How Long Does it Take to Hike 20 Miles? [2024]

Maturity is when you realize that hiking is better than gymming. ‘Why’, you ask? Spending hours on an intense treadmill session can be more exhausting than a relaxing 20-mile walk. 

Imagine the amount of quality time you get to spend while hiking 20 miles. Don’t even get us started on the psychological and sleep benefits of hiking compared to gymming.  

The main concern is, ‘How long does it take to hike 20 miles?’. Because 20 miles sounds like a lot, even if you’re a diehard admirer of Mother Nature, hang along if you’re about to hike your first 20 miles, alongside sharing how much time you need to hike 20 miles; we’ll also share Nasimith’s rule to calculate the hike time and, as a bonus, will guide you on how to increase your hiking speed. So, let’s start.

Short Answer: How Long Does It To Hike 20 Miles?

The time it takes to hike 20 miles varies greatly depending on your fitness level, the terrain, elevation gain, pack weight, weather, and planned breaks. For an average hiker on flat terrain with minimal elevation gain, expect around 6.7 hours. However, if the terrain is challenging and elevation gain is significant, it could take up to 11.5 hours or more.

Quick Table – Average Hiking Times

Here are the average hiking times according to terrain, distance, and pace.

Terrain/Difficulty Level	Distance (Miles/Kilometers)	Easy Pace (mph/kmph)	Moderate Pace (mph/kmph)	Difficult Pace (mph/kmph)	Average Hiking Time at Different Paces
Easy Trail	1-3 miles / 1.6-4.8 kilometers	2-3 mph / 3.2-4.8 kmph	3-4 mph / 4.8-6.4 kmph	–	0.5-1.5 hours
	3-5 miles / 4.8-8 kilometers	2-3 mph / 3.2-4.8 kmph	3-4 mph / 4.8-6.4 kmph	–	1-2 hours
Moderate Trail	5-8 miles / 8-13 kilometers	2-2.5 mph / 3.2-4 kmph	2.5-3.5 mph / 4-5.6 kmph	3.5-4 mph / 5.6-6.4 kmph	2-4 hours
	8-12 miles / 13-19 kilometers	2-2.5 mph / 3.2-4 kmph	2.5-3.5 mph / 4-5.6 kmph	3.5-4 mph / 5.6-6.4 kmph	4-6 hours
Challenging Trail	12-16 miles / 19-26 kilometers	–	2-3 mph / 3.2-4.8 kmph	3-4 mph / 4.8-6.4 kmph	6-9 hours
	16-20 miles / 26-32 kilometers	–	2-2.5 mph / 3.2-4 kmph	2.5-3 mph / 4-4.8 kmph	8-10 hours
Strenuous/Difficult Trail	20+ miles / 32+ kilometers	–	1.5-2 mph / 2.4-3.2 kmph	2-2.5 mph / 3.2-4 kmph	10+ hours

What Influences Your Speed On a 20 Miles Hike

Before delving deep into, how long does it take to hike 20 miles. Here are some factors on which your hiking speed depends. Have a look at each one of them to get the optimum speed while hiking.

#1 Check Trail Conditions

The hiking track is a major factor in influencing a hiker’s pace. Smooth trails of low-level mountains, valleys, and hills contribute to a faster pace. On the contrary, a rough or rocky pathway constructed on steep terrains can cause the hiker to stumble or get distracted. Icy or wet trails can also result in minor accidents, losing much of your hiking time. 

#2 Check The Elevation Gain

Elevation gain is the higher you climb or the more vertical distance you cover while hiking a steep territory. You might have noticed that walking up the stairs is harder than descending those same stairs. This is because elevation gain builds up more cardiovascular pressure than elevation loss. Hence, your hiking speed might be slower while hiking up and faster while hiking down. 

#3 Depends On Non-hiking activities 

If you’re someone with an eye for aesthetics, hiking will automatically slow down your pace till you stop to capture nature. You will most likely stop for a little hydration break or snacks.

Hiking can also improve an overactive bladder, so you might need to go to the loo often. A pause in hiking due to such activities can affect your hiking pace once you start again. 

#4 Depends On Your Backpack weight

A rule of thumb for hiking is to carry less weight. You should carry only the essentials in your backpack and divide the necessities with your hiking partner. Hiking with a heavy backpack slows the hiker’s speed due to weariness and compromises the comfort level. It also comes with the risk of injuries and accidents. 

#5 Check Your Fitness Levels

If you’re not physically fit, hYou doniking will become more of a burden for you than a relief. Naturally, your pace will be slower than that of a person with stronger stamina and muscle strength. Physically unfit people also experience restricted motion of the limbs. Such hikers usually start fast but develop sluggishly before reaching even 10 miles. 

#6 Depends On the Hiker Experience

An experienced hiker will likely have a better pace than someone not into hiking. Regardless of whether you’re a regular gym-goer, hiking has its challenges that most cannot tackle in the first go.

