March 12, 2026, 3:57 pm | Read time: 6 minutes
When you’re out in nature, the nearest toilet is often farther away than you’d like. So what do you do when nature calls? And is it even legal to do your “big business” in the woods? TRAVELBOOK answers the most important questions.
Fall marks the start of the main hiking season in Germany. But what if you suddenly feel the urge? And the nearest cabin or rest stop is far away? At least you can often relieve your bladder behind the next tree or rock–although even that is technically illegal and punishable. Simply doing your big business in the woods or other open nature can also be costly.
In Germany, the same rules apply for relieving oneself in the woods as for public urination in urban areas, explains the German Lawyers’ Association (DAV) upon inquiry. Generally, it’s considered a misdemeanor, which in certain cases–namely when “causing a public nuisance” is reported and you are convicted–can result in higher fines. But, as the DAV notes: “In the open nature, of course, where there’s no plaintiff, there’s no judge.”
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What if there’s no toilet in sight?
Sometimes there’s no choice, and you just have to relieve yourself. Doing your big business in the woods can be more challenging. With a bit of knowledge and preparation, it can be done in nature without causing harm.
If you’re planning longer hiking tours, you should account for the need to relieve yourself. Toilet paper should definitely be in your backpack. Tissues are not ideal because they are particularly tear-resistant and decompose slowly in nature. “Toilet paper can, in a pinch, be buried along with the waste,” says Ulrich Berkmann from the German Alpine Association. Ideally, you should carry the toilet paper in a small plastic bag. This also applies to the excrement.
Plastic Bag for Big Business in the Woods
It’s best to leave no trace of your business, Berkmann clarifies. “The ‘bag for the poop,’ as they say, should always be in your backpack,” says the Alpine Association expert. Disposable travel toilets are a higher-quality (but also more expensive) alternative to the bag.
There are also reusable, portable dry toilets available for purchase that you can unfold and sit on. From a comfort standpoint, they are welcome, as squatting for a long time during big business can make your leg muscles burn. On the go, there should always be opportunities to empty and clean the collection tank. Otherwise, it will get fuller, and the smell will increase.
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A Folding Shovel in the Backpack
If you’re going to be in the wilderness for an extended period and away from any toilets, a small folding shovel or a handy spade should be in your backpack along with toilet paper. As mentioned earlier, if you can’t take your waste with you, you should at least bury it. Not only to spare others the sight of the unappetizing pile.
The main concern is that feces can contain pathogens that can harm nature. Therefore, you should especially avoid proximity to bodies of water, as fungi, viruses, bacteria, and other pathogens spread particularly far from there, warns Berkmann. “This also applies to animal feces, so it’s strongly advised against drinking water from mountain streams unfiltered if there’s a pasture upstream.”
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Tips for the Hole for Relieving Yourself
For the self-dug hole for relieving yourself, a minimum distance of 50 meters from streams, rivers, or lakes is recommended to be on the safe side. Additionally, you should choose spots above the waterline whenever possible–otherwise, the feces could end up in the water during floods, write Ulrike Katrin Peters and Karsten-Thilo Raab in the book “How to Shit in the Woods.” The handy book offers not only historical and curious insights but also a wealth of tips on defecating and urinating outside the protected confines of the home toilet–a genuine reading recommendation for anyone wanting to delve deeper into the topic.
Regarding the dug or scraped hole, the book states: It suffices if it’s about 15 to 20 centimeters deep, which corresponds to roughly a (male) hand length. It’s in these soil layers that the bacteria that decompose excrement the fastest are found. “The speed (…) can be further accelerated by mixing the waste with parts of the excavation.” A lying stick can be used as a tool for this, which should also be buried. The covered hole is concealed with stones and branches.
Two more tips from the Alpine Association: Dig much deeper in the snow, otherwise, it will resurface with the next sunshine. And: If it’s not possible to make a hole, the “remnants” should be covered with large stones.
Big Business in the Woods–How to Clean Your Bottom?
There’s still a practical question that some might have faced unexpectedly during a Sunday walk: How do you clean your bottom if you don’t have toilet paper or tissues?
Leaves from trees and shrubs can serve as an alternative. It’s best if they’ve already fallen. You should only tear them off in an emergency for environmental reasons, Peters and Raab appeal in their book. Smooth bark that has fallen from the tree can also be used as a wiping aid, according to the authors.
If you don’t want to use natural materials, the two recommend the “hand wash station.” For this, you drip a little water from a bottle onto your hand and use it as a washcloth.
You carefully wipe your bottom while squatting. “The buttocks should hang low enough that no water runs down the leg,” the authors describe. Then rinse your hand thoroughly with more water from the bottle and wash it particularly thoroughly with soap at the next opportunity. “Until then, the used hand should not touch anything else.” Or you might just try to make it to the next toilet somehow.
With material from dpa