Journalist and U.S. Forest Service wilderness ranger Joe Whittle calls himself a “professional poop burier.” He’s spent 14 years working in the Eagle Cap Wilderness in Oregon cleaning up people’s waste, and he’s seen a lot of it. Even a full staff of six wilderness rangers, two volunteers, and eight seasonal workers wasn’t enough to mitigate the impact of just 35,000 visitors during one season.
And now, the team is a third of the size, and the area sees three times as many visitors. As outdoor recreation continues its post-COVID rise in popularity, human waste is becoming an even more serious issue. Whittle calls it an “ecological equation for catastrophe.”
We’re supposed to bury our waste 6 inches or carry it out with us, but not everyone does. The solution to the outdoor poop problem only costs a few bucks, but changing people’s behavior is the real hurdle.
Proper Waste Disposal, and Why It Doesn’t Happen
According to Leave No Trace (LNT) Ethics, if you have to poop outside, you should do one of three things: Use a designated backcountry privy/pit toilet (if available), use a WAG bag (a sealable bag with chemicals that solidify and neutralize poop), or dig a cathole.
WAG bags are, for many reasons, the best option, but people are reluctant to carry them. That leaves the other (often problematic) solutions.
In the cathole method, people should dig a 6-inch hole that is 200 feet from campsites, trails, and water sources. Once you’re done, cover the hole completely, and pack out any toilet paper.
The cathole method does not work in all situations. In high alpine and desert environments, dry conditions mean that the poop won’t break down, so it’s recommended to always pack out your waste. And yet, a 2026 study of visitors to Colorado’s most popular 14er showed that virtually no one came prepared with a WAG bag.
Properly handling your poop might not seem that hard, but evidence shows that it doesn’t often happen. PACT Outdoors, which makes personal hygiene products, conducted a survey of 25,000 outdoors people, and 72% said they had a time in nature where they had to go but weren’t prepared. If you don’t bring a trowel or WAG bag, you can’t dispose of your poop correctly.
Obstacles to Proper Disposal
Research shows that education and access to WAG bags are two of the most common hindrances to proper waste disposal. In a 2026 survey, 94% of participants said that they would use a WAG bag if provided for free, and 77% would use one if they had to pay $3. People saying they would use a WAG Bag is one thing, but actually getting them to use it is another.
In a world where people don’t pick up their own dogs’ poop on walks around the block, it’s conceivable why people don’t handle their own poop properly in the outdoors. It’s easy to fall into a tragedy-of-the-commons frame of mind. People might think, “I’m only one person. It’s not a big deal if I leave my poop.” Of course, if everyone thinks and behaves that way, an area gets filled with poop, which can take up to a year to decompose.
“Twenty-five percent of National Park Service managers reported that inadequate disposal of human waste was a common problem in many of their backcountry areas,” LNT explained on its website.
300 Piles of Poop
On U.S. Forest Service (USFS) land in Colorado, a ranger estimated that staff picked up 300 piles of poop in one year in 2022, according to reporting from Colorado Public Radio. The problem became so severe that the Eagle-Holy Cross Ranger District made it a requirement to pack out human waste.
“Twenty-five percent of National Park Service managers reported that inadequate disposal of human waste was a common problem in many of their backcountry areas,” LNT explained on its website.
And it’s not just a problem in the U.S. A research study found that visitors to a popular national park in Tasmania, Australia, consistently left poop uncovered. Journalists have widely covered the spread of human feces on Mt. Everest.
The Pacific Crest Trail Association has been dealing with the poop issue for years on the trail. “An already high user rate on the PCT forces us to examine an issue that has been growing over the years: improper human waste disposal along the trail. Uncovered feces, barely covered feces, and ‘toilet paper blooms’ (loose TP) have become common sights,” it explained.
And the waste issue will only continue to grow as outdoor recreation continues its meteoric rise in popularity. National Park Service (NPS) data shows that the total number of visitors to NPS areas has risen from 297 million in 2021 to 331 million in 2024.
Why Is Poop a Problem?
Human poop poses many health risks. It contains viruses, bacteria, and protozoa that can cause a multitude of diseases, including polio, Hepatitis A, gastroenteritis, coronavirus, and norovirus. Poop with visible blood may carry HIV, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C.
To study how well these microorganisms survive in human poop, scientists inoculated human waste with E. coli and Salmonella, and then buried it in shallow holes in the wilderness in Montana. Both bacteria survived the summer and fall at high levels, and Salmonella survived the winter. Improperly disposed of feces is a public health risk.
Our waste also impacts the environment. The bacteria in our poop can enter and contaminate our waterways. A portion of water samples taken from sources near campsites and shelters on the Appalachian Trail tested positive for E. coli and other dangerous bacteria. Desert areas are particularly sensitive ecosystems that can take years to heal from damage.
And of course, there’s the unseemly nature of it. You only have to step in poop one time to know how gross it feels. And, of course, it smells. No one wants to stop for a snack and get a whiff of feces.
What Can We Do?
First and foremost, we can treat bringing WAG bags like we treat any other outdoor essential. You wouldn’t leave for a hike without water and sturdy footwear. It’s time we put WAG bags in the same category. Consider it one of your must-haves.
It’s possible to buy them in bulk; get a 100-count case for less than $30, and you won’t have to worry about your waste for some time. The WAG bag method will always be easier and lower impact than the cathole method, and it works in every environment. Pooping in a bag is less effort than walking 200 feet and digging a 6-inch hole (particularly if the ground is hard). Always pack out your toilet paper, wipes, and any menstrual products.
We can also advocate for adequate federal funding for the USFS and NPS to have enough staff to clean up waste and trash that is left behind.
Installing backcountry bathrooms on popular trails also helps reduce waste. Moldering privies, or slow-composting dry toilets, are more cost-effective and efficient than traditional pit or vault toilets, as they don’t need to be emptied or have new holes dug. They also tend to produce less odor.
Unfortunately, these privies are pricey, costing thousands of dollars. If your local trail club or outdoor access organization is working on installing one, consider donating your time or money to the project.
