🥾 Hiking Calculator
Calories burned, time estimate & water needs
How Hiking Calorie Burn Is Calculated
Hiking burns significantly more calories than walking on flat ground because of elevation gain, uneven terrain, and pack weight. The base formula uses body weight and distance, then adjusts for gradient (Naismith's rule adds 1 hour per 2,000 feet of ascent), terrain difficulty, and load carried. A 170-pound person hiking 8 miles with 2,000 feet of elevation gain burns approximately 1,200-1,500 calories — equivalent to running 10-12 miles on flat ground.
Water needs increase dramatically with exertion: plan for 0.5-1 liter per hour of hiking, more in heat or at altitude. Running out of water on a hike is far more dangerous than running out of food.