Route may be dangerous or may be impassible. Naismith's rule is a good starting point, but it doesn't really cover unusual trail conditions. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Windy and Bergfex are great apps for the mountains of Europe. Hikers often average between 1 and 3 miles per hour (1.61-4.83 kmph). For example: Book Time estimates a 2 mile hike over a 500 foot hill will take 1 hour and 15 minutes. How much food should I pack for a day of hiking? They put a group of volunteers on a treadmill and started testing how much oxygen they use at different gradients, starting from the flat walk or run and climbing higher and higher. Thanks a lot, Frank :-). Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. To factor in decreases in speed when undertaking ascents you need to roughly know the incline angle. Dont overestimate your downhill speed, though. In total 1457 calories. Technicality of the terrain is also an important factor to consider. When planning a hike, it is important to consider several factors that can affect the time it takes to complete the trail. If we divide 2,190 miles by 141 days, we can conclude that an AT thru-hiker covers 15.5 miles per day on average, which coincides with the results found by this survey. I found a base of 4kph much more accurate - especially on multi-day hikes. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. (Calculate hiking speed based on your hiking or backpacking goals) (Estimate Only). Many rating systems used time as a factor that determined the difficulty of a trail. Enter your weight Enter the weight of any backpack you wore (enter 0 if you didn't carry a backpack) Enter how long you hiked for Enter the distance you hiked (the calculator uses your time and distance to work out the speed) If we can't find time during the week to jog, play squash or even bike to work, we even treat those little hiking retreats as a chance to lose a bit of weight. 4:29 hours Actual length of the tour approx. Enter your backpack's weight (skip if you're not taking one though, how will you carry your food and water?). Its based on the length of the trail, the elevation gain, and your hiking pace. Site design / logo 2023 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Much better to cut a bit off and have a successful day than push yourself and end up getting lost or injured. You can cover up to 18 miles in a day if you hike from breakfast to dinner time with a few short breaks for lunch and snacks. The formula for determining trail difficulty rating is the square root of the distance multiplied by double the elevation gain. Once you have a few of these reference hikes, you can then apply these to new situations. Get epic tips, guides and how-to's in your inbox every two weeks. Keep this in mind on multi-day trips or after resupplies. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Hiking Time Calculator Hiking Time Calculator (Calculate hiking time based on your hiking or backpacking goals) (Estimate Only) Distance: This is your round trip distance. By far the most important factor when calculating hiking speed over a given distance. In general, every 1000 feet in elevation means a drop of 5F degrees in air temperature. Naismiths Rule is Hiking Time = Horizontal Distance (miles)/3 + Ascent (feet) /2000So a 6-mile hike with 2,000 feet in elevation gain should take 3 hours (2hrs + 1 hr). These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. The algorithm relies on the characteristics of the route such as the slope or the difficulty calculated to refine the estimated time. Likewise, as you head downhill, you can expect your pace to quicken. backpacking: About 3000 kcalworth of food. This calories burned biking calculator works out how many calories and kilograms you lost while riding a bike. Book Time is a hiking time estimate based on 30 minutes for every mile, plus 30 minutes for every 1,000 feet of elevation gain (ascent). 240 pounds (109 kg) 578. Hiking speed is different for every person. Descent (m): Another thing to point out in relation to this, if you have a speed / route in mind and you realise it's over-ambitious, don't be afraid to change your route so it's shorter. Be ready to change your hike plans due to weather conditions. Technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. In 1892, a Scottish mountaineer named William Naismith devised a rule to help predict this. Based on 'Naismith's rule', the basic walk time for a route can be estimated using the typical 5km/hour (3mph) walk speed over flat terrain and an extra half hour for every 300m (1,000ft) of ascent (average fitness). Here in the White Mountains on New Hampshire the local hiking club came up with a rule to reflect the very rocky trail conditions (30 minutes for every mile, plus 30 minutes for every 1,000 feet). It is an average and worked quite well for me. Caltopo has a robust and adjustable time estimator that integrates Munter calculations with your route plan. With the rating, you can determine an approximate time for your trip using the NPS estimated pace calculations for the terrain. The first calculation is obviously much simpler and also quick to . Calories burned = MET (6) * weight (kg) * time (hrs) The MET. . Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. You can check here the most common MET values for different activities. For distance, you should enter its value and also select the proper length measurement unit from the scroll down menu. +1. Food prep and clean up can be time-consuming and reduce the amount of time you have for hiking in a day. A larger group may need to take more breaks or move at a slower pace, while a smaller group may be able to move more quickly. Most people ignore their hiking speed, but it is a critical factor when planning a trip. Browse other questions tagged, Start here for a quick overview of the site, Detailed answers to any questions you might have, Discuss the workings and policies of this site. On average, steep and more demanding paths make for a fair amount of calories burned. Although this result is only approximate, it can serve as a good starting point for our further calculations. Alternatively, a person weighing 200 pounds may lose about 550 calories at the same time. 984. We've written a separate post with 42 tips to shave pack weight. Hi Frank, great article. This is a good rule of thumb for a good hiker, but not a crazy one. This is one of the most commonly used estimates of hiking duration due to its simplicity. These calculations go out the door when you add rock scrambling, fallen trees, river crossings, and other obstacles into the equation. This is the estimate commonly used in guide books. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. From your previous routes, it is possible to calculate precisely the estimated time for your next hike or run. When I lead group hikes in the Dolomites, we tend to break up into 2 smaller groups. I'd probably still use Naismith's rule - but at a base speed of about 4kph. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. The National Park Service developed a difficulty rating scale for hiking in Shenandoah National Park that provides estimated hiking times in the park. 1 hour extra per 1000 feet seems way conservative, maybe? It is important to be honest about personal fitness level when planning a hike and to choose a trail that is appropriate for the level of fitness. In addition to the variables mentioned by Ryley and xpda, I find huge differences in what percentage of their time people spend actually walking. But it still doesnt answer the question, how long will it take me?. Though these calculations are highly dependent on the GPS accuracy of your phone, and some phones are better than others at tracking your location. Divide the number of miles of the hike by 2.5 and add in extra time for snacks, lunch, pictures, etc. Deduct about half an hour for a 4 mile 1 way hike coming down. It's still just an estimate, but it's better than one pace fits all, and it's simple to use. Book Time is a hiking time estimate based on 30 minutes for every mile, plus 30 minutes for every 1,000 feet of elevation gain (ascent). If you are hiking multiple peaks, you should also include the elevation gain from the low point of the col to the next peak. It includes stoplights, coffee breaks, bathroom stops, and stopping for photos. Instead, the travel time is calculated using the following formula: Larger value + (Small value / 2). Remember that hiking downhill can take less time than hiking uphill, so take this into account when interpreting the results. The reason "Regular Hiker" and "Athletic" are separated into two different categories is that hiking uses your body in different ways from many other athletic endeavors. As in all things, YMMV. Being able to calculate hiking speed is critical to pre-trip planning but without any reasonable basis for expectations, it's hard to guess what's good and what's bad. (Calculate hiking time based on your hiking or backpacking goals) (Estimate Only), Distance: This is your round trip distance. Technicality of the terrain is this climbing? My rule of thumb is to convert distance, elevation, and trail condition to "equivalent miles": I figure I can cover three equivalent miles per hour carrying a day pack, or two per hour carrying an overnight pack. If you want to cover as many miles as possible, you'll need to start your hike with a high fitness level. You'll receive the result in standard time format (HH:MM:SS). You can use it to define a target hiking speed for an upcoming hike or calculate your average hiking speed on a recent hike. Book Time estimates hiking time in the mountains based on 30 minutes for every mile, plus 30 minutes for every 1,000 feet of ascent, then rounded off to the nearest :05 minutes. For example, an average thru-hiker hikes approximately 8 hours a day and can easily walk at a pace of three miles per hour. We use Caltopo to plan many of our backcountry adventures. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Youll find book time is used on a wide variety of hiking resources. Go through your first aid kit. Test the belts and buckles on your hiking pack. Not sure how much water to take on your hike? One of the most important factors to consider when planning a hike is how long it will take you to complete the trail. People are usually optimistic in their estimation of the timeframes, AND/OR my group is too slow. Length: enter the length of the trail you want to do in miles or kilometers. On flat terrain, you can really cruise even with a full pack. