Calories Burned Hiking: Complete Guide by Weight & Distance
How many calories does hiking burn? Use MET values and our formula to estimate calories by body weight, trail difficulty, elevation gain, and pack weight.
Steps Team•
Calories Burned Hiking: Complete Guide by Weight, Distance, and Elevation
Hiking burns 400–900 calories per hour depending on your body weight, trail difficulty, elevation gain, and whether you're carrying a pack. That makes hiking one of the highest-calorie-burning outdoor activities available — significantly more than flat-surface walking and competitive with jogging.
This guide covers exactly how to calculate calories burned hiking, reference tables by weight and distance, and how different factors affect your total calorie burn.
How Hiking Calorie Burn Is Calculated
All calorie estimates for hiking use the MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) method — the same standard used by sports scientists and researchers worldwide:
Calories = MET × Weight (kg) × Time (hours)
Hiking MET values range from 5.3 to 9.0 depending on terrain and intensity, compared to 3.5–5.0 for flat walking. This is why hiking burns so many more calories than a regular walk at the same pace.
Here are the MET values for common hiking scenarios:
| Hiking Type | MET Value |
|---|---|
| Flat trail, light pace | 5.3 |
| Cross-country, moderate terrain | 6.0 |
| Moderate hills, steady pace | 6.5 |
| Steep terrain, significant elevation | 7.0 |
| Backpacking with heavy pack | 7.8 |
| Mountain hiking, difficult terrain | 8.0 |
| Very steep climbing, rocky terrain | 9.0 |
For comparison, flat-surface walking MET values run 3.5–5.0. Hiking's higher MET reflects the added demands of uneven terrain, elevation changes, and lateral balance adjustments your muscles make constantly on a trail.
Use our Walking Calories Calculator to estimate hiking calories using your weight, duration, and an appropriate MET value from the table above.
Calories Burned Hiking by Body Weight and Duration
30-Minute Hike (moderate trail, MET 6.0):
| Body Weight | Calories Burned |
|---|---|
| 120 lbs (54 kg) | 162 cal |
| 140 lbs (64 kg) | 189 cal |
| 155 lbs (70 kg) | 210 cal |
| 180 lbs (82 kg) | 245 cal |
| 200 lbs (91 kg) | 272 cal |
| 220 lbs (100 kg) | 300 cal |
| 250 lbs (113 kg) | 341 cal |
1-Hour Hike (moderate trail, MET 6.0):
| Body Weight | Flat Trail | Moderate Hills | Steep Terrain | Heavy Pack |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 120 lbs | 286 cal | 325 cal | 381 cal | 422 cal |
| 140 lbs | 334 cal | 380 cal | 445 cal | 493 cal |
| 155 lbs | 370 cal | 421 cal | 493 cal | 546 cal |
| 180 lbs | 430 cal | 490 cal | 573 cal | 634 cal |
| 200 lbs | 477 cal | 543 cal | 636 cal | 703 cal |
| 220 lbs | 525 cal | 597 cal | 699 cal | 774 cal |
| 250 lbs | 597 cal | 679 cal | 795 cal | 879 cal |
For a precise estimate based on your exact route, use our Walking Calories Calculator and select the MET value matching your trail type.
Calories Burned Hiking by Distance
Distance is often more intuitive than duration for trail planning. Here's how calories scale with hiking distance at a moderate pace (MET 6.5) for a 155-lb person:
| Distance | Approximate Time | Calories Burned |
|---|---|---|
| 1 mile | ~25 min | 150 cal |
| 2 miles | ~50 min | 300 cal |
| 3 miles | ~75 min | 450 cal |
| 5 miles | ~2 hrs 5 min | 750 cal |
| 7 miles | ~3 hrs | 1,050 cal |
| 10 miles | ~4 hrs 10 min | 1,500 cal |
These estimates assume moderate terrain. Steep or technical trails at the same distance take longer and burn more calories per mile. Use our Step Distance Calculator to convert your trail's step count to an accurate distance estimate.
How Elevation Gain Affects Calorie Burn
Elevation gain is one of the biggest variables in hiking calorie burn. Climbing uphill dramatically increases energy expenditure:
| Elevation Gain | Additional Calories per 1,000 ft Gained (155 lbs) |
|---|---|
| Gradual grade (~5%) | ~80–100 cal |
| Moderate grade (~10%) | ~130–160 cal |
| Steep grade (~20%) | ~200–240 cal |
| Very steep (~30%+) | ~280–350 cal |
A hike with 2,000 feet of elevation gain burns roughly 300–500 additional calories compared to a flat hike of the same distance. This is why mountain hikes are so calorie-intensive despite sometimes covering less total distance than flat trail hikes.
The descent matters too — hiking downhill burns about 30–40% fewer calories per mile than uphill, but still more than flat terrain because of the eccentric muscle work required to control descent.
Backpack Weight and Its Effect on Calorie Burn
Carrying a loaded backpack increases calorie burn proportionally to the added weight:
| Pack Weight | Calorie Increase vs. No Pack |
|---|---|
| 10 lbs | +10–12% |
| 20 lbs | +18–22% |
| 30 lbs | +27–33% |
| 40 lbs | +35–42% |
| 50+ lbs | +45–55% |
A 155-lb person hiking with a 30-lb backpack burns approximately 27–33% more calories than the same hike with no pack. For a 3-hour moderate hike that would normally burn 900 calories, adding a 30-lb pack brings that total to roughly 1,150–1,200 calories.
