Maximize Your Workout: Burn 500 Calories Hiking

Last Updated on July 27, 2026 by Daniel Globe

Hiking can be a relaxing walk through nature or a demanding cardiovascular workout. How many calories you burn depends on your body weight, pace, elevation gain, trail surface, pack weight, and how long you keep moving. A gentle hike may use only a few hundred calories per hour, while steep climbing or backpacking can require much more energy.

How Many Calories Does Hiking Burn?

The best way to estimate hiking calorie burn is to combine your body weight with the intensity of the activity. Exercise researchers often express intensity as a metabolic equivalent, or MET.

The 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities assigns different MET values to different kinds of hiking and hill walking. Slow hiking through fields and hills is listed at 3.8 MET, normal hiking at 5.3 MET, cross-country hiking at 6.0 MET, backpacking at 7.0 MET, and hiking with a daypack at 7.8 MET. Steep hill climbing can be higher still.

A single “calories burned hiking” number is misleading. The same person can burn dramatically different amounts depending on pace, grade, terrain, and carried weight.

Estimated Hiking Calories per Hour

The table below uses the common exercise-energy equation of 0.0175 × MET × body weight in kilograms × minutes. It is useful for planning, but actual metabolism varies from person to person.

What Changes Your Hiking Calorie Burn?

• Body weight: Moving a larger body generally requires more energy.
• Elevation gain: Climbing works against gravity and usually raises exercise intensity.
• Pace: A brisk climb generally requires more energy per minute than an easy walk.
• Pack weight: Carrying water, food, and backpacking gear increases the work required.
• Trail surface: Sand, mud, rocks, snow, roots, and uneven ground can increase effort.
• Duration: A longer hike can produce greater total calorie expenditure even when the hourly intensity is moderate.
• Fitness and efficiency: Two hikers with the same body weight can use different amounts of energy on the same route.

How to Plan Your Hiking Route for More Calorie Burn

Elevation gain is one of the easiest route characteristics to compare. A trail that climbs 1,000 feet over a mile generally demands more effort than a flat mile because your muscles must repeatedly lift your body against gravity. The Compendium reflects this difference: moderate-to-brisk walking on a 1–5% grade is listed at 5.3 MET, while a 6–10% grade rises to 7.0 MET.

Use a topographic map, park map, or reputable hiking app to check distance, elevation gain, trail difficulty, surface conditions, and current closures before leaving. Choose a route that fits your present fitness rather than simply selecting the steepest option.

Longer hikes can also increase total calorie burn. A useful route may combine gradual climbs, steeper but safe uphill sections, and easier stretches where you can recover. Loops and out-and-back routes both work; the best choice is one you can complete safely with enough water, food, daylight, and reserve energy.

The Best Gear and Clothing for a Calorie-Burning Hike

Footwear is one of the most important gear choices. Hiking boots or trail shoes should fit securely, provide enough traction for the surface, and feel comfortable over the distance you plan to cover. Shoes that slip at the heel, crush the toes on descents, or create pressure points can turn a fitness hike into a painful one. REI’s hiking boot guide provides additional fitting and footwear guidance.

Clothing should help manage sweat and changing weather. A moisture-wicking base layer can move sweat away from the skin, an insulating layer adds warmth when conditions require it, and a rain or wind shell provides protection when weather changes. Hats, sunglasses, gloves, and sun protection may also be necessary.

The National Park Service recommends carrying the Ten Essentials, including navigation, sun protection, insulation, illumination, first-aid supplies, fire-starting equipment, repair tools, food, water, and emergency shelter.

For overnight hiking, sleep-system weight also becomes part of the load you carry. The site’s backpacking sleeping bag guide can help with that part of trip preparation.

Incorporating Interval Training into Your Hiking Workout

Intervals can make a suitable hiking route more challenging without requiring an all-out effort for the entire trip. Alternate short periods of faster uphill walking with easier recovery periods. For example, walk briskly uphill for 30–60 seconds, then return to a comfortable pace for one to three minutes before repeating.

Beginners can start with short brisk intervals on a smooth incline. More experienced hikers can extend the harder sections or select a route with greater elevation gain. You do not need to sprint.

Fueling Your Body for a 500-Calorie Hike

There is no fixed distance or time required to burn 500 calories. For a 160-pound person using the estimates above, it might take about 104 minutes of slow hiking, 74 minutes at a normal hiking pace, 56 minutes around 7.0 MET, or about 50 minutes at the 7.8-MET intensity assigned to hiking with a daypack.

A 200-pound person may reach the same estimated total faster because moving more body mass generally requires more energy. A lighter hiker may need more time. These examples show why “500 calories” is better treated as a rough exercise target than an exact trail measurement.

For a longer or harder hike, eat in a way that supports the trip rather than trying to match calories perfectly. A meal containing carbohydrate, protein, and some fat before a longer outing can help provide energy. Examples include oatmeal with fruit and nuts, yogurt with fruit and cereal, or a whole-grain sandwich with a protein source.

Carry easy-to-eat food for longer outings. Trail mix, fruit, sandwiches, crackers, nuts, or energy bars are practical options. The amount you need depends on trip length, intensity, weather, and your individual needs.

Electrolyte products are not automatically necessary for every hike. The American College of Sports Medicine notes that most people exercising for less than about 60–90 minutes in normal conditions are unlikely to become depleted of electrolytes. Longer sessions, hot weather, and heavy sweating make fluid and sodium replacement more important.

