Fitness Volt
  • News
    • Bodybuilding
    • Strongman
    • Powerlifting
    • Armwrestling
    • CrossFit
    • Results
    • Arnold Classic
    • Mr. Olympia
  • 2025 WSM
  • Workouts
    • Training
    • Workout Plans
    • Celebrity Workouts
    • Training Programs
    • Mastering The Deadlift
  • Exercise Guides
    • Muscle Groups
    • Arms
    • Back
    • Chest
    • Core
    • Legs and Glutes
    • Mobility & Stretching
    • Shoulders
    • Yoga
  • Nutrition
    • Diet
    • Fasting
    • Diet Plans
    • Nutrition Tips
    • Supplements
    • Reviews
    • Food Facts
  • Calculators
  • More
    • Forum
    • Strength Standards
    • DIY
    • Profiles
    • Motivation
    • Videos
    • MMA
No Result
View All Result
Fitness Volt
  • News
    • Bodybuilding
    • Strongman
    • Powerlifting
    • Armwrestling
    • CrossFit
    • Results
    • Arnold Classic
    • Mr. Olympia
  • 2025 WSM
  • Workouts
    • Training
    • Workout Plans
    • Celebrity Workouts
    • Training Programs
    • Mastering The Deadlift
  • Exercise Guides
    • Muscle Groups
    • Arms
    • Back
    • Chest
    • Core
    • Legs and Glutes
    • Mobility & Stretching
    • Shoulders
    • Yoga
  • Nutrition
    • Diet
    • Fasting
    • Diet Plans
    • Nutrition Tips
    • Supplements
    • Reviews
    • Food Facts
  • Calculators
  • More
    • Forum
    • Strength Standards
    • DIY
    • Profiles
    • Motivation
    • Videos
    • MMA
No Result
View All Result
Fitness Volt
No Result
View All Result
Home » Fitness Calculator
Fact Checked
Fact Checked
This article was written by one of our team of experienced writers, and fact-checked by our experts or our editors. The numbers in parentheses (e.g., 1, 2, 3, etc.) throughout the article are reference links to peer-reviewed studies.
Our team of experts includes a board-certified physician, nutritionists, dietitians, certified personal trainers, strength training experts, and exercise specialists.
Read Our Editorial Process

Calories Burned Hiking Calculator

How many calories do you burn hiking cross country, uphill and downhill?

Written by Matthew Magnante, ACE

Last Updated on18 March, 2023 | 12:57 AM EDT

Ask Question?

The number of calories burned during hiking depends on various factors, such as your weight, hiking terrain, speed, and duration of the hike. Use our calculator to find the number of calories burned from hiking

Weight in Pound
Weight in Pound
Distance in Miles

:

Hiking Hours
Hiking Minutes (Max - 59)
  • Calories Burned

  • Distance Covered

  • Hiking Pace

  • Hiking Duration

Calories Burned with Outdoor Activities (weight: 175 lbs)

MET 15 mins. 30 mins. 45 mins. 60 mins.
Cycling or Biking 9 188 375 563 750
Hiking 4.8 100 200 300 400
Fishing 3.5 73 146 219 292
Horseback Riding 5.5 115 229 344 458
Kayaking 5 104 208 313 417
Skating 9 188 375 563 750
Skateboarding 5 104 208 313 417
Golf 4.8 100 200 300 400
Jogging 9.8 204 408 613 817
Rock Climbing 8 167 333 500 667

How To Use The Calories Burned Hiking Calculator

The calories burned hiking calculator is rather simple, and straightforward.

To ensure an easy experience for you, we’ve included step-by-step instructions in detail below. 

Step 1: Choose your preferred unit of measurement: Imperial (lbs, hours, and minutes) or metric (kilograms, hours, and minutes).

Step 2: Enter your weight.

Step 3: Enter the backpack weight. If not carrying extra weight during your hike, put 0.

Get Fitter, Faster

Level Up Your Fitness: Join our 💪 strong community in Fitness Volt Newsletter. Get daily inspiration, expert-backed workouts, nutrition tips, the latest in strength sports, and the support you need to reach your goals. Subscribe for free!

Please wait...
You're In! Let's Crush Your Fitness Goals Together

Expect expert-backed workouts, nutrition advice, the latest in strength sports, and a whole lot of motivation heading your way.

Step 4: Type in the distance.

Step 5: Enter the number of hiking hours (.e.g, 1, 2, 3, etc).

Note: In less than an hour, put 0.

Step 4: Enter the number of hiking minutes. If not applicable, put 0.

Note: Because there are 60 minutes in an hour, the max number of minutes that you can enter is 59. 

Step 5: Select the type of hike. Tip: Click directly on the text (e.g., cross country) and not the empty gray circle. This will ensure it is selected.

Note: If selecting uphill and/or downhill, you also have the option to choose the incline level displayed in a percentage range (e.g, 1-5%, 5-10%, or more than 10%).

Step 6: Press Calculate!

How Does the Hiking Calorie Burn Calculator Work?

This calculator approximates the number of calories that someone burns from hiking.

Firstly, the calculator determines your metabolic rate or metabolism according to your weight.

