{"id":9230,"date":"2016-08-30T12:05:13","date_gmt":"2016-08-30T19:05:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/?p=9230"},"modified":"2025-08-28T12:17:49","modified_gmt":"2025-08-28T19:17:49","slug":"semi-rad-a-backcountry-guide-to-toilet-paper","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/hike\/semi-rad-a-backcountry-guide-to-toilet-paper","title":{"rendered":"Semi-Rad: A Backcountry Guide to Toilet Paper"},"content":{"rendered":"

A few years ago, I was one of two volunteer leaders of a backpacking trip with six inner-city teenagers. It was their first time in the backcountry, and just before we left the trailhead on our first day, we discovered we had no toilet paper. They were, of course, mortified, and I can\u2019t really blame them.<\/p>\n

Among all the new challenges we were asking them to deal with\u2014sleeping on the ground, washing dishes with only their finger and water, not showering for five days, carrying everything on their backs\u2014we were now asking them to go au naturel when it came to lower hemisphere personal hygiene.<\/p>\n

A range of emotional reactions followed: disbelief, shock, horror, protest and finally acceptance. Sticks and rocks, boys, I told them. We\u2019ll be fine. And we were. We all survived five days in the backcountry keeping things clean like our ancestors did. Toilet paper\u2019s been around since at least the 6th<\/sup> century AD, but humans have been around way longer than that, and at some point, if you want to do things outside for longer than a day or two, you have to get used to pooping outside.<\/p>\n

And sometimes, you forget the toilet paper. So what do you do?<\/h4>\n

Be resourceful out there. Your butt is not that fragile. Without getting graphic, you have a thing you need to remove, and you need something besides your bare hands to do it. Long before humans had hammers, we had rocks for our first tools. So get creative. Obviously cacti and poison ivy (and poison oak) are not desirable. But everything else is fair game.<\/p>\n

\"backcountry<\/p>\n

1. Snowballs?<\/h4>\n

As close as you can get to a bidet in the backcountry.<\/p>\n

2. Leaves of mullein?<\/h4>\n

Ideal, soft and deservingly nicknamed \u201ccowboy toilet paper.\u201d<\/p>\n

3. Leaves of woolly lamb\u2019s ear?<\/h4>\n

Almost as good as cowboy toilet paper.<\/p>\n

4. Leaves of other plants?<\/h4>\n

Often great\u2014just be careful that they\u2019re not too fragile (i.e. they won\u2019t rip under a small amount of pressure).<\/p>\n

5. Rocks?<\/h4>\n

For sure. The smoother, the better.<\/p>\n

6. Sticks?<\/h4>\n

Again, the smoother, the better.<\/p>\n

7. Pine cones?<\/h4>\n

Sure.<\/p>\n

8. Cactus?<\/h4>\n

If you\u2019re looking to make it your worst day ever (or need an excuse to be evacuated to an emergency room), go for it.<\/p>\n

9. Poison ivy\/poison oak\/poison sumac?<\/h4>\n

Probably fine for a few minutes afterward, but your next few days are going to be an itchy hell.<\/p>\n

Remember, most of the stuff you find isn\u2019t going to be as effective (or accurate) as toilet paper. But you\u2019re in a place that demands a few sacrifices in order for you have a true adventure, aren\u2019t you? Gathering water from a stream and filtering it isn\u2019t as convenient as turning on a faucet at home, and cooking on a small single-burner stove using only one pot isn\u2019t as easy as cooking in your kitchen.<\/p>\n

So grab some sticks, rocks and leaves, and get down to business. No matter what you do, dig a Leave No Trace-worthy six-inch deep cat hole, and make yourself at home. If you\u2019re going on an adventure, your butt has to go on an adventure too.<\/p>\n<\/span>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A few years ago, I was one of two volunteer leaders of a backpacking trip with six inner-city teenagers. It was their first time in the backcountry, and just before we left the trailhead on our first day, we discovered we had no toilet paper. They were, of course, mortified, and I can\u2019t really blame […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":9317,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,387],"tags":[657,8,619],"internal-tag":[515,1672,1673],"class_list":["post-9230","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-camp","category-hike","tag-bathroom-tips","tag-hike","tag-semi-rad","internal-tag-brendan-leonard","internal-tag-pre-redirect-camp","internal-tag-pre-redirect-hike"],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/rei.com\/blog\/hike\/semi-rad-a-backcountry-guide-to-toilet-paper","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"Semi-Rad: A Backcountry Guide to Toilet Paper","url":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/hike\/semi-rad-a-backcountry-guide-to-toilet-paper","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/hike\/semi-rad-a-backcountry-guide-to-toilet-paper"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2016\/08\/14487757228-e6c740652d-o.jpg?resize=150%2C150","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2016\/08\/14487757228-e6c740652d-o.jpg?fit=1500%2C960"},"articleSection":"Camp","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Angela Crampton"}],"creator":["Angela Crampton"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Uncommon Path \u2013 An REI Co-op Publication","logo":""},"keywords":["bathroom tips","hike","semi-rad"],"dateCreated":"2016-08-30T19:05:13Z","datePublished":"2016-08-30T19:05:13Z","dateModified":"2025-08-28T19:17:49Z"},"rendered":"