Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Health and Fitness

How to Calculate Hiking Time and Plan For Being Away

Amber Sayer
By

One of the most essential components when planning a hike is estimating how long it will take to complete the hike. Whether you’re embarking on a long trek up a mountain or a shorter hike in a local forest to enjoy nature, knowing how long it takes to hike a mile will help you estimate the amount of time you need to allot for your desired hiking adventure. Many hiking guidebooks and apps report the distance of a given trail or route, along with the elevation gained over the terrain. However, for planning purposes, you need to be able to translate the distance of the hike in miles into an estimated time. After all, you want to embark on your hike with enough time to complete the loop or trail and with enough food and water, both of which are informed by knowing how long it will take you to hike by miles, which is also known as your average hiking pace.

man hiking carrying a pack.
Ali Kazal / Unsplash

Once you understand how to calculate your average hiking pace, you’ll be able to figure out how long it takes to hike a mile, how long it takes to hike five miles, and how long you can anticipate a hike of any length taking so long as you have a sense of the characteristics of the route. So, before you head out for your next exciting hike in the great outdoors, read this quick guide about estimating the hiking pace and how long it takes to hike by miles.

Recommended Videos

Factors That Affect Hiking Pace

Essentially, the question of how long it takes to hike one mile, 5 miles, or even 15 miles is a matter of knowing your average hiking pace or average hiking speed. There are several factors that influence your hiking pace:

Your Fitness Level and Desired Intensity

Of course, just like any two people may have very different average paces for running, so too may they have very different paces for hiking. The fitter you are, the faster you’ll probably hike, so long as you’re trying to hike at a decent pace. On the other hand, if you’re looking to take a leisurely stroll, you’ll want to factor that into your anticipated pace.

Elevation Gain

It goes without saying that it takes longer to hike a mile with significant climbs and steep ascents over one covering flat ground. Hike time estimations by miles always should factor in changes in elevation.

The Altitude of Your Hike

It can take longer to hike a mile at altitude because the oxygen availability is compromised, so you may need to slow your pace.

Terrain During Hiking

Obstacles on the trail and rough terrains like slippery roofs and rocks, steep rock cliffs, and rivers to cross without bridges can all add a significant amount of time to how long it takes to hike a mile on that trail. Read the description of the hike, if available, to gauge these details.

Pack Weight

man hiking with pack.
Unsplash

A heavy hiking pack or backpacking pack will make it more difficult to hike and can make your average hiking pace slower.

Breaks

Any time you’re not moving on the trail—whether having a snack, taking pictures, or having a full meal—will influence the total trip time and average hiking pace.

Weather

Heavy rain, winds, snow, or high humidity and heat can slow your hiking pace and make it take longer to hike a mile.

How Long Does it Take to Hike a Mile?

man hiking a mountain.
Unsplash

Once you have a sense of the variables that affect average hiking speed, you can start estimating how long it will take to hike any number of miles. If you’re an experienced hiker, you might have noticed that sometimes there is an estimated time listed for a hike in a guidebook or app, which is termed “book time.” Almost across the board, these hike time estimations are calculated using Naismith’s (Time Estimation) Rule, which essentially says that it takes about one hour to hike three miles plus an additional hour for every 2,000 feet of elevation gained. Therefore, if you’re hiking one mile on a flat trail at a fairly aggressive pace, it will take about 20 minutes. However, most hiking experts say that this is a little ambitious and the average time it takes to hike a mile is about 30 minutes once you factor in some of the variables that affect hiking pace besides elevation (pack weight, weather, difficult footing, or terrain, breaks, etc.).

Moreover, if you’re ascending a mountain or climbing, it will take longer. Let’s say you hike one mile and gain 500 feet of elevation, according to Naismith’s Rule, this elevation will add 15 minutes to your time. Therefore, if you use the 30 minutes per mile pace, you’re looking at 45 minutes to hike one mile, and 35 minutes to hike one mile if you’re using Naismith’s Rule, without adding additional time. Again, you’ll want to consider where each of the variables surrounding the hike and fitness level fall on the continuum to help you make the most accurate estimation of how long it will take to hike a mile.

How Long Will a Hike Take?

man hiking on trail.
Unsplash

The same calculation principles can be scaled for a hike of any distance. Here are some examples:

How Long Does It Take to Hike 3 Miles?

  • To hike 3 miles on a flat trail: 3 mi / 3mph = 1 hour
  • To hike 3 miles with 1,000 feet of elevation total: (3 mi / 3mph) + (1,000 / 2) = 1.5 hours
  • To hike 3 miles with 2,000 feet of elevation total: (3 mi / 3mph) + (2,000 / 1) = 2 hours

How Long Does It Take to Hike 5 Miles?

  • To hike 5 miles on a flat trail: 5 mi / 3mph = 1 hour, 40 min
  • To hike 5 miles with 1,000 feet of elevation total: (5 mi / 3mph) + (1,000 / 2) = 2 hours, 10 minutes
  • To hike 5 miles with 2,000 feet of elevation total: (5 mi / 3mph) + (2,000 / 1) = 2 hours, 40 minutes

How Long Does It Take to Hike 6 Miles?

  • To hike 6 miles on a flat trail: 6 mi / 3mph = 2 hours
  • To hike 6 miles with 1,000 feet of elevation total: (6 mi / 3mph) + (1,000 / 2) = 2.5 hours
  • To hike 6 miles with 2,000 feet of elevation total: (6 mi / 3mph) + (2,000 / 1) = 3 hours
  • To hike 6 miles with 3,000 feet of elevation total: (6 mi / 3mph) + (3,000 / 2,000) = 3.5 hours
man hiking 10 miles.
Josh Hild / Unsplash

How Long Does It Take to Hike 8 Miles?

  • To hike 8 miles on a flat trail: 8 mi / 3mph = 2 hours, 40 minutes
  • To hike 8 miles with 1,000 feet of elevation total: (8 mi / 3mph) + (1,000 / 2) = 3 hours, 10 minutes
  • To hike 8 miles with 2,000 feet of elevation total: (8 mi / 3mph) + (2,000 / 1) = 3 hours, 40 minutes
  • To hike 8 miles with 3,000 feet of elevation total: (8 mi / 3mph) + (3,000 / 2,000) = 4 hours, 10 minutes

How Long Does It Take to Hike 10 Miles?

  • To hike 10 miles on a flat trail: 10 mi / 3mph = 3 hours, 20 minutes
  • To hike 10 miles with 2,000 feet of elevation total: (10 mi / 3mph) + (2,000 / 1) = 4 hours, 20 minutes
  • To hike 10 miles with 3,000 feet of elevation total: (10 mi / 3mph) + (3,000 / 2,000) = 4 hours, 50 minutes
  • To hike 10 miles with 4,000 feet of elevation total: (10 mi / 3mph) + (4,000 / 2,000) = 5 hours, 20  minutes
  • To hike 10 miles with 5,000 feet of elevation total: (10 mi / 3mph) + (5,000 / 2,000) = 5 hours, 50 minutes

How Long Does It Take to Hike 15 Miles?

  • To hike 15 miles on a flat trail: 15 mi / 3mph = 5 hours
  • To hike 15 miles with 2,000 feet of elevation total: (15 mi / 3mph) + (2,000 / 1) = 6 hours
  • To hike 15 miles with 3,000 feet of elevation total: (15 mi / 3mph) + (3,000 / 2,000) = 6.5 hours
  • To hike 15 miles with 4,000 feet of elevation total: (15 mi / 3mph) + (4,000 / 2,000) = 7 hours
  • To hike 15 miles with 5,000 feet of elevation total: (15 mi / 3mph) + (5,000 / 2,000) = 7.5 hours
  • To hike 15 miles with 7,000 feet of elevation total: (15 mi / 3mph) + (7,000 / 2,000) = 8.5 hours

Final Takeaway

Estimating how long it takes to hike by miles is fairly simple, once you have a sense of the basic formula. However, you’ll be able to more accurately fine-tune your estimations once you have a better sense of your average hiking speed and how the various factors that affect hiking pace change your personal hiking speed.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Amber Sayer
Amber Sayer
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Amber Sayer is a fitness, nutrition, and wellness writer and editor, and was previously a Fitness Editor at Byrdie. She…
Avocado Green Mattress review: Is this eco-friendly mattress worth it?
An eco-friendly option, the Avocado Green Mattress can improve sleep and ones health. Here's how
A made bed showing off the Avocado mattress logo.

Now more than ever, we as a society are placing a heavier emphasis on mental health and finding a better work-life balance, self-care, sustainable choices, and restorative sleep. Can a mattress like the Avocado help you get better sleep and improve your overall health and happiness, though?

The Avocado Green Mattress stands out as a testament to the brand's commitment to quality, sustainability, and comfort. Crafted with meticulous attention to detail, this mattress uses natural and organic materials to create a sleep surface that promotes overall well-being. From the GOLS organic-certified latex to the GOTS organic-certified wool and cotton, the Avocado Green Mattress epitomizes the perfect marriage between eco-consciousness and luxurious comfort.

Read more
Everything you need to know about the low FODMAP Diet
Low FODMAP diet for beginners: Should you try it? What to know first.
a sliced loaf of bread on the counter

Elimination diets are nothing new. Over the years, people have cut carbs (see: Atkins and Keto). Low-or-no-fat diets have also had their days in the sun. Same for low-to-no-added-sugar and gluten-free (necessary for people with issues like Celiac disease, not so much for people just “trying to be healthy” or “lose weight."). One man recently cut out anything not on a McDonald’s menu (do a Google search). Generally speaking, experts advise against elimination diets, especially without consulting a healthcare provider. However, there’s a new trending elimination diet called the low FODMAP diet. 

It's not new, per se, but it’s made headlines in the last six months for its purported ability to cure irritable bowel system (IBS). If true, a low FODMAP diet could help people living with IBS — according to the American College of Gastroenterology. What is a low FODMAP diet, and what else might the plan help with (if anything)? Here’s a guide to the low FODMAP diet for beginners.

Read more
The chromium benefits you should know about (and the best food sources for you)
Add these foods to your grocery list to get the benefits of chromium
Broccol on a chopping board

We all know about the importance of healthy fats, low carbs, iron, and fiber in our diets — but there are plenty of nutrients that rarely ever get talked about. Take chromium, for example. Do you know what it is? Do you know what the benefits of chromium are for a healthy diet? Do you know if you're getting enough?

The word "chromium" has various interpretations. For example, a scientist or physicist would regard chromium as a chemical element or transition metal with a formidable resistance to corrosion. On the other hand, an environmental expert may regard chromium as a water, air, or soil contaminant. None of these definitions sound particularly appetizing, but chromium is in what you eat. Likewise, chromium supplements also exist. Therefore, chromium means something else to a dietician or nutritionist.

Read more