What does that mean? Keep reading for a more detailed explanation.

If you take two people, one weighs 150 lbs and the other weighs 210 lbs, the person who weighs less will burn fewer calories than the heavier individual during the same exact workout. 

A calorie is a unit of energy and a heavier person requires more energy to move their bodies or to perform activities.

Think of it like how a larger vehicle typically uses up more fuel than a smaller one. Weight affects fuel consumption (the amount of energy used).

But this also means that the heavier person expends more calories in a rested (non-exercising) state. This is also known as metabolic rate or metabolism. 

The calculator uses a formula to approximate resting calories burned and then it factors in the duration and activity intensity to guesstimate calories burned. 

How Many Calories Can I Burn Hiking?

Hikers Walking

The number of calories that you can burn from activity depends on a few different factors such as your weight, exercise intensity, and duration, or how long you perform the activity. Therefore, this can highly vary.

But this calculator does most of the guesswork. You punch in the necessary details and it’ll give you a close estimate of calories burned hiking. 

However, we’ve provided a few examples of how our calculator will estimate calories burned. 

According to the calories burned hiking tool, a 150 lb person hiking 2 miles cross country (flat level) in 20 minutes while wearing a 10 lb backpack will burn 177 calories.

The same person will expend about 208 calories hiking uphill and downhill.

But let’s say this same person straps on a 20 lb backpack with everything else staying the same. The calculator estimates 188 calories burned.

But how many more calories can someone burn walking uphill, downhill, or both?

Using the same example individual from before who’s wearing a 10 lb backpack, an uphill trek at 5-10% incline would burn 319 calories, downhill expends about 177 calories, and a trip uphill and downhill will cost you about 248 calories.

Less incline burns fewer calories and more incline burns more calories.

How many calories you can burn hiking or doing any physical activity is dependent on several factors.

While it’s not so easy to precisely estimate calories burned from movement, our calculator is designed to provide a reasonable estimate of energy expenditure.

Calorie Burning in Sports
Calorie Burning
Target Heart Rate
Target Heart Rate
Daily Calorie Needs
Daily Calorie Needs
Calculate BMI
Calculate BMI
Calculate TDEE
TDEE Calculator
Daily Calorie Needs
Macronutrient
Calorie Deficit Calculator
Calorie Deficit
Calculate BMI
Body Type Quiz

Can Hiking Help Me To Lose A Lot of Weight?

Hiking can be a very challenging activity and as a result, it can help to burn lots of calories which is an essential component of the weight loss process.

But how much weight you lose really and truly depends on your overall habits and approach to your goals. 

As long as you create a calorie deficit, and do it the healthy and proper way, you can lose weight.

If you’re hiking and/or doing other forms of physical activity in an effort to lose weight, you want to determine your Maintenance calories, and then reduce your calorie intake, exercise more, or do a combination of the two. 

Use our weight loss calculator to determine the number of calories you should be consuming.  

If you also do resistance training and want to maximize muscle gain and muscle maintenance as you knock off the body fat, our macronutrient calculator is a very useful tool.

It’ll recommend an ideal protein, carbohydrates, and fat intake for you.

Fitness Female Weightloss

Also read: The Top 20 Simple Weight Loss Tips

How Many Calories Does Hiking Burn Compared To Other Forms of Cardio? 

There are many different variables that determine the number of calories burned between the different forms of cardio activity. Weight, intensity/pace, and duration are the biggest factors. Although, environment, hormones, and genetics also play a role too. But there are no simple ways to measure these.

Therefore, we stick with the basic details that contribute most to the approximation.

If you’d like to compare estimates of calories burned during various activities, we offer a free calculator that includes a database of over 250 different exercises and activities. 

Is Hiking A Good Activity For Overweight People?

Let us preface this section by saying that the term overweight applies to people who have both high and low body fat.

That’s because even if someone has a healthy body fat percentage, they may have a naturally bigger build/frame and/or more muscle mass than someone else of the same weight but who has more body fat.

But they would still be considered overweight according to body mass index (BMI) calculations.

Hiking is a great option for those who are overweight because it’s very low-impact, unlike running and jogging. These activities can be a lot on the joints especially for heavier individuals.

Hiking For Overweight

But while anyone can go for a hike to burn calories, improve their health and fitness, enjoy the outdoors, or all of the above, as with any form of exercise, it’s important to know your capabilities.

If you’ve never hiked, are just starting out, and/or are out of shape and carry extra body fat, it’s probably a good idea to start small and hike a short distance cross country or slightly uphill/downhill.

On the other hand, someone who is in great shape can hike for longer distances and up/down steeper areas.

Additionally, it’s not recommended that someone out of shape climb or overweight climb long distances on steep surfaces. This too can cause a lot of unnecessary stress on the joints.

Should I Wear A Backpack When Hiking?

Do you want to bring along some items such as snacks, hydration, first aid, and whatever else people take with them? In that case, it’s probably a good idea.

Some people carry a few smaller and lightweight options while others prefer to bring more things on their adventure.

On the other hand, many wear heavier backpacks because it simply makes the hike more challenging and it’s a great workout.

