Hiking Calorie Burn Calculator
Estimate calories burned on a hike from distance, elevation gain, pack weight and body weight.
How it works
level ≈ (body + pack) kg × miles × 0.75 · climb = m·g·h ÷ 4184 ÷ 0.20 efficiency · total = level + climb
Hiking burns energy two ways: moving your loaded body over distance, and lifting it against gravity on the climbs. The level term scales with total weight and miles, while the climbing term comes straight from physics — mass times gravity times height gained — divided by the roughly 20% efficiency of human muscle, so most of the “lifting” energy becomes heat. That is why a short but steep hike can burn as much as a long flat one, and why pack weight matters on both terms.
Worked example
A 160-lb hiker with a 15-lb pack (79.4 kg) over 6 miles gaining 1,500 ft (457 m): level ≈ 79.4 × 6 × 0.75 ≈ 357 kcal; climb ≈ 79.4 × 9.81 × 457 ÷ 4184 ÷ 0.2 ≈ 425 kcal; total ≈ 782 kcal.
Frequently asked questions
Why does elevation gain matter so much?
Climbing does real physical work against gravity, and human muscles are only about 20% efficient, so lifting your body a few hundred meters costs far more calories than the same distance on the flat.
Does pack weight change the burn?
Yes. Both the distance and climbing terms scale with total weight, so a heavier pack raises calorie burn — noticeably so on steep terrain.
How accurate is this?
It is a physics-based estimate; real burn varies with fitness, terrain, pace and temperature. Use it to compare routes and plan food rather than as an exact figure.
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This calculator is for educational purposes. Double-check important results before acting on them.