The GOES guide to camp hygiene

You’re halfway through your once-in-lifetime backcountry trek on the Pacific Crest Trail and you start to feel nauseous. Settling into your campsite for the night, you start experiencing gastroenteritis (vomiting and diarrhea). After a night of this, you make the heart-wrenching decision to end your adventure early.

Turns out, many hikers had fallen ill after passing through the same rest stop. Epidemiologists found traces of human fecal contamination on swabbed surfaces, which is an easy way for diseases like norovirus to spread.

Even though you’re outside in remote places, it doesn’t mean you’re safe from disease. With careful camp hygiene, you can help prevent the spread of diseases like norovirus, and make sure you finish your trek.

🏕️ A clean camp = happy campers

Each year, about 4.4 million Americans go camping for the first time. If you’ve never been camping before (or even if you have!), you might be thrown off by the whole… no showers or toilets thing. Just like in our regular daily lives, everyone has their own individual preferences and routines, and keeping a baseline of personal hygiene is critical for your health. 

We’re sharing our top 4 hygiene how-tos for camping out. Whether you’re preparing for your first ever excursion, or the campsite is your second home, it’s always a good idea to brush up on your hygiene and health practices.

Tip #1: 🧼 Wash your hands

Since viruses are easily transmitted on the skin, wash your hands before eating, before handling food, and after using the bathroom. Use soap and clean water whenever possible (and make sure the soap is biodegradable). In a pinch, use hand sanitizer. Just know that hand sanitizer won’t always stand up against sticky viruses like norovirus.

Tip #2: 🤝 Mind what you touch

Even if you’re washing your hands at the times listed above, be mindful of the surfaces you come into contact with. A virus could have spread to a public surface where many people (who may not be practicing safe hygiene) have touched.

Tip #3: 🧻 When nature calls, keep 200 feet

If there aren’t bathroom facilities at your campsite, you’ll need to go in nature’s toilet (i.e. dig a hole). Designate some areas at least 200 feet from your campsite to use the bathroom to avoid contaminating the environment where you’re gathering, sleeping, and eating.

Tip #4: 🥾 No shoes in the tent

Don’t go to bed with the bacteria that can make you sick. You can’t see it, but your shoes are likely carrying viruses and bacteria from the bathroom and the ground. Leave your shoes outside anytime you get in your tent to avoid tracking any unwanted diseases.

Off you GO(ES)!

What makes camping special is reconnecting with the environment, but you might be a little out of your comfort zone if it’s newer to you. Just keep in mind, getting a little dirty is not the biggest risk you’ll face on your camping trip. GOES will help you keep track of and manage your outdoor health risks, wherever your adventure takes you.