A couple of weeks ago I received a great question on “Ask the Hiking Lady.”
An anonymous female outdoors enthusiast asked a question that faces all women, at least for part of their lives: how to deal with your menstrual period backpacking and hiking. 
Do the ladies out there have any other tips for her in addition to the ones I shared? Please post a comment below and together us ladies can find the best way to manage our monthly visits while enjoying outdoor adventures!
Hi Cara!
You’ll have a fun time. Don’t let your period get in the way. You’ll find that when anyone on the trip needs to go to the bathroom (especially #2), they will find a very private area…behind bushes well away from the camp site, behind trees, etc. Just take your time, bring some wet wipes to clean yourself, and plenty of ziploc bags to store the trash. Do not bury the toilet paper, pads or tampons…you’ll just need to put them in ziploc bags, and take some brown lunch sized bags to conceal them so no one will know what’s inside except for you!
Happy trails!
Hi! I’m only young, however I am in highschool and I have an issue, you see I’m going on a school camp next week (7 days) & I’m due to start mensturating next Wednesday and sometimes my period comes on time, sometime it doesn’t. I’m just worried because we are hiking in the bush, with hiking packs and no toilets, plus I’m going with a group that has 21 people in it and I will have barely any privacy. Do you have any tips for me like with changing my pads/ tampons (alternatives to the diva cup), or cleaning myself with privacy ? Thanks heaps xx
Hi ADM,
Thank you for the question and comment. Yes, you simply empty the contents of the Moon Cup into a “cat hole”…which is the name for a little hole you dig at least 3-4 inches deep, and then cover it back up with dirt.
I’m glad that exercise helps your cramps. Exercise seems to cure quite a few issues 🙂
Happy trails!
I have a few comments and a question.
The question is:
– with the Moon Cup, how do you dispose of the blood? in the bushes?
My comments are that I feel exercise always minimizes the strength of my cramps. So if you are hiking every day and you are like me, your cramps will be taken care of.
Great question Liz. The best way to clean the Diva Cup is to use warm water and mild soap. Obviously this gets tricky when you’re out camping or backpacking. I’d recommend using your camp stove to heat up water, squirt some soap on the Diva Cup, rub it around then rinse it with the warm water. (Don’t use boiling water, just warm water). If you don’t have access to warm water, use a dry or damp tissue (store them in a clean ziploc bag before use to keep them as clean as possible) to wipe out the Diva Cup. You should try to wash it twice a day (It may be easiest to do it in the early evening when you’re camping and then again in the morning (about 12 hours later). It is easier at night when people are camped…just grab the warm water from the camp stove and get to work! Hope that helps. Good luck and have fun on your trip!
Hello, I’m heading off into the wilderness for 5 days, smack in the middle of my cycle. I’ve wondered about using the Diva Cup…I’ve used it before but how to keep it clean?? I worry about introducing bacteria??? Also, has anyone tried moon pads? they’re thick, reusable layers of flannel that can be washed out and dried….I’m considering taking several of those to use in addition to the diva cup. Of course the rest of my family is all guys!! This is where I get envious!!
Hi Flower, tricky timing huh! I’m guessing that with just 5 weeks to go the BC option isn’t the greatest idea because every woman’s body reacts differently. You might gain weight or feel bloated being on the pill, and that could be even more uncomfortable than being on your period during the climb. Just wear unscented tampons, have several ziploc trash bags with you in your backpack, and put some kitty litter in the trash bags to control odor since you can’t just bury used tampons on Rainier. You should hike out with them and dispose of them when you’re off the mountain. Good luck! If any other readers have advice please share it with Flower! 🙂
Any advice for hiking Rainier for 3days.. Looks like from the calander I am going to start climbing right when my period starts!! I’m not on BC pills now but was thinking of going on them to try to control my days, but with less then 5 weeks away it might be tricky! Any advice?
Thanks for the insight, Lauren. Much appreciated!
I’ve used birth control to skip a period once, and wouldn’t do it again, at least not if I really had to rely on it to work. I use hormonal BC (the pill) and found that skipping my period led to heavy spotting (which I never get normally) and weird moods (not as bad as typical PMS but not fun) during the skipped-period week. I was also paranoid the whole time because I didn’t know what to expect, and wondered how bad it was for my body.
