‘Highest point in Texas is not a toilet.’ Human poop litters national park trails
A national park saw a big spike in visitation — and its trails covered in human poop and toilet paper.
Hikers and backpackers will be required to take a toilet bag system with them at Guadalupe Mountains National Park starting June 21, park rangers said.
The National Park Service announced the change Friday, April 22, after seeing a “dramatic increase” in human poop and toilet paper on the park’s trails and campsites.
“The highest point in Texas is not a toilet,” Superintendent Eric Leonard said in a news release. “This requirement asks visitors to take responsibility for their impacts to the environment as they visit the park.”
The toilet bags securely zip to keep the waste and odor inside, according to the National Park Service. It’s both safe to throw away in the trash and lightweight.
Park tourists can buy them at a visitor center or online.
“Affected backpackers will be required to carry a minimum of one bag per person per night for the duration of their trip and present proof that they have the required number of bags before their permit will be issued,” park officials said. “Day hikers should come to the park properly prepared for their trips.”
Guadalupe Mountains isn’t the first national park to have poop problems. In 2020, Zion National Park rangers in Utah found nearly 10 pounds of human poop along the iconic Narrows hiking trail, McClatchy News previously reported.
The Narrows is a beloved tail that winds through the narrowest part of Zion Canyon and through the Virgin River. The path is one of the most popular at the national park, according to the National Park Service.
Many hikers left poop along the trail because there are no restrooms beyond the trail head, according to the park. Tourists are required to carry solid human waste from the canyons and throw it away.
This story was originally published April 22, 2022 at 2:17 PM with the headline "‘Highest point in Texas is not a toilet.’ Human poop litters national park trails."