Camping Toilet
We’re pretty sure a wild bear does poop in the woods.
We’re also really sure he doesn’t leave a wad of toilet paper on top of it.
There are a lot of people who are new to camping who may not be fully prepared for the experience. You get a notion to try camping, go down to the local WallyWorld and pick up a tent and a couple of sleeping bags, and head off to the campground.
People who camp with a RV generally have their own bathroom built in. If you haven’t done much camping, you may not have your own potty.
You may not be thinking about your bathroom options in the woods.
The usual thing for a ‘tenter’ is to request a campsite that is close to a bath house so you have easy access to flush toilets. Getting up in the middle of the night and not having a bath house nearby can be disappointing. We understand why there may be some “emergency” where you might want to just have a quick “go” in the bushes, but please don’t! It may seem that it’s only the woods, but the next camper to use that site may not appreciate several piles of poop in the woods. Someone has to clean the site after you are done with it and they certainly do not want to pick wads of dirty toilet paper out of the bushes.
What to do, then? (And where to do it?)
The first option would be to camp near a bath house
that is close enough that you won’t mind walking to it in the middle of the night. This may be more difficult if you are camping with children.
If you are thinking you could just poop in the woods, then please consider bringing a portable toilet.
Even something basic, like a bucket lined with a plastic bag and some kitty litter or wood shavings is better than nothing.
There is a toilet seat contraption that you can get at WalMart or Dick’s Sporting Goods or Cabella’s, etc. that fits on the top of a 5 gallon plastic bucket. It’s called a “Luggable Loo”. Get a 5 gallon plastic bucket (our favorite is the Home Depot bucket that says “Let’s Do This”!) and some plastic bags to line the bucket with. If you unhook the bucket handle on one side, you can slide a roll of toilet paper on it and clip the handle back on. Please use plastic liners, wrap your waste carefully and dispose of it in the dumpster. Eeeww! you might think, but where would you put baby diapers? Or adult diapers? Or bags of doggy-do?
There are other, more sophisticated camping toilet options that have a holding tank. These have an upper tank for flush water and a lower holding tank that you add deodorizer to. You can dump the tank in one of our dump stations, or in a toilet.
Consider where to put the potty for convenience and privacy. You might be okay with having it in a corner of the tent, but there are special privacy tents made for either changing clothes or portable toilet use. Or, you might have a small tent dedicated to bathroom use.
Having a portable camping toilet and a tent to put it in can make a great difference in comfort and convenience while you are camping.
Sometimes people are put off camping because they are not prepared and spend a couple of days without the comforts they are used to.
But what if you are just starting out camping and don’t want to spend all kinds of money on gear if you may not like camping?
We understand. You don’t want to buy a lot of equipment that you may never use again. And that porta-potty is going to look splendid at your next yard sale. Not. So what then?
If you don’t have a portable camping toilet, then PLEASE let us know that you want to be near a bath house, and we will try our best to hook you up with a site that is very close to a bath house.
And PLEASE, leave the pooping-in-the-woods to the bears.
