And This Pig Went Wee, Wee, Wee: How To Pee In The Woods

So you think you know how to pee in the woods, but do you???

Peeing in the backcountry is a relatively simple affair, especially in comparison to human waste disposal. “What we advocate is, pee well away from water sources, trails, and campsites,” said Lawhon. “Based on World Health Organization and CDC [Center for Disease Control] research that has looked at urine, with most healthy people, urine is not a big deal. It's generally very harmless on the environment.

First of all, you want all of your fellow backpackers to have urine output that is "clear and copious". If you have a co-ed crew, make sure everyone "camels up" [that means to drink as much as you can while at at water source] and be ready to take more time on the trail. Let your crew know that becoming dehydrated can cause severe problems and will slow the crew down even more than stopping to take an occasional leak on the trail. This is even more true when backpacking with children.

Two important things to know before heading out: first, follow the area land manager's guidelines. Talking to whatever land manager is in a given area is the most important thing of all. Find out what they feel is most appropriate. Don't assume. For example if you backpack at Philmont Scout Ranch, they advocate to pee on the trail on a rock. They believe that the trail is already a damaged gateway into the wilderness and that peeing on the trail is the best way to minimize damage to the area.

Second, know and follow as many of the four objectives Leave No Trace outlines for backcountry:

1.      Minimize the chance of water pollution.

2.      Minimize the spread of disease.

3.      Minimize aesthetic impact.

4.      Maximize decomposition rate.

Believe it or, you should not urinate in a cat-hole. For one, urine contains salts that act as a preservative, increasing the decomposition time for the feces. Read more here to learn how to poop in the woods.


Urine is basically a sterile product and does not contain the pathogens found in feces. However, it does contain salts that do attract animals. If you are on the trail and need to urinate, in the old days, we used to tell a backpacker to just "find a tree". However, urinating on a tree puts salt on the bark that will attract animals that will ultimately eat the bark and destroy the tree. So it is best to pee on a rock that won’t pee back on you. Most backpackers still follow the guide line of selecting a site that is 200 feet away from water sources, trails, or campsites.

For women the lack of privacy also makes it difficult to urinate on the trail. For male backpackers, it is no big thing. He can take ten or fifteen steps off the trail and relieve himself while leaning nonchalantly against a tree, taking in the great views of the mountains and not even taking off his pack! For female backpackers, it can be a little more of an effort. As a result, some female backpackers may not drink enough water, just to keep from urinating on the trail. Insufficient water intake can result in dehydration and increases the risk of urinary tract infection (UTI) which must be treated with antibiotics, and would undoubtedly result in that female backpacker being taken off the trail. There are several small plastic funnel-type devices available such as the "Lady J" or the "Freshette" which will allow a woman to urinate while standing with a minimum of exposure.

Hopefully this backwoods pee tutorial will help to make the outdoors just a little more approachable. How about you? Do you have any special tips on how to pee in the woods?