Hiking can take any where from a 10 minutes to 10 hours. Hiking has become an enjoyable pastime for so many individuals and families. When someone is thinking of picking up hiking as a hobby one of the questions they often ask is “does hiking take long?”. This is very similar to asking how long is a piece of string. The are a wide range of variables to take into account.
Just because a hike is intended to be several hours long you can often just go part of the way before completing the entire trail. This is great for people who want to experience a particular trail but time or ability prevents then for being able to do the hike from start to finish.
How does Long Will A Hike Take?
On average, a hike will take one to three hours. Most hiking trails cater to day hikers who are wanting to complete a trail in the morning or an afternoon. Some hikes may be full-day hikes, but most hiking trails take three hours or less to complete.
There is a wide range of hiking trails often located in similar areas. National parks for example offer various hikes that differ in length and difficulty. You can choose a hike that best suits your abilities and what you are looking for.
When you get to a trailhead there will likely be signs indicating the average time it will take to complete. The length of time it takes to complete a hike will be dependent on several factors.
Distance
On average adults should be able to walk 3 miles in one hour. Children on the other hand can usually walk half a mile per year of age at any one time.
Obviously the longer the hike the longer it will take to hike.
Fitness Level
Your fitness level as a hiker will definitely play a part in how long it takes to hike a particular trail. Those who are physically fit and accustomed to rigorous exercise and hiking will likely be able to complete a trail much quicker than the average person.
On the contrary, someone with less physical ability or those who are not used to hiking may take significantly longer.
Age
Children and the elderly will most likely take a longer than average time to finish a trail. They will often need to walk a little slower and take more frequent breaks. However, with that said many children and those in their senior years are very capable of long difficult hikes and should not be underestimated.
Terrain
Many different terrains can be experienced on hiking trails. There are rugged and rocky mountains to climb, dense forests to meander through and awe-inspiring canyons to explore.
Each of these different terrains presents different challenges and will likely impact how long your hike is. A hiking trail that is predominately on a flat surface will be much quicker than hiking that involved a fair amount of rock scrambling.
Incline/decline
The incline and decline of a hiking trail may be one of the biggest deciders of how long your hike is going to be. A 3-mile hike on a flat surface is going to take around one hour. However, a 3-mile hike up a steep mountain will take much longer as it exerts a significant amount more energy.
How Long Is Too Long For A Day Hike?
Overall you should aim to complete no more than eight hours for a day hike, not including breaks. This length of time will allow you time to make it to your campsite or complete the trail before the sunsets. It also accounts for any breaks or unexpected stops that you may need to make.
An 8 hour hiking day does not include any stops that need to be made. These breaks can push your day out to 10 hours or more to complete. So for example, if you start hiking at 6 am you can expect to finish your hike at around 4 pm.
If you try to complete a hike more than eight hours in a day you run the risk of finishing your hike after the sun has set. It is not advisable to hike in the dark as accidents are more likely and you can become disorientated with the lack of light.
An eight-hour hike gives you sufficient leeway to account for any difficulties that may occur on the trail. For example, if you need to stop for injuries or if the hike is taking longer than you had anticipated.
How Long should I Hike In A Day?
The general rule is to hike no more than eight hours a day. However, you should hike for as long as you feel comfortable and able to not exceeding eight hours.
There are varying abilities that will influence how long you should hike in a day. Your fitness level is likely the main influence on how long you can hike at a given time.
If you are unsure of how long you will be able to hike in a day, do a few trial runs to gauge how well you do. You can start with an easy one to two-hour hike and assess how well you managed.
From there work up to longer and more difficult hikes. This is a great way to ease your way into tackling potentially challenging long hikes.
For example, Angels Landing in Zion National Park is at the top of my hiking bucket list. I know that I would struggle immensely if I tried to do it today so I will need to build myself up to it before we go. Hiking is not a lot of fun if you overextend yourself and can not appreciate the experience because you are not prepared for the intensity of the hike.
How Long Does It Take To Hike 5 Miles?
Typically, an average adult can be expected to be capable of hiking 3 miles per hour. This is based on Naismiths Rule. This is dependent on the terrain being gentle and flat.
Naismith’s rule does also take into account the ascent and descent of a trail too. You can use this calculator to get a more accurate calculation of how long it would take to hike any given 5 miles based on these factors.
What Is The Longest Hike?
The longest designated hike is the Pacific Crest Trail. The trail spans an eye-watering 2650 miles crossing through California, Oregon, Washington and even into British Columbia in Canada.
On average it takes around 5 months to complete the Pacific Crest Trail. This is usually the entire snow-free season. I addition to the actual hiking portion of the Pacific Crest Trail, hikers spend an extended amount of time in preparation.
It is estimated that the average hiker takes six to nine months to prepare for a hike on the Pacific Crest Trail. This includes physical preparation alongside, planning and mental preparation. Although it is often a bucket list item for many hikers that they have been planning for many years prior.
The first person to hike the official Pacific Crest Trail was an 18-year-old by the name of Eric Ryback. He did this in October 1970. However, there is some doubt as to whether he actually completed the entire length of the hike on foot as many members of the public acknowledge giving him a ride along portions of the trail.
It should be noted that this hike can be done by young children too despite its extraordinary length. Six-year-old Christian Geiger traversed the PCT alongside his parents. This was after previously completing the Appalachian Trail