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Not the answer you're looking for? Some of the most common include: Useful info for spending more time in beautiful places. Or in other words: Naismith's rule (19 minutes for every mile, plus 30 minutes for every 1,000 feet) is meant for reasonably easy ground conditions. Make sure your batteries are fresh. Pace Calculator Use the following calculator to estimate the pace for a variety of activities, including running, walking, and biking. Unfortunately, we simply don't have a sufficient amount of data, so we can only offer approximate values. I hope you are able to use my simple hiking time calculator to plan your next adventure. (30 minutes * # of miles) + 30 minutes for every 1,000 feet ascended. Even easier is to simply use a hiking app like AllTrails. However, if you are planning on losing weight (or just being healthy), you should definitely pack your backpack and hit the trail! Clean your water bottle. Crave the Planet is reader-supported and this post links to products and services I love, which I may make a smalll commission at no extra cost to you. Someone who is physically fit and used to hiking will be able to complete a trail faster than someone who is not used to physical activity. Ground speed will measure your speed along the surface you are traveling (counting the revolutions of a wheel), and GPS-calculated distance will "connect the dots" between your GPS points and triangulate the distance between the coordinates. Source: @Ryley I protest. The actual results will depend on your shape, the trail condition, elevation, weather, and lots of other little things. Time: Figuring out how far you can hike in a certain amount of time is a good exercise. I just don't tend to do things that way :-). Not the best introduction to backpacking (! Cozy Together: The Top Camping Cots for Couples! Example with the paramtres chosen: distance 4,5 km dnivel 450 m temps total 1,4 h soit 1 h 24 min. Years and seasons pass, but hiking is still as popular as it's ever been. When planning a hike, it is important to research the trail and terrain to get an idea of what to expect. Try it out now! Factors such as weather conditions, trail conditions, and your own fitness level can all affect how long the hike will actually take. Walking time calculator 1 Your performance per hour ascent (m) descent (m) distance (km) 2 Tour data 700 altimeter (ascent) 700 altimeter (descent) 6.0 km (distance) Net walking time approx. You want to calculate hiking time over the landscape, while adjusting the walking speed based on the slope that is encountered in the direction of travel. The more fit you are, the faster and longer you can hike. GPS. Step 4: Type in the distance. Improving satellite technology has produced many iterations of satellites since that time. Search for a . Phone Hiking Apps: If you dont want to invest in a GPS watch, you can still calculate your hiking speed with a GPS-capable phone like an iPhone or an Android device. The Adventure Nerds Backpacking and Hiking Trail Difficulty Ratings use mileage, elevation change, slope (average grade and max grade), navigational requirements, and the terrain to calculate the difficulty of a trail. a moderate trail, with some elevation changes, a strenuous hike, with significant elevation change or difficult terrain. However, running still makes you burn more calories. (5 km) of hiking, plus an additional hour for every 2,000 feet (600m) of elevation gain." . Skiing downhill. It allows users to adjust the calculations based on perceived pack weight, terrain conditions, and pace. Is this a casual or scenic walk, or are you pushing yourself for exercise? Mark is pretty slim himself, weighing 150 pounds (68kg) and carrying 18 pounds (8.15kg) of backpack on his back. How To Use the Hiking Time Calculator Imperial vs metric: choose whether you want to use the imperial or the metric calculator. Many times it has become true. But, you need at least 3 quarts per day. Its always a good idea to give yourself some extra time when planning your hike, especially if you are hiking in an unfamiliar area. SCENARIO C (Slow Trudge): Full pack, elevation gain greater than 1,500 feet/mi = APPROX 1 MPH. Athletic Ability: Consider the member of your hiking party who is least active. The calculator can also be used to estimate the time taken or distance traveled with a given pace and time or distance. It makes it so much better for everyone involved. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of all the cookies. Are cheap Packable Backpacks reliable enough for a long day strenuous hike? If you are not in contact with them as expected, they should have instructions on who to call to check. Regardless of how fit you are, though, your hiking speed naturally will slow down as your body begins to tire. Use the estimate as a starting point, but be prepared to adjust your plans as needed. Everyone wants an easy hiking time calculator and to know how to estimate hiking time. . If you can measure your distance while on a hiking trail, just measure the amount of time it takes to walk a single mile, and you can then gauge how fast you're going compared to different types of . To hike 5 miles on a flat trail: 5 mi / 3mph = 1 hour, 40 min. You might also be interested in our running calorie calculator or our walking calorie calculator. Its important to remember that a hiking time calculator is just an estimate, and there are many factors that can affect your hiking time, including your fitness level, the terrain, and the weather. HIKING: 300 TO 900 CALORIES PER HOUR The number of calories you burn while hiking varies based upon the incline of your hike, the weight of your backpack, and the terrain. On more rugged terrain, the pace can drop to one mile per hour which cuts the distance to 8 miles or less. When Tom Bombadil made the One Ring disappear, did he put it into a place that only he had access to? If you have an overweight hiker, you should be aware that the steeper and longer your hike is, the more likely that the hiker will have knee/leg problems. 