Hiking Time Calculator: How Long Will This Hike Take?

A 6-mile hike with 1,200 ft of climb takes about 2 h 36 min by Naismith’s rule: an hour for every 3 miles, plus an hour for every 2,000 ft of ascent. At Shenandoah National Park’s slower average pace it is 4 h 37 min. Add a start time and the sunset to see when to turn around.

How to use it

Type the whole distance (there and back, for an out-and-back trail) and the total elevation gain from the trail map or app, then choose out and back or a loop. Add a start time, and the sunset (or tap Find today’s sunset here): the answer says when you will be back and, on an out-and-back trail, the latest time to turn around. Switch to kilometres and metres and the metric version of the rule is used. Copy the link to send the plan to whoever is hiking with you.

Three ways to time a hike

Naismith’s rule (1892), as Ordnance Survey puts it: “Allow one hour for every three miles walked.” “Add one hour for every 2000 ft of ascent.” In metric: “Allow one hour for every five kilometres walked.” “Add one hour for every 600 metres of ascent.” It is moving time for a fit walker, with no breaks, and it gives nothing for coming down.

Shenandoah National Park’s pace. The park rates each hike by its distance and climb — “Elevation Gain x 2 x distance (in miles). The product’s square root is the numerical rating.” — and gives an average pace for each rating, from “1.5 miles per hour for easiest trails.” to “1.2 mph for strenuous and very strenuous trails.” Its own cautions: “This formula approximates difficulty and is imperfect.” and “This is hiking time and does not take into consideration fitness, exploration, rest, contemplation, etc.”

Tobler’s hiking function (1993) sets a speed for every slope: “For walking on footpaths in hilly terrain: W = 6 exp {-3.5 * abs(S + 0.05)} where W is the walking velocity, S is dh/dx = slope = tan (theta); dh and dx must be measured in the same units. The velocity is given in km/hr. On flat terrain this works out to 5 km/hr.” The calculator spreads the climb evenly over the way up and the descent over the way down, so a gentle descent comes out faster than the flat and a steep one slower.

Hiking times by distance and climb

Moving time only: add your breaks, photos and lunch.

Worked examples

Shenandoah’s own example. A 10-mile hike that gains 2,200 ft: “Square root of 44,000=209.8”, so the park rates it Very Strenuous and its pace gives 8 h 20 min. Naismith’s rule says 4 h 26 min: the gap is your breaks, your fitness and the rocks.

How long to hike a mile. On the flat, 20 min by Naismith’s 3 mph, and 40 min at Shenandoah’s easiest pace of 1.5 mph.

How long to hike 5 miles. On the flat, 1 h 40 min by Naismith and 3 h 20 min at Shenandoah’s easiest pace; with 1,000 ft of climb Naismith says 2 h 10 min.

In kilometres. 10 km with 700 m of climb: 3 h 10 min by the metric rule (5 km an hour, plus an hour for each 600 m).

Common mistakes

• Typing the one-way distance of an out-and-back trail. Trail signs and maps often give it one way; the time is for all of it.
• Forgetting the breaks. Every figure here is moving time. Shenandoah says it plainly: “This is hiking time and does not take into consideration fitness, exploration, rest, contemplation, etc.”
• Starting late on a hot day. Grand Canyon’s rangers: “Most of the people who need emergency medical help in the canyon due to heat illness are hiking between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.” And “Hikers can lose one or two quarts (liters) of water per hour.”
• Cutting the turnaround close. Light goes before sunset under trees and in canyons; turn around with time to spare.

Plan the hike

Read our beginner hiking tips, hiking safety, the best sunrise hikes, waterfall hikes and hiking with your dog. Then check the sunset with the Golden Hour Calculator, the climb with What Is My Elevation? and the altitude with the Altitude Sickness Planner.