishes, brushing teeth, and washing yourself. Contaminants can travel far and harm aquatic ecosystems.
* Pack It In, Pack It Out: In many high-alpine, desert, or heavily used areas, the rule is simple: if you brought it, it leaves with you. This includes toilet paper, wipes, hygiene products, and even human waste in the form of wag bags or portable toilet systems. Always check regulations for your specific destination.
Bathroom Camping Scenarios & Solutions
Your approach will change drastically depending on where you are. Here’s how to handle the main scenarios.
Scenario 1: The Developed Campground
This is bathroom camping on easy mode. You’ll usually have access to a vault toilet (a non-flushing pit toilet) or even flush toilets and sinks.
* Your Kit: A simple toiletry bag with soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, a small towel, and a headlamp for night trips is perfect.
* Pro Tips: Always bring your own toilet paper, as dispensers often run out. Use the provided hand sanitizer or bring your own. Keep your night trip kit ready by the tent door.
Scenario 2: The Backcountry (With Diggable Soil)
This is where classic Leave No Trace skills come into play. The goal is to deposit waste where it can decompose quickly, away from water and camp areas.
* The Cat Hole Method:
1. Walk at least 200 feet from water, trails, and your campsite.
2. Find a discreet spot with rich, organic soil (it decomposes waste faster).
3. Dig a hole 6-8 inches deep and 4-6 inches wide using a small trowel.
4. Do your business directly into the hole.
5. After use, fill the hole back in with the original dirt and disguise it with natural materials like leaves or rocks.
* Your Kit: A dedicated zip-top bag with toilet paper, a small bottle of hand sanitizer, a lightweight trowel, and a separate bag for used TP if you’re packing it out.
Scenario 3: The Extreme Environment (Rock, Snow, or Fragile Terrain)
In places like deserts, alpine zones, or river canyons, decomposition is extremly slow or impossible. Here, you must pack out all solid human waste.
* The Pack-Out System (Wag Bags):
1. Use a commercially available waste kit (like a “Wag Bag” or “Restop”).
2. These kits include a biodegradable bag with a powder that turns waste into a gel, an outer transport bag, toilet paper, and hand sanitizer.
3. Use the kit as directed, seal everything inside, and carry it in a dedicated outer bag until you can dispose of it in a proper trash receptacle.
* Your Kit: Pre-packaged wag bags are essential. Never rely on makeshift bags, as they can leak or break.
Building Your Ultimate Bathroom Camping Kit
Being prepared means having a dedicated kit, always. Here’s what to include:
* Trowel: A sturdy, lightweight backcountry trowel for digging. Plastic ones can break in hard soil, so consider aluminum.
* Toilet Paper: Use plain, white, non-scented TP. Store it in a zip-top bag to keep it dry. Consider a reusable “backcountry bidet” (a squirt bottle) to drastically reduce TP use.
* Waste Bags: For packing out used TP and waste. Use opaque, double-zip bags or commercial wag bags. A smell-proof bag like those used for dog waste is a great outer layer.
* Hand Sanitizer: Minimum 60% alcohol content. Attach it to the outside of your kit so you never forget to use it.
* Pee Rag (for urine): A lightweight bandana or Kula Cloth dedicated to drying after peeing. It’s hung on your pack to sanitize in the sun between uses, which is more hygienic and eco-friendly than using TP every time.
* Headlamp: With a red light mode for preserving night vision on those 2 AM trips.
* Personal Hygiene Items: Toothbrush, toothpaste, menstrual products, any required medications.
Advanced Hygiene: Staying Clean in the Wild
Bathroom camping isn’t just about going to the bathroom. Staying clean prevents infection and feels great.
* Brushing Teeth: Do it 200 feet from water. Spit your toothpaste foam widely to scatter it, or spit into a sump hole if you’re being extra cautious.
* Washing Hands: Use hand sanitizer after bathroom breaks and before handling food. For a more thorough wash, use a small amount of biodegradable soap and a splash of water away from any water source.
* Bathing: On multi-day trips, a “sponge bath” with a small cloth and a little soap (200 feet from water) works wonders. For a rinse, carry water away from the source, wash, then scatter the waste water.
* Managing Menstruation: Pack out all used products, including tampons, pads, and applicators. They do not decompose in a timely manner. Menstrual cups are a fantastic, low-waste option for the backcountry, but you still need to manage and rinse them responsibly away from water sources.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Even experienced campers slip up sometimes. Here are the big ones to watch for:
* Burying or Burning Toilet Paper: In most areas, this is now discouraged. Buried TP often gets dug up by animals. Burning it is a fire hazard. The best practice is to pack it out in a dedicated bag.
* Not Going Far Enough: 200 feet is a minimum. If you can still see the water or your tent, you’re too close.
* Forgetting the Trowel: Trying to dig with a stick or rock rarely works well. Always pack the right tool.
* Using Wet Wipes (Even “Biodegradable” Ones): These do not decompose in a reasonable timeframe in the wild. If you use them, you must pack them out.
* Poor Kit Organization: Fumbling in your pack for a headlamp or TP in the dark is miserable. Keep your kit self-contained and accessible.
Mastering bathroom camping is a sign of a true outdoorsperson. It shows respect for the land, other visitors, and yourself. With a little preparation and the right mindset, you can handle this basic need confidently on any adventure. Remember, the goal is to leave no trace of your visit, so that the next person can enjoy the same wild beauty you did.
FAQ: Your Bathroom Camping Questions Answered
Q: What do you call camping in a bathroom?
A: The practice is generally refered to as “bathroom camping” or “backcountry sanitation.” It’s not about camping in a bathroom, but rather managing all your hygiene needs while camping outdoors.
Q: How do you go to the bathroom when your camping?
A: It depends on your location. In developed sites, use the provided facilities. In the backcountry with good soil, dig a cat hole 200 feet from water and trails. In sensitive areas, you must pack out all waste using a wag bag system. Always check the specific rules for your destination before you go.
Q: What is the bathroom situation when camping?
A: The bathroom situation varies wildly. It can range from full flush toilets and showers to absolutely nothing, requiring you to implement a full Leave No Trace waste management plan. You should always research your campsite or backcountry area ahead of time so there are no surprises.