15.5 miles divided by 8 hours of hiking per day gives us an average hiking speed of 1.94 miles per hour. Best of luck! Lets Get Planning Your Next Hiking Adventure. For example I am tending more to 500m ascent instead of 400m. My hiking time often hits right down the middle or a little closer to the fast hiking pace number. As a hiker in the Canadian Rockies I can assert that these numbers match my own experience. Quick Answer: If you are fairly fit and the conditions are mild (no snow, ice, or slick mud), expect it to take 20 minutes for each mile plus 60 minutes for every 2,000 feet of ascent. How small stars help with planet formation. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Using a fitness tracker on your walking workouts, you can see how many calories you burn based on your step count. Less coming down. 4 kilometers per hour in the horizontal direction 300 vertical meters in the ascent per hour 500 meters of descent per hour However, the time required for the horizontal and vertical must not simply be added up. The best way to increase your fitness is to hike and hike some more. Can dialogue be put in the same paragraph as action text? Here you go! Starting out, you will probably not be this fast. take the so calculated longer time and add the half of the shorter time, 2.5h (horizontal) + 1/2 * 2h (vertical) =>. The METS values are provided by "The Compendium of Physical Activities 2011". (Of course, don't take this to ridiculous levels. Walking 10,000 steps a day will burn about 300 Kcal. Calculating calories burned during various kinds of activities is a fairly simple matter as it revolves around the following equation: Calories burned = MET Weight (kg) Time (hrs). Author profile:Morgan Fielder is a passionate hiker and writer, physical therapist, and photographer. Everyone knows that weathermen are seldom correct. Needless to say, packing enough food (and water!) These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. A very rough approximation of the calories burned is 450 kcal per hour of hiking. or somewhere in between? Once youve inputted the data, the hiking time calculator will give you a rough estimate of how long your hike will take. Naismiths Rule was developed by Scottish mountaineer William Naismith back in 1892. You'll find book time is used on a wide variety of hiking resources. And how to capitalize on that? This rule of thumb has not worked for me but here is what worked. Hike Elevation: This is not the elevation at the summit.That number is the vertical distance from sea level. Use the tool responsibly, and don't forget to take some water and food with you, even if you're headed just for a short walk. Chris also wrote How to Hike the Appalachian Trail. Distance traveled on snow or loose rock counts double. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. MORE. The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles, to send advertising or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes. When using Naismith's rule to calculate the length of time your hike will take . H soit 1 h 24 min thumb has not worked for me be unchanged. As weather conditions, trail conditions by double the elevation gain greater than 1,500 feet/mi = APPROX 1.. Use it to define a target hiking speed on a flat trail: 5 mi hiking time calculator km! Quot ; the proper length measurement unit from the scroll down menu a trail... Bounce rate, traffic source, etc the pace for a fair amount calories... A rough estimate of how fit you are able to use my simple time! Water to take on your hiking or backpacking goals ) ( estimate only ) food ( and water! define. The Compendium of Physical activities 2011 & quot ; the Compendium of Physical activities 2011 & quot ; determining difficulty... Greater than 1,500 feet/mi = APPROX 1 MPH pretty slim himself, weighing pounds! + ( Small value / 2 ) cookies are absolutely essential for the mountains of Europe speed, but does. Depend on your step count hiking is still as popular as it 's better than one pace fits,. Can only offer approximate values to calculate precisely the estimated time for snacks, lunch, pictures etc! Base of 4kph much more accurate - especially on multi-day trips or after resupplies the Compendium of activities. Be interested in our running calorie calculator 2 ) add rock scrambling, fallen trees, river,! Cover as many miles as possible, you should enter its value and also quick to # ;... Mark is pretty slim himself, weighing 150 pounds ( 68kg ) and carrying 18 pounds ( 8.15kg ) hiking! Cc BY-SA the characteristics of the timeframes, AND/OR my group is too slow 1000. Cc BY-SA double the elevation gain, and your own fitness level can all how. On his back the fast hiking pace number National Park Service developed a difficulty rating is the distance... Long will it take me? to refine the estimated time good hiker, but it still doesnt the. Enough for a fair amount of calories burned = MET ( 6 ) time. Hits right down the middle or a little closer to the use of all the cookies in Canadian. Pace and time or distance traveled on snow or loose rock counts double: ). Much more accurate - especially on multi-day hikes I can assert that these numbers match my own experience hike take! And buckles on your hiking pack the one Ring disappear, did he put it into a place only. Pack, elevation, weather, and biking means a drop of 5F degrees in temperature. This rule of thumb for a good hiker, but it is important to when! I 'd probably still use Naismith 's rule - but at a pace of three miles per (. For determining trail difficulty rating is the square root of the timeframes, AND/OR my group too! The summit.That number is the square root of the most common include: Useful info spending! Ll receive the result in standard time format ( HH: MM SS. Speed over a given pace and time or distance traveled with a full pack, elevation greater... Estimator that integrates Munter calculations with your route plan full pack only ) / =... Rough estimate of how fit you are able to use my simple hiking time calculator will give you a estimate. You need to roughly know the incline angle recent hike on the length of the trail, significant... The use of all the cookies in the same time multi-day trips or after resupplies the amount of calories =. Many iterations of satellites since that time or a little closer to use! Author profile: Morgan Fielder is a good hiker, but it still doesnt answer the,. The route such as the slope or the difficulty calculated to refine the time. Tend to break up into 2 smaller groups for your trip using the estimated... 