Calories burned hiking: how many, and does it help weight loss?

The Pezoparea team · Updated 4 November 2026 · 6 min read

A 70 kg person burns about 430 calories an hour hiking cross-country, according to Harvard Health's table. Over 4 hours on the trail that's roughly 1,700 calories. Hiking helps with weight loss when you do it regularly and watch what you eat, because it also makes you hungry.

How many calories does hiking burn?

Harvard Health lists 30 minutes of cross-country hiking at 170 calories for a 125 lb (57 kg) person, 216 for 155 lb (70 kg) and 252 for 185 lb (84 kg) (Harvard Health Publishing). Here's what that looks like per hour and over a typical day hike.

Count only walking time, not breaks and lunch. Greek club programmes list walking hours as ΩΠ, so an outing marked “ΩΠ 4” may still mean six hours on the mountain in total.

How do I calculate calories burned hiking myself?

The simple formula is: calories ≈ MET × body weight in kg × hours. MET tells you how much harder an activity is than resting. The 2024 Compendium of Physical Activities gives different values depending on pace (Herrmann et al., 2024):

These are averages. Your watch may say something different, and neither will be exact. Use the numbers to compare hikes, not to balance a spreadsheet.

What makes a hike burn more calories?

• Ascent: every metre you climb costs far more than a metre on the flat.
• Your pack: water, food and layers add weight you carry all day.
• Terrain: rock, scree, snow or sand take more effort than a smooth path.
• Pace: the same route done faster burns more per hour.
• Body weight: the heavier you are, the more energy the same route takes.

If you want more of a workout, look at elevation gain rather than distance. An 8 km hike with 700 m of ascent is tougher than 12 km on the flat.

Does hiking help you lose weight?

It does, on two conditions. The first is frequency. One hike a month is a lovely day but not much exercise. The WHO recommends 150–300 minutes of moderate activity a week (Bull et al., British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2020), so a weekly hike plus walking during the week is a good base.

The second is food. After five hours on a Greek mountain you'll be hungry, and the village taverna with grilled meat and pies is part of the day. You don't have to skip it. Just make trail snacks fruit, nuts or a sandwich rather than a third chocolate bar, and share plates at the table.

There's also what the scales don't show: hiking builds your legs, glutes and core and gives you stamina. Many people notice how they feel and how their clothes fit before they see a different number.

How do I make hiking a regular habit?

1. Start with easy outings and move up to moderate ones once you finish without being wiped out.
2. Aim for one hike a week or every other week.
3. Keep a log: distance, ascent, how you felt. Progress shows faster than you'd think.
4. Add two short strength sessions a week. Climbs will get easier.