SnapCalorieBurn — free MET-based calorie calculators
30 minutes of hiking burns 130–230 calories. Weight table for trail walking with elevation and backpack factors.
Thirty minutes of moderate hiking burns approximately 130–230 calories — noticeably more than flat walking due to terrain variation and elevation changes.
Hiking differs from walking primarily through terrain challenges — uneven surfaces, elevation gain, and natural obstacles. These factors force your body to recruit stabilizer muscles, adjust stride length constantly, and work against gravity on inclines. Even gentle trails with mild elevation burn 30–50% more calories per minute than flat sidewalk walking at the same perceived effort level.
Hiking burns about 50% more calories per minute than flat walking and roughly matches moderate cycling. Steep uphill hiking (MET 7.0–8.0) approaches the calorie burn of running, while carrying a backpack adds another 10–20% to energy expenditure.
Even a short 30-minute hike on a local trail provides excellent exercise. Look for trails with moderate elevation gain for maximum calorie burn. Hiking is also one of the most accessible outdoor activities — many urban areas have trail systems within short driving distance.
Direct answer: 30 minutes of hiking burns an estimated 156–276 calories, depending on body weight (180 lb / 82 kg: ~217 kcal). Intensity assumed: General hiking, no heavy pack (MET 5.3). This is an estimate, not a measurement.
| Body weight | Calories burned |
|---|---|
| 130 lb (59 kg) | ~156 cal |
| 155 lb (70 kg) | ~186 cal |
| 180 lb (82 kg) | ~217 cal |
| 205 lb (93 kg) | ~246 cal |
| 230 lb (104 kg) | ~276 cal |
Example: At MET 5.3, a 180 lb (82 kg) person doing 30 minutes of hiking burns approximately 217 calories: 5.3 × 82 × 0.50 h ≈ 217 kcal.
An estimated 156–276 calories, depending on body weight. A 180 lb (82 kg) person burns about 217 kcal, calculated as MET 5.3 × 82 kg × 0.50 hours.
About 7.2 kcal per minute for a 180 lb (82 kg) person, or 2.6 kcal per kilogram of body weight across the whole session.
Because the MET formula scales directly with body mass: a 130 lb person burns about 156 kcal here versus 276 kcal for a 230 lb person — a 77% spread for the identical session.
From the 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities, the reference database of measured MET intensities for physical activities. Every figure on this page uses that value in the formula Calories = MET × body weight (kg) × duration (hours).
They are estimates from population averages, not measurements. Individual results commonly land within about ±15% of the figure shown; actual intensity and pace, body composition and fitness, terrain and technique all shift the real number. The values are gross calories, so they include the energy you would have burned at rest.
Open the hiking calorie calculator to enter your own weight, intensity and duration.