How Many Calories Does Hiking Burn?

Hiking calories by weight & duration

The approximately 422 calories per hour shown here is an estimate for a 155-pound person; your actual burn will shift based on your weight, the trail's grade, pack load, and pace. Log your hikes in the Mariposas app to track how your numbers accumulate over time and spot trends in your output.

Calculated as MET (6) × body weight (kg) × hours. How this works.

What to expect in a hiking class

A first hike typically starts with a relatively flat warm-up section before the trail pitches upward, and you'll feel your breathing rate climb faster than expected once grade increases past a few percent. Pace is usually conversational but honest, meaning you can talk but you won't want to sing. Most group hikes include natural rest breaks at viewpoints or trail junctions, so the session has a built-in interval-like rhythm even when nobody plans it that way.

Tips for your first hiking class

• Start with a trail that lists its elevation gain explicitly, not just distance. A 3-mile trail with 1,200 feet of gain is a genuinely hard workout; a 3-mile flat loop is a walk. Knowing the number upfront prevents you from bonking halfway.
• Break in your footwear before the hike, not during it. Even a short 45-minute hike in stiff new boots can produce blisters that sideline you for days. Wear your hiking shoes on a few neighborhood walks first.
• Bring more water than you think you need. On a sustained 60-minute hike at moderate intensity, most people need at least 16 to 20 ounces, and dry or hot conditions double that requirement fast.
• Trekking poles aren't just for older hikers. On steep descents they offload a meaningful amount of force from your knees and help you maintain a controlled pace, which keeps cumulative fatigue lower and reduces next-day soreness.

What affects how many calories hiking burns

The 422 calorie figure is calculated for a 155-pound person at a MET of 6, so a heavier person will burn more per hour and a lighter person less, all else equal. Carrying a loaded pack, tackling steeper grades, or moving at a brisk pace can push the effective effort well above that baseline, while a flat, leisurely stroll on groomed trail will land below it. Altitude, heat, and technical footing (roots, rocks, loose gravel) all force your stabilizing muscles to work harder and keep your heart rate elevated even when forward speed slows.

Three things move your number most: body weight (a heavier body burns more for the same activity, that's why the table runs from 125 to 225 lb), duration (calories scale with time), and intensity. A hiking you push hard burns more than an easy one, because effort is what the MET value of 6 represents, an average for this activity. Your fitness level and how much you rest between efforts shift it too, so treat these as a solid estimate rather than an exact count.

How we calculate hiking calories

Every number here uses the standard energy-expenditure formula: calories ≈ MET × body weight (kg) × time (hours). The MET value of 6 for hiking comes from the published Compendium of Physical Activities, the same reference researchers and fitness trackers use. We convert your weight to kilograms and multiply through, no fudge factors. See our methodology for the full formula and sources.