Hiking Calories by Pace Chart: Slow, Moderate, Fast

A moderate hiking pace of 5 km/h burns approximately 350 to 450 calories per hour, while a fast pace of 7 km/h can burn 500 to 650 calories per hour.

Your hiking speed significantly impacts calorie burn. This guide provides comprehensive charts to help you estimate energy expenditure at any pace.

Complete Pace-Based Calorie Chart

Metric (km/h) - 70 kg Person

Speed	Pace	Flat	5% Grade	10% Grade
3 km/h	Very slow	200 kcal/hr	260 kcal/hr	320 kcal/hr
4 km/h	Slow	260 kcal/hr	340 kcal/hr	420 kcal/hr
5 km/h	Moderate	330 kcal/hr	430 kcal/hr	530 kcal/hr
6 km/h	Brisk	400 kcal/hr	520 kcal/hr	640 kcal/hr
7 km/h	Fast	480 kcal/hr	620 kcal/hr	760 kcal/hr
8 km/h	Very fast	560 kcal/hr	720 kcal/hr	880 kcal/hr

Imperial (mph) - 154 lb Person

Speed	Pace	Flat	5% Grade	10% Grade
2.0 mph	Very slow	200 kcal/hr	260 kcal/hr	320 kcal/hr
2.5 mph	Slow	260 kcal/hr	340 kcal/hr	420 kcal/hr
3.0 mph	Moderate	330 kcal/hr	430 kcal/hr	530 kcal/hr
3.5 mph	Brisk	400 kcal/hr	520 kcal/hr	640 kcal/hr
4.0 mph	Fast	480 kcal/hr	620 kcal/hr	760 kcal/hr
4.5 mph	Very fast	560 kcal/hr	720 kcal/hr	880 kcal/hr

For personalized results, use our Hiking Calorie Calculator.

Understanding Hiking Paces

Very Slow (2-3 km/h / 1.2-2 mph)

Who: Beginners, seniors, recovery hikes
Terrain: Steep climbs, technical terrain
Calories: 180-250 kcal/hour

Typical on very steep trails where careful foot placement is required.

Slow (3-4 km/h / 2-2.5 mph)

Who: Casual hikers, loaded backpackers
Terrain: Moderate to steep grades
Calories: 250-340 kcal/hour

Common pace for challenging trails or when carrying heavy packs.

Moderate (4-5 km/h / 2.5-3 mph)

Who: Average hikers on typical trails
Terrain: Mixed terrain, gentle grades
Calories: 330-430 kcal/hour

The most common hiking pace for recreational hikers on maintained trails.

Brisk (5-6 km/h / 3-3.5 mph)

Who: Fit hikers, training hikes
Terrain: Good trails, minimal obstacles
Calories: 400-520 kcal/hour

Fast walking pace maintained on well-maintained paths.

Fast (6-7 km/h / 3.5-4 mph)

Who: Experienced hikers, fast packers
Terrain: Excellent trails, flat to gentle
Calories: 480-620 kcal/hour

Requires good fitness and favorable trail conditions.

Very Fast (7+ km/h / 4+ mph)

Who: Trail runners, competitive hikers
Terrain: Smooth, fast trails
Calories: 560+ kcal/hour

Borderline running pace, rarely sustained for long durations.

Pace Adjustment by Body Weight

55 kg (121 lb)

Pace	Flat	5% Grade
Slow (4 km/h)	200 kcal/hr	260 kcal/hr
Moderate (5 km/h)	260 kcal/hr	340 kcal/hr
Fast (7 km/h)	380 kcal/hr	490 kcal/hr

85 kg (187 lb)

Pace	Flat	5% Grade
Slow (4 km/h)	320 kcal/hr	420 kcal/hr
Moderate (5 km/h)	400 kcal/hr	520 kcal/hr
Fast (7 km/h)	580 kcal/hr	750 kcal/hr

100 kg (220 lb)

Pace	Flat	5% Grade
Slow (4 km/h)	380 kcal/hr	490 kcal/hr
Moderate (5 km/h)	470 kcal/hr	620 kcal/hr
Fast (7 km/h)	680 kcal/hr	880 kcal/hr

See our Calories Burned Hiking by Weight chart.

Pace vs Distance Trade-off

Should you hike faster or longer? Here's the calorie comparison:

Same Distance, Different Pace (10 km)

Pace	Time	Total Calories
Slow (4 km/h)	2.5 hrs	650 kcal
Moderate (5 km/h)	2 hrs	660 kcal
Fast (7 km/h)	1.4 hrs	680 kcal

Insight: For the same distance, pace matters less than you might think. Faster pace burns more per hour but less total time.

Same Time, Different Pace (2 hours)

Pace	Distance	Total Calories
Slow (4 km/h)	8 km	520 kcal
Moderate (5 km/h)	10 km	660 kcal
Fast (7 km/h)	14 km	960 kcal

Insight: For the same duration, faster pace burns significantly more calories.

Factors That Affect Your Pace

Terrain

Rough terrain: -30-50% speed reduction
Steep grades: -20-40% speed reduction
Mud/snow: -20-50% speed reduction

Pack Weight

Light (5 kg): -5% speed
Moderate (10 kg): -10% speed
Heavy (15+ kg): -15-25% speed

Altitude

2,000m+: -5-10% speed
3,000m+: -15-25% speed
4,000m+: -25-40% speed

Fatigue

First 2 hours: Baseline pace
Hours 3-5: -5-10% pace
Hours 6+: -10-20% pace

Optimizing Your Hiking Pace

For Maximum Calorie Burn

Choose a brisk pace you can sustain
Add pack weight for extra burn
Select hilly terrain
Extend duration rather than sprinting

For Endurance

Maintain steady moderate pace
Avoid pace spikes
Match food intake to energy expenditure
Plan for fatigue over long distances

For Weight Loss

Prioritize total time over speed
Mix intensities (intervals on easier sections)
Keep heart rate in fat-burning zone
Consistency beats intensity

Calculate Your Pace-Based Burn

Use our specialized calculators: