How Many Calories Does Hiking Burn?

How many calories does hiking burn? A 70 kg person burns roughly 400 to 550 calories per hour on a moderate trail. That's significantly more than walking on flat ground (about 280 cal/hr) and comparable to running at a slow pace. But the real number depends on your body weight, the terrain, elevation gain, pack load, and how fast you move.

How Many Calories Does Hiking Burn Per Hour?

For a quick reference, here are the approximate calories burned per hour of moderate hiking (mixed terrain, some elevation gain) at different body weights:

• 55 kg (121 lbs): 350 to 420 cal/hr
• 70 kg (154 lbs): 430 to 530 cal/hr
• 85 kg (187 lbs): 520 to 640 cal/hr
• 100 kg (220 lbs): 610 to 750 cal/hr

These figures assume a moderate pace of 4 to 5 km/hr on undulating terrain with a light daypack (3 to 5 kg). Steeper terrain, heavier packs, and faster speeds push the numbers higher. Flat, well-groomed trails with no pack bring them down.

Understanding MET Values for Hiking

Exercise scientists use MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) to compare the energy cost of different activities. One MET equals your resting metabolic rate, roughly 1 calorie per kilogram of body weight per hour. An activity rated at 6 METs burns six times more energy than sitting still.

Here's how different types of hiking compare:

• Walking on flat ground, 5 km/hr: 3.5 METs
• Hiking on moderate terrain, no pack: 6.0 METs
• Hiking with a 5 to 10 kg pack: 7.0 METs
• Hiking on steep terrain with a pack: 7.5 to 8.0 METs
• Mountaineering or scrambling: 8.0 to 10.0 METs
• Cross-country hiking with heavy pack (15+ kg): 9.0 METs

The formula is straightforward:

Calories per hour = MET value x body weight (kg) x 1.05

The 1.05 factor accounts for the thermic effect (your body using energy to process the activity itself). For a 70 kg hiker on moderate terrain with a light pack (7.0 METs), the calculation looks like this: 7.0 x 70 x 1.05 = 514 calories per hour.

Six Factors That Affect Your Calorie Burn

1. Body Weight

This is the single biggest factor. A heavier person moves more mass with every step, which costs more energy. For every additional kilogram of body weight, you burn roughly 6 to 8 extra calories per hour on a moderate hike. A 100 kg hiker burns about 40% more calories than a 70 kg hiker on the same trail at the same pace.

2. Elevation Gain

Climbing is where the calorie count really jumps. Ascending burns roughly 50% more calories than walking on flat ground at the same pace. A trail with 500 m of elevation gain over 10 km will burn considerably more than a flat 10 km walk.

As a rough guide, add about 50 extra calories for every 100 m of elevation gained (for a 70 kg hiker). A day hike with 1,000 m of total ascent adds roughly 500 extra calories on top of your baseline.

3. Pack Weight

Every kilogram on your back costs energy. Research from the US Army Research Institute found that carrying a load equal to 30% of your body weight increases energy expenditure by about 20%. For a 70 kg hiker, that's a 21 kg pack adding roughly 100 extra calories per hour.

Even a moderate daypack matters. A 7 kg daypack on a 70 kg person increases calorie burn by approximately 40 to 50 calories per hour compared to hiking without a pack. Multi-day backpackers carrying 15 to 20 kg packs burn significantly more.

4. Terrain and Trail Surface

Rocky, uneven, or muddy trails require more stabilisation from your muscles. Your ankles, knees, and core work harder to maintain balance, and your stride length shortens. Studies show that walking on rough terrain burns 20 to 30% more energy than walking on a paved surface at the same speed.

Sand is the most energy-intensive surface. Walking on soft sand burns nearly double the calories of walking on a hard path. Snow has a similar effect, especially deep powder that requires post-holing.

5. Pace

Faster hiking burns more calories per hour but not as dramatically as you might expect. The relationship between speed and calorie burn is not linear. Going from 4 km/hr to 5 km/hr on flat terrain increases hourly burn by roughly 15 to 20%. But you also cover the distance faster, so the total calories burned over a fixed distance changes less than the hourly rate suggests.

The most efficient hiking speed for most people is 4 to 5 km/hr on moderate terrain. Below 3 km/hr, your body is less mechanically efficient because you spend more time balancing. Above 6 km/hr, you're approaching a jog, which shifts the biomechanics entirely.

6. Temperature

Your body burns extra calories regulating its temperature. Cold conditions increase calorie burn because shivering and increased blood flow to maintain core temperature require energy. Estimates vary, but hiking in cold weather (below 5°C) can add 10 to 20% to your calorie expenditure.

