Calculator · Skills

Hiking Time Calculator

Naismith’s rule with pack weight, terrain and breaks — when you will actually arrive.

How long will the hike really take, and when will you arrive? Enter distance, ascent and descent, terrain, pack weight, pace and start time – the calculator applies Naismith’s rule with realistic corrections and breaks.

Distance

Total ascent

Total descent

Descents are steep (> 12°)

Terrain

Track Trail Rough Off-trail Snow

Pack weight

Pace

Fast Average Relaxed / group

Start time

Total time 3 h 56 min

Arrival 12:56

Moving time 3 h 26 min + breaks 30 min

Average speed 4.1 km/h

Where the time goes

Distance2 h 48 min
Ascent+45 min
Descent−12 min
Terrain, pack & pace+5 min
Breaks+30 min

Timeline

09:00Start
09:593.5 km
10:587.0 km
11:5710.5 km
12:5614.0 km — arrival

How is this calculated?

Naismith: 1 h per 5 km + 1 h per 600 m ascent. Langmuir: steep descents +10 min per 300 m, gentle descents −10 min per 300 m. × terrain (track 0.9 … snow 1.8) × pack (+1.2 % per kg above 10 kg) × pace (0.85–1.25). Breaks: 10 min per hour + 20 min lunch on long days.

How to use the hiking time calculator

Enter the distance in km and the total ascent and descent in metres – your map or GPS app shows them.
Tick descents are steep if they are steeper than about 12°.
Choose the terrain: track, trail, rough, off-trail or snow.
Enter your pack weight, your pace (fast, average, relaxed/group) and the start time.

How it is calculated

The base is Naismith’s rule: 1 hour for every 5 km plus 1 hour for every 600 m of ascent. Langmuir’s corrections handle descent: gentle descents save 10 minutes per 300 m, steep descents cost 10 minutes per 300 m extra. The base time never drops below 80 % of the flat walking time.

This is then multiplied by factors for terrain (track 0.9, trail 1.0, rough 1.25, off-trail 1.6, snow 1.8), pack weight (+1.2 % per kg above 10 kg) and pace (fast 0.85, relaxed 1.25). Breaks are added: 10 minutes per full hour of walking plus a 20-minute lunch break when you walk more than 4 hours.

Example: 14 km, +450 m / −350 m, trail, 12 kg, average pace	Time
Distance (14 km ÷ 5 km/h)	2 h 48 min
Ascent (450 m ÷ 600 m/h)	+45 min
Gentle descent (350 m)	−12 min
Pack above 10 kg	+5 min
Breaks	+30 min
Total	≈ 3 h 56 min

Practical tips

Plan to reach camp at least 2 hours before sunset – shelter, water and firewood take time.
Set a turnaround time before you start and stick to it.
Compare the estimate with your real times on a few hikes and adjust the pace setting to match you.
Groups move at the pace of the slowest member, and navigation off-trail takes longer than you think.

FAQ

What is Naismith’s rule?

A rule of thumb from 1892 by the Scottish mountaineer William Naismith: allow 1 hour for every 5 km (3 miles) and add 1 hour for every 600 m (2,000 ft) of ascent. It assumes fit walkers without breaks, so corrections for terrain, load and rests make it more realistic.

How long does it take to hike 10 km?

On flat trails about 2 hours of walking plus breaks. With 500 m of ascent add roughly 50 minutes; on rough ground, with a heavy pack or in a group it can easily take 3–4 hours.

How much slower am I with a heavy backpack?

The calculator adds 1.2 % walking time per kg above 10 kg – a 20 kg pack makes you about 12 % slower. Steep ground and heat can increase the effect.