Staying Safe and Hydrated During Your Hiking Workout

Check the route, forecast, daylight, trail alerts, and expected conditions before leaving. The National Park Service recommends choosing a trail that fits the abilities of everyone in the group, leaving a trip plan with someone, checking current alerts, and carrying the Ten Essentials.

A first-aid kit should include supplies appropriate for the trip, including blister care. Bring navigation even when you plan to use a phone, and carry a headlamp on hikes that could run close to sunset.

Water needs vary widely. As one current reference point, Great Smoky Mountains National Park recommends carrying at least 1 liter of water for every two hours of hiking. Hot, dry environments may require substantially more; some National Park Service heat guidance advises around 1 liter per hour during hot-weather hiking.

Temperature, humidity, altitude, exercise intensity, body size, and personal sweat rate all change fluid needs. Drink regularly, pay attention to how you feel, and avoid both severe dehydration and excessive fluid intake.

Tracking Your Progress and Setting Calorie-Burn Goals

Fitness apps and wearable devices are useful for tracking distance, moving time, pace, heart rate, and elevation. Those measurements can help you compare similar hikes and see whether your endurance is improving.

Treat the displayed calorie number more cautiously. Laboratory validation studies have found that wrist-worn devices can estimate heart rate reasonably well in many situations while producing much larger errors for energy expenditure. Stanford researchers have reported substantial errors in smartwatch calorie estimates compared with laboratory measurements.

For that reason, use one device consistently and watch the trend instead of assuming a reading such as “512 calories” is exact. Distance, time, elevation, perceived effort, and how well you recover are often better progress markers.

Set gradual goals. If your usual hike lasts 45 minutes, first build toward 60 minutes or add a manageable climb. Once that feels comfortable, increase difficulty again. This approach is more sustainable than chasing the largest calorie number possible on every outing.

Incorporating Strength Training into Your Hiking Workout

Strength training complements hiking by preparing the legs, hips, core, back, and upper body for climbing, descending, carrying a pack, and maintaining balance. The CDC recommends muscle-strengthening activity on at least two days per week for adults, along with regular aerobic activity.

Useful exercises include squats, lunges, step-ups, calf raises, hip hinges, rows, carries, and core exercises. Start with movements you can control and gradually add resistance or repetitions.

You can also include simple bodyweight movements during a hike when there is a safe, appropriate place to stop. Push-ups or controlled squats may add variety, but do not exercise in the middle of a trail, near an exposed edge, or on unstable rocks. Trail structures and natural features should not be used for exercises when doing so could damage them or create a hazard.

Regular hiking plus strength work can support cardiovascular fitness, muscular endurance, and overall physical activity. According to CDC guidance, adults should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, or 75 minutes of vigorous activity or an equivalent combination, plus muscle-strengthening activity on two or more days.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is hiking?

Hiking is an outdoor physical activity that involves walking on trails, paths, or natural terrain. It can range from an easy walk on a maintained path to strenuous climbing over steep or uneven ground.

How many calories are burned from hiking?

It varies widely. Using 2024 Compendium MET values, a 160-pound person may burn about 290 calories per hour hiking slowly, roughly 404 calories at a normal hiking pace, and around 530–595 calories per hour during vigorous backpacking or daypack hiking.

What factors affect calories burned while hiking?

Important factors include body weight, hiking speed, elevation gain, trail grade, surface conditions, pack weight, total moving time, weather, fitness, and individual metabolism.

How can I calculate calories burned from hiking?

A common estimate is calories per minute = 0.0175 × MET × body weight in kilograms. Multiply that result by the number of minutes you hike. Choose a MET value that closely matches your pace, terrain, grade, and load.

How long does it take to burn 500 calories hiking?

For a 160-pound person, a MET-based estimate is about 74 minutes at a normal hiking pace, roughly 56 minutes at a vigorous 7.0-MET effort, or about 50 minutes at a 7.8-MET daypack-hiking intensity. Individual results vary.

Does hiking uphill burn more calories?

Usually. Climbing requires your muscles to lift your body against gravity. The 2024 Adult Compendium assigns higher MET values to steeper grades than to easier walking at similar speeds.

Does carrying a backpack increase calorie burn?

Generally, yes. Carrying additional weight increases the amount of work required. However, adding excessive pack weight simply to burn calories can increase fatigue and injury risk, so carry only what is appropriate for your trip.

Are fitness tracker calorie estimates accurate for hiking?

They are best treated as rough estimates. Consumer wearables can be useful for monitoring time, distance, elevation, and trends, but research has found much greater error in energy-expenditure estimates than in heart-rate measurements.

What are the health benefits of hiking?

Hiking can contribute to aerobic fitness, muscular endurance, regular physical activity, and time spent outdoors. Nature exposure may also support stress reduction and mood, although physiological responses such as cortisol changes are not identical in every study or person.

Sources

1. 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities — Walking — MET values for hiking, backpacking, hill climbing, and walking with loads.
2. 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities: A Third Update — methodology and standardized MET definitions used to estimate activity energy expenditure.
3. CDC — Adult Physical Activity Guidelines — aerobic and muscle-strengthening recommendations for adults.
4. National Park Service — Hike Smart — route planning, trail safety, food, water, and hiking preparation.
5. American College of Sports Medicine — Hydration & Electrolytes — current guidance on fluid and electrolyte needs during exercise.
6. Stanford University — Wearable Calorie-Burn Accuracy — research explaining limitations of consumer wearable energy-expenditure estimates.