Hot weather also increases burn slightly, as your body works to cool itself through sweating and increased heart rate. However, heat tends to slow you down, which partially offsets the increased metabolic cost.

How Hiking Compares to Other Activities

To put hiking's calorie burn in perspective, here's how it stacks up against other common activities for a 70 kg person:

• Walking (5 km/hr, flat): 280 cal/hr
• Hiking (moderate trail): 430 to 530 cal/hr
• Running (8 km/hr): 560 cal/hr
• Cycling (moderate, 20 km/hr): 490 cal/hr
• Swimming (moderate): 500 cal/hr
• Yoga: 180 cal/hr

Hiking sits comfortably in the upper range of calorie-burning activities. It also has one advantage that running and cycling don't: duration. Most people can hike for 6 to 8 hours in a day, while running for that long requires serious training. A full day hike covering 20 km with 800 m of elevation gain burns 2,500 to 3,500 calories for a 70 kg person. That's hard to match with any other recreational activity.

Fuelling Your Hike: What and When to Eat

Knowing your calorie burn is only useful if you fuel properly. Running out of energy on a trail isn't just uncomfortable. It affects your decision-making, coordination, and safety.

Before the Hike

Eat a meal 2 to 3 hours before starting. Focus on complex carbohydrates with some protein: porridge with nuts and fruit, wholemeal toast with peanut butter, or eggs with wholegrain bread. Avoid anything heavy or high in fat that takes longer to digest. Aim for 400 to 600 calories in this pre-hike meal.

During the Hike

For hikes longer than 90 minutes, eat small amounts every 45 to 60 minutes. Your body can absorb roughly 200 to 300 calories per hour during sustained exercise, so don't try to replace every calorie in real time. You'll catch up at meals.

Good trail snacks deliver quick energy without weighing you down:

• Trail mix (nuts, dried fruit, dark chocolate): roughly 170 cal per 30 g
• Energy bars: 200 to 250 cal per bar
• Banana: 105 cal
• Cheese and crackers: 200 cal per serving
• Dates: 65 cal per date, packed with quick-release sugars

After the Hike

Your muscles repair most efficiently in the 30 to 60 minutes after exercise. Eat a meal combining carbohydrates and protein within this window. A ratio of 3:1 carbs to protein works well for recovery. Rice with chicken, pasta with a meat sauce, or a recovery shake all do the job.

Hydration and Calories

Don't forget liquid calories. Electrolyte drinks add 50 to 100 calories per litre, and they serve double duty by replacing sodium and potassium lost through sweat. On hot days or long climbs, aim for 500 ml of water per hour of hiking. In cold weather, your thirst response is reduced, but you still need fluids.

Hiking for Weight Loss: What to Know

Hiking is one of the most effective activities for weight management, and not just because of the calorie burn. The sustained, moderate intensity keeps you in the fat-burning zone (60 to 70% of maximum heart rate) for extended periods, which is part of why hiking counts as a genuine cardio workout. A weekly hike of 15 to 20 km burns 1,500 to 2,500 calories, equivalent to roughly 0.2 to 0.3 kg of fat.

That said, the "exercise for weight loss" equation is more nuanced than calories in versus calories out. A few realities to consider:

You can't out-hike a bad diet. A single restaurant meal can easily exceed 1,000 calories. One big weekend hike doesn't offset daily overconsumption.

Post-hike hunger is real. Many people eat back the calories they burned (and then some) after a tough hike. Track your intake if weight loss is a specific goal.

Consistency matters more than intensity. Two moderate hikes per week burns more total calories than one epic day out followed by six days on the sofa. Building hiking into your routine, even short 5 km walks with elevation, produces better long-term results than occasional big efforts.

For practical tips on nutrition and pacing for beginners, check our guide to common first hike mistakes.

The Bottom Line

Hiking burns serious calories, typically 400 to 550 per hour for an average-weight person on moderate terrain. The steeper the trail, the heavier your pack, and the more you weigh, the higher that number climbs. Use the MET formula to estimate your personal burn rate, and plan your nutrition accordingly.

The most important takeaway isn't a specific number. It's that hiking combines high calorie expenditure with something most other exercises can't offer: you can sustain it for hours, it's low-impact on your joints, and you actually enjoy it. That last point matters more than any formula when it comes to long-term fitness. Using trekking poles redistributes load from your legs to your upper body, which affects both joint stress and calorie burn. Our guide to one or two trekking poles explains what the research says about how poles change the effort equation on steep terrain.