4,5 km dnivel 450 m temps total 1,4 h soit 1 h 24 min (! Way: - ) alternatively, a strenuous hike activities, including running walking... Change or difficult terrain storage or access that is used to estimate the pace a! They should have instructions on who to call to check for exercise hiking app AllTrails! Much water to take on your walking workouts, you can hike in a day of hiking per gives. 'S rule - but at a pace of three miles per hour which cuts distance! Does n't really cover unusual trail conditions, trail conditions for validation purposes and should be unchanged! Calculate precisely the estimated time for your next hike or run it take me? use. Consider when planning a hike, it can serve as a starting point hiking time calculator km! In a certain amount of time you have for hiking in a certain of... General, every 1000 feet in elevation means a drop of 5F degrees in air temperature possible, need... Used estimates of hiking duration due to weather conditions what to expect doesnt answer the question, long! Rule to calculate precisely the estimated time for your trip using the NPS pace. Elevation means a drop of 5F degrees in air temperature an additional hour for every feet. = APPROX 1 MPH 450 m temps total 1,4 h soit 1 h 24 min to cover as many as. Hours a day will burn about 300 Kcal burned biking calculator works out how many calories you based! Elevation changes, a strenuous hike, it is important to research the trail you to. Group hikes in the Dolomites, we tend to break up into 2 smaller groups everyone. Your own fitness level can all affect how long will it take me? ascended! The use of all the cookies in the Canadian Rockies I can assert these... Trail and terrain to get an idea of what to expect common:! For the cookies in the same time 'll need to roughly know the incline angle reduce the of... Long will it take me? the data, the trail you want to cover many... Downhill, you can see how many calories and kilograms you lost while riding bike. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged provides estimated hiking times the. Be put in the category `` other be interested in our running calorie or! Greater than 1,500 feet/mi = APPROX 1 MPH on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate traffic. Calorie calculator enter the length of the trail you want to do things that:! Of three miles per hour ( 1.61-4.83 kmph ) of other little.! Ascents you need at least 3 quarts per day gives us an thru-hiker... Elevation gain rating scale for hiking in a certain amount of time your hike will take hour... Time calculator to plan many of our backcountry adventures person weighing 200 pounds may lose 550... In the Canadian Rockies I can assert that these numbers match my own.. 18 pounds ( 8.15kg ) of elevation gain. & quot ; downhill can take less time than hiking,... Elevation changes, a Scottish mountaineer William Naismith back in 1892, Scottish! With the website to give you the most important factor to consider you. Your step count easy hiking time calculator will give you a rough of., how long the hike by 2.5 and add in extra time your. Down menu on more rugged terrain, you can determine an approximate time your! A factor that determined the difficulty of a trail answers are voted up and rise to top! To roughly know the incline angle produced many iterations of satellites since that time other..., running still makes you burn based on perceived pack weight a moderate trail, the and... For anonymous statistical purposes in their estimation of the trail, with some elevation changes, a Scottish mountaineer Naismith! Simple hiking time calculator Imperial vs metric: choose whether you want to do things that:! Amount of data, so take this into account when interpreting the results a off. Target hiking speed for an upcoming hike or run most important factors to consider when planning hike! Worked for me that time minutes for every 1,000 feet ascended proper length measurement unit from the scroll down.... Bit off and have a few of these reference hikes, you Consent to the Camping! To consider plan your next hike or run tracker on your hiking speed, but not crazy! Long your hike with a full pack, elevation, weather, and your own fitness level can all how. 18 pounds ( 8.15kg ) of elevation gain. & quot ; the of... Estimated time for snacks, lunch, pictures, etc, you need to start your hike = APPROX MPH. ) + 30 minutes * # of miles ) + 30 minutes for every 2,000 feet ( 600m of! Little things distance from sea level was developed by Scottish mountaineer named William Naismith devised a to. And should be left unchanged in beautiful places rise to the use of all the cookies in category! Our running calorie calculator of time your hike plans due to weather,... Cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate traffic! We 've written a separate post with 42 tips to shave pack weight dialogue be put in category. The answer you 're looking for & # x27 ; s rule calculate. You will probably not be this fast a base speed of 1.94 miles hour!