I wouldn’t recommend it for a backpacking trip unless you’ve done it before and thought it worked fine. Backpacking (strenuous exercise, high altitudes) can mess with your cycle anyway and I just wouldn’t trust the birth control to work 100%. If you do try it, I’d recommend liners or light pads/light tampons in case of spotting, and the usual ibuprofen or whatever for cramps, just in case.
If there is an outhouse or pit toilet…the answer is Yes, you can throw them out there.
If i use biodegradable tampons, could i throw them in the outhouse? or do i have to bury them?
Hi Melissa,
You can wear a tampon for 8 hours if it isn’t filled up by then…but if your period is heavy you will need to change it at some point during your hike (pretty likely if it is the first day)…Changing it in the wilderness (assuming no bathrooms) means finding a private spot behind some trees and using wet wipes to make sure your hands are clean. Be sure to bring a small plastic bag ziploc bag (or 2!) so you can stash the used one in your backpack without causing a mess. Please do not bury it…animals will dig it up and then it causes litter in the wilderness. Pack it out and then throw it away when you are done with your hike. Hope that helps. Have fun hiking!
Hello My name is melissa, some friends of mine are planning a hike its seems like more than 8 hrs hike. how long can i wear a tampon ?
Great question Llora. I haven’t heard of that, but if someone else has please chime in!
Just wondering if anyone has ever just took one of those birth controls or something temporarily to eliminate your period during the hike?
Thanks Lucy! Great tip on the biodegradable tampons! I always use regular tampons then pack them out, but I’m going to try biodegradable ones on my next trip!
hi, guys, thought that I would report back to you. I recently went to greenland- you should definitely go what an amazing place. I tried the mooncup and conventional stuff, my verdict is- the bio-degradable tampons which i put in bio-degradable nappy sacks and then after a few days i buried the lot, only had to bury 3 lots, when some of them dried i managed to tear them up (through the bag so I didn’t have to touch them) and then burnt them. seemed to be easier than the mooncup as we didn’t heat hot water very often and it was hard to deal with as i had to be quick to save my bottom from a thousand mosquito’s! hope this helps. L
Great question Lucy. I definitely recommend either using the Moon Cup/Diva Cup or tampons. Taking hormones seems like an extreme measure to take and I would be concerned about any longer term impact on your body.
Personally I take unscented tampons and have extra ziploc bags to pack out the used ones. If you decide on the Moon Cup or Diva Cup, use warm water from your stove and clean it with biodegradable soap.
Have a fun trip!
I’m just about to go to greenland for 3weeks, I have used the mooncup in the past but when you’re out how do you sterilise it? not sure the boys would want me cooking it up! I have been told that you can take hormones to delay it whilst you’re away and someone else suggest taking nappy bags to dispose of tampons. what do you reccon?
I agree, no need to let it stop you from your adventures! 🙂
Translation of the last comment for those non-Spanish speakers out there: It’s uncomfortable, but not a hindrance on the mountain! Just bring more Kotex, more ibuprofen, more everything … but it is NOT an illness girls! Do not give more importance than it has. 🙂
Es incómodo, ¡pero no es un freno para las montañeras! Simplemente llevad más toallitas,más ibuprofeno, más todo… pero NO es una enfermedad, chicas, this is not an illness! No le demos más importancia de la que tiene. 🙂
I haven’t tried a Diva Cup. It definitely sounds like quite an interesting device.
Excellent point, thanks Michelle!
One thing you didn’t mention was dealing with the side effects of having your period – ie cramps!
If you know or suspect you’re going to get your period on a hiking or camping trip, remember to bring a supply of whatever medication you normally use to deal with your cramps.
You may not have the option to stay in your tent curled up in a ball all day, so it’s important to be able to aleviate your symptoms and get on with enjoying your trip!
I love the Diva Cup and wished I would have started using it years ago!No waste or leaks. Great for home and backpacking and you never have to worry about whether you have brought enough or when or how to dispose of everything.