The most important thing is to wear a backpack that you can safely and comfortably carry around on your back. You shouldn’t be straining or leaning forward to counterbalance the weight of your belongings.

A common backpacking pack weight recommendation is 20 percent or less of body weight. So, for example, if you weigh 125 lbs, your backpack should not exceed 25 lbs.

The recommendation for a day hiking pack is about 10 percent. So if you weigh 160, the pack should not exceed 16 lbs.

Also be sure to try out our other calories burned calculators below.

  • Yoga
  • Zumba
  • Walking
  • Running
  • Spinning 
  • Elliptical
  • Weight lifting and calisthenics
  • Jump rope

Take A Hike… and Track Your Calories Burned!

The calories burned hiking calculator is a handy tool that anyone can use to measure their calorie expenditure from hiking activities.

It’s simple to use and you can use the results to help with your weight loss, weight maintenance, or even weight/muscle gain journey.


If you have any questions about this article, please feel free to contact Matthew Magnante by leaving a comment below.

Stay on top of the latest fitness news and updates by adding Fitness Volt to your Google News feed: Follow us on Google News You can also follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for even more content.
Facebook Twitter Reddit Flipboard LinkedIn Pinterest
Categories: Fitness Calculator Tools
Previous Post

Robby Robinson and Michal Krizo Fire Shots At Nick Walker Over Arnold Classic Win

Next Post

John Haack Totals 1005.5kg To Set Raw All-Time World Record At 90kg Bodyweight

Matthew Magnante, ACE

Matthew Magnante, ACE

Matthew is an ACE (American Council On Exercise) certified fitness professional who has had a passion for fitness since elementary school and continues to research and learn how to build muscle effectively through training and diet. He also loves to help others to achieve their fitness goals and spread the knowledge where needed. Matthew's other passions include learning about mindfulness, strolling through nature, traveling, and always working to improve overall.

Related

Walking For Fat Loss
Walking

The 10% Body Fat Walking Plan: Your Step-by-Step Guide to a Leaner You

Carb Cycling Meal Plan
Diet

Maximize Metabolism: Get Better Results with This 7-Day Carb Cycling Diet

Intermittent Fasting vs. Small Meals
Fasting

Intermittent Fasting vs. Small Meals: Which is Best for Weight Loss?

Healthy Fats Not Always Healthy
Nutrition

“Healthy Fats” Aren’t Always Healthy: 3 Popular Choices That Can Stall Your Progress

Channing Tatum
News

Actor Channing Tatum Loses 30 Lbs and Shows Off Shredded Physique

Mediterranean Diet For 30 Days
Diet

I Tried the Mediterranean Diet for 30 Days — Here’s What Happened

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest

2026 Arnold Classic Increases Men’s Open Prize to a Historic $750K, the Largest in History, with Total Purse Soaring to $1.5 Million

2025 World’s Strongest Man Withdrawals [Live Updates]

2025 World’s Strongest Man Results [Live Updates]

2025 World’s Strongest Man Results — Day One Qualifiers

“Nick Should’ve Been the Winner” – Lee Priest Discusses 2025 Pittsburgh Pro Results

Jay Cutler Reveals What It Really Takes to Develop a Championship Back

Fitness Volt

At Fitness Volt, our mission is to empower every individual on their fitness journey by providing expert advice, the latest research, and comprehensive resources. Whether you are a beginner or an elite athlete, we are here to support your goals with trustworthy and up-to-date information in strength, fitness, and nutrition. Read more.

For inquiries, please contact us at:
Email: [email protected]

About Us | Careers | Contact Form

Topics

  • Mr. Olympia
  • Bodybuilding
  • Strongman
  • WSM
  • Powerlifting
  • CrossFit
  • Workouts
  • Exercises
  • Training
  • Reviews
  • Nutrition
  • Discussion Forum

More

  • Calculators
  • Fasting
  • Mastering The Deadlift
  • Workout Plans
  • At-Home Workouts
  • Programs
  • Supplements
  • Newsletter
  • Review Process
  • Accessibility
  • Advertise
  • Syndication
  • Sitemap
  • DMCA
  • Copyrights
  • Terms
  • Privacy
  • Cookies
  • Disclaimer

© Copyright 2010 - 2024 Fitness Volt IBC. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Bodybuilding
    • Powerlifting
    • Strongman
    • Armwrestling
    • CrossFit
    • Results
    • Mr. Olympia
    • 2024 WSM
    • Arnold Classic
  • Forum
  • Workouts
    • Training
    • Workout Plans
    • Muscle Groups
    • Celebrity Workouts
    • Programs
    • Mastering The Deadlift
  • Exercise Guides
    • Arms
    • Back
    • Chest
    • Core
    • Legs and Glutes
    • Shoulders
    • Yoga
  • Nutrition
    • Diet
    • Fasting
    • Diet Plans
    • Supplements
    • Nutrition Tips
    • Reviews
    • Food Facts
  • Fitness Calculator
  • More
    • DIY
    • Strength Standards
    • Motivation
    • Videos

© Copyright 2010 - 2024 Fitness Volt IBC. All Rights Reserved.