This is why backpacking trips are among the most effective activities for calorie burn per day — many thru-hikers burn 4,000–6,000 calories daily on long trails.
Hiking vs. Walking vs. Running: Calorie Comparison
How does hiking compare to other popular activities?
| Activity | Duration | MET | Calories (155 lbs) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flat walking 3.5 mph | 60 min | 4.3 | 300 cal |
| Brisk walking 4.0 mph | 60 min | 5.0 | 350 cal |
| Hiking moderate trail | 60 min | 6.0 | 420 cal |
| Hiking steep terrain | 60 min | 7.5 | 525 cal |
| Jogging 5.0 mph | 60 min | 8.3 | 580 cal |
| Running 6.0 mph | 60 min | 9.8 | 685 cal |
| Backpacking (heavy pack) | 60 min | 7.8 | 546 cal |
Hiking on moderate to steep terrain burns more calories than brisk walking and approaches jogging-level calorie expenditure — all while being lower-impact and far more enjoyable for many people. For a detailed comparison of calorie burn across terrain types, see our guide on calories burned walking by time and distance.
For those who prefer machines, our calories burned on treadmill guide shows how treadmill incline can approximate the calorie burn of trail hiking.
Trail Difficulty Levels and Expected Calorie Burn
Most trail rating systems use difficulty levels that directly correlate with calorie burn:
Easy trails (flat to gentle grade, good footing): MET 5.3–6.0
- Example: paved rail trails, flat forest paths
- Calorie burn for 155 lbs: 370–420 cal/hour
Moderate trails (some elevation, mixed terrain): MET 6.0–7.0
- Example: regional park trails with rolling hills
- Calorie burn for 155 lbs: 420–490 cal/hour
Difficult trails (sustained elevation, rocky terrain): MET 7.0–8.0
- Example: mountain trails with significant elevation gain
- Calorie burn for 155 lbs: 490–560 cal/hour
Strenuous trails (steep, technical, scrambling): MET 8.0–9.0
- Example: ridge hikes, summit approaches with scrambling
- Calorie burn for 155 lbs: 560–630 cal/hour
When planning a hike for calorie burn, always check the trail's elevation profile alongside total distance. A 5-mile trail with 2,500 feet of gain burns far more than a flat 5-mile trail.
How to Estimate Calories for Your Specific Hike
Follow these steps for a reliable calorie estimate before your hike:
- Find your trail's difficulty rating and elevation gain from AllTrails or a similar source
- Select the appropriate MET value from the table above
- Estimate your hiking time based on Naismith's Rule: 3 miles per hour + 1 hour per 2,000 feet of elevation gain
- Apply the formula: Calories = MET × your weight in kg × hours
- Add 10–30% if carrying a pack using the pack weight table above
Example: A 180-lb (82 kg) person hiking a moderate-difficult 6-mile trail with 1,500 feet of elevation gain, no pack:
- Estimated time: ~2.5 hours (2 miles/hour accounting for elevation)
- MET value: 7.0 (moderate-difficult terrain)
- Calories: 7.0 × 82 × 2.5 = 1,435 calories
You can also use our Step Distance Calculator to track steps during your hike and cross-reference with calorie estimates.
FAQ
How many calories does hiking burn per mile?
A 155-lb person burns approximately 100–150 calories per mile hiking on moderate terrain. Steeper trails and heavier packs push that higher. On flat trails, it's closer to 80–100 calories per mile — similar to walking.
Is hiking good for weight loss?
Yes, hiking is excellent for weight loss. A 2-hour moderate hike burns 700–900+ calories for most adults — equivalent to a significant calorie deficit. Hiking 3–4 times per week, combined with a healthy diet, can produce 1–2 lbs of weight loss per week.
Does hiking burn more calories than walking?
Significantly more. Hiking burns 40–80% more calories than flat-surface walking at the same pace because of trail elevation changes, uneven terrain, and lateral stabilization demands. A moderate 60-minute hike burns roughly 420 calories vs. 300 calories for flat walking at the same duration.
How accurate are fitness trackers for hiking calories?
Most wrist-based fitness trackers underestimate hiking calories by 20–40% because they don't account for elevation gain or pack weight. GPS-enabled devices that measure elevation are more accurate. For best results, use the MET-based calculation above with your actual weight and trail data.
Does hiking uphill burn more calories than hiking downhill?
Yes. Uphill hiking burns approximately 60–70% more calories per mile than downhill. However, downhill hiking still burns more than flat walking because of the eccentric muscle contractions required to control descent — particularly in the quadriceps.
What should I eat before a long hike to support calorie burn?
For hikes under 2 hours, a normal meal 2–3 hours beforehand is sufficient. For hikes over 3 hours, bring 200–300 calories of carbohydrates per hour (energy bars, trail mix, fruit) to maintain energy and fat-burning efficiency.
Plan Your Hike Calorie Burn
Get accurate estimates before you hit the trail:
- Walking Calories Calculator — Estimate hiking calories using MET, weight, and time
- Step Distance Calculator — Convert your hike's steps to distance and track progress
- Daily Step Goal Calculator — Set a step target that includes your hiking days
Track every hike automatically. Download Steps — the free step counter and activity tracker that logs your steps, distance, and calories burned on every trail, so you know exactly how hard you worked.