Another sub-factor of the hiker experience is knowing the trail. Since some hiking trails have cuttings, a hiker with experience of that particular trail will know all the ins and outs. Don’t know how to pass these cuttings easily? We’ve written a whole guide on it. Check here.

What is Naismith’s Rule? And How Do You Use It To Calculate Hiking Time?

What is Naismith’s Rule?

Calculating and estimating hiking time as a beginner can be tough, but wait till you get the hang of Naismith’s Rule. Willian Naismith is a well-known name in the hiking universe mainly because of his development of Naismith’s Rule for hiking. The formula is super simple, but first, let’s go through the basics:

1000 meters = 1 kilometre
1.60934 kilometres = 1 mile

Now, moving on to the two main features of Naismith’s Rule: 

On a flat or horizontal terrain, 1 hour covers 5 km OR 0.2 hour covers 1 km
Add 1 hour for every 600-meter escalation OR 10 minutes for every 100-meter

Distance (km/miles)	Elevation Gain (meters/feet)	Estimated Hiking Time (hours)
5 km / 3 miles	0 meters / 0 feet	1 hour
5 km / 3 miles	300 meters / 1,000 feet	2 hours
10 km / 6 miles	0 meters / 0 feet	2 hours
10 km / 6 miles	600 meters / 2,000 feet	3 hours
15 km / 9 miles	300 meters / 1,000 feet	4 hours
20 km / 12 miles	600 meters / 2,000 feet	5 hours
25 km / 15 miles	900 meters / 3,000 feet	6 hours

How Long Does It Take To Hike 20 Miles Using the Naismith’s Rule?

So, considering your 20 miles hike has an 800-meter escalation, here’s how you will calculate your estimated time;

For flat distance: 32.1869 km x 0.2 hours = 6 hours 50 minutes approx

For escalation: 8 (because 100 meters have repeated 8 times) x 10 minutes = 80 minutes

Total distance: 8 hours 17 minutes approx

Though the calculation seems simple, you might not be able to achieve these results practically. Here’s why: 

The weather can delay your journey by a huge time gap. Hikers have to be cautious when hiking in rain or snow. u003cstrongu003eMuddy or slippery crossingsu003c/strongu003e can be hard to pass through and add interruption to the walk. You might also lose navigation because of fog or strong winds. 
Naismith’s Rule assumes that the hikers are reasonably fit and cover the u003cstrongu003edistance without any breaksu003c/strongu003e. In reality, this might not be the case, and almost all hikers, even professionals, take breaks to refuel.u0026nbsp;
The terrain level determines whether you will complete the distance on time. Most of the time, smooth terrain levels complete the mile target earlier than estimated, even with escalation. Similarly, you might experience reaching the target late because of uneven terrain, regardless of a short escalation.u0026nbsp;

Though Naimsith’s Rule for estimating hiking time is not 100% accurate, but that doesn’t mean it is useless. It gives you a rough idea of how long it would take to cover a certain distance. You can keep a margin of 2 hours more or less from the estimated time to reach a nearly possible forecast. 

How Long Does It Take An Average Person To Hike 20 Miles? 

So exactly how long does it take to hike 20 miles for an average person? It depends on the physical and athletic capabilities of different age groups. Usually, men in their 20s and women in their 20s-30s take around 6 to 7 hours to cover 20 miles. People in their late 60s and 70s can even take up to 8 hours to complete their 20-mile hike. 

How Much Water Should I Bring For a 20-mile hike?

Chugging down water occasionally while hiking without keeping track of it is useless. You might end up drinking too little or getting a bloated stomach. For a 20-mile hike, keep at least 3 litres in your backpack. 

Bonus Tip: The key to mindful hydration is drinking half a litre of water every hour. If the weather is hot, you can take electrolyte water on the go. 

How can I Increase my Hiking Speed?

If you want to increase your hiking speed significantly, start training for muscle endurance. It’ll make you physically fit by ensuring safe repetitive movement and stronger joints. 

Another professional trick is to warm up before every hike. You can do so by running a treadmill 15 minutes before the hike or performing squats. When you’re on the hike, shorten your stride without disturbing the speed while elevating upwards. 

Similarly, take bigger strides when sloping down, as gravity will support your steps. Do not hesitate to take breaks when your body tells you to. Most importantly, don’t forget to eat a healthy meal before your hike. Lastly, be consistent with these methods; otherwise, you might not see visible results. 

How Long Does It Take To Hike 20 Miles- Bottom Line

Answering your question, ‘How long does it take to hike 20 miles?’ in two syllables – a lot. If you have good stamina, it’ll take you 6 to 7 hours with varying strides. But if you want to soak in the earthy goodness, it’ll take you a good 7 to 8 hours to complete the 20-mile milestone. 

Even though 20 miles sounds like a mountain, we promise the satisfaction of completing this distance will be like none other. 

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