Your results will appear here.
Enter your values and press Calculate.
This calculator applies Naismith's rule, a hiking time formula devised by the Scottish mountaineer William W. Naismith in 1892. It allows 12 minutes for every kilometre of trail (a flat pace of 5 km/h) and adds 10 minutes for every 100 metres of climbing. Your fitness level then scales the result: beginners get a slower estimate, while fit hikers and athletes get a faster one. The figure shown is moving time, meaning it excludes rest stops, photos and lunch breaks. Treat every result as an estimate, not a guarantee, and always check local trail conditions before you set out.
Naismith's rule is one of the oldest and most widely used ways to estimate hiking time. It was created in 1892 by William W. Naismith, a Scottish mountaineer who wanted a practical way to plan routes through the hills. The original rule is simple: allow one hour for every 5 kilometres of distance, plus one extra hour for every 600 metres of ascent. In modern metric shorthand that becomes 12 minutes per kilometre plus 10 minutes per 100 metres of climbing, which is the version this calculator uses. The imperial equivalent is one hour for every 3 miles plus one hour for every 2,000 feet of ascent.
Enter the total trail distance in kilometres, using the figure from your trail guide or mapping app. Then enter the total elevation gain in metres: this is the sum of all climbing on the route, not the height of the summit above the car park, because rolling trails can add hundreds of metres of extra ascent. Finally, pick your fitness level. The calculator returns your estimated moving time, your average pace in minutes per kilometre, your average speed in km/h, and a route difficulty score from 1 (easy) to 5 (extreme) based on the combined distance and climbing.
Elevation gain does not just add time, it changes how fast you can move. A gentle 500 metres of climbing spread over a long valley walk costs far less effort than the same climbing packed into a single steep kilometre, because steep ground forces shorter steps and more frequent pauses. Guidebook writers describe a more conservative variant called book time: 30 minutes per mile plus 30 minutes per 1,000 feet of ascent, which is roughly what an average hiker manages on rougher ground. Rocky paths, scree, mud, sand and dense forest with exposed roots all slow you further, while a smooth, well graded trail lets you beat the estimate. This calculator assumes typical trail conditions, so add extra time if you expect poor footing.
Naismith designed his rule for a fit hillwalker, so it naturally overestimates beginners and underestimates very strong hikers. Choosing your fitness level multiplies the base time: a beginner estimate is 30 percent longer than the base, while a fit hiker shaves 15 percent off and an athlete shaves 25 percent. This mirrors a well known adjustment called Tranter's corrections, where a hiker measures their fitness on a standard test climb and scales the rule to match. Be honest about your level: most people hike at roughly 20 to 30 minutes per mile on flat ground, beginners are often closer to 30 to 45 minutes per mile, and experienced walkers can dip below 20 minutes per mile on easy trails. Your pace at the end of a long season will usually beat your pace at the start.
The time you see above is moving time only. Real hikes take longer because of rest stops, viewpoints, snack breaks and lunch. A common planning habit is to add 10 to 15 minutes of break time per hour of moving time, so a 4 hour moving estimate becomes roughly 5 hours on the trail. A heavy overnight pack can add 20 to 25 percent, a large group moves at the speed of its slowest member, and altitude makes every uphill step harder because the air holds less oxygen. Heat, rain, wind and poor visibility all slow you down too, while downhill sections can either speed you up on gentle ground or slow you on steep, loose slopes. Always add a daylight buffer on top of the estimate.
Use your estimated time to plan backwards from sunset, then add at least an hour of buffer so you are never racing the dark. Check local trail conditions, weather forecasts and any route closures before you leave, because washed-out paths and snow change everything. Carry water, food, a map, a charged phone and a layer for changing weather even on short trails. Tell someone your planned route and return time, and share your hiking plan with a friend or family member so rescue teams know where to look if you are overdue. Remember that this calculator gives estimates for planning, not professional advice: your safety is your own responsibility on the trail.
Take a 10 kilometre trail with 600 metres of total elevation gain, hiked at an average fitness level. Flat time is 10 × 12 = 120 minutes. Climbing time is (600 / 100) × 10 = 60 minutes. The base estimate is 180 minutes, or 3 hours of moving time, before any fitness adjustment. Average pace is 180 / 10 = 18 minutes per kilometre, and average speed is 10 / 3 = 3.3 km/h. The difficulty score is 3 out of 5 (challenging). If the same route were hiked by a beginner, the estimate would be 180 × 1.3 = 234 minutes, or 3 hours 54 minutes.
Naismith's rule is a 130-year-old formula for estimating hiking time, created in 1892 by Scottish mountaineer William W. Naismith. It allows 12 minutes per kilometre of trail distance (one hour per 5 km) plus 10 minutes per 100 metres of ascent (one hour per 600 m). The imperial version is one hour per 3 miles plus one hour per 2,000 feet of ascent.
Multiply your distance in kilometres by 12 to get the flat time in minutes, divide your elevation gain in metres by 100 and multiply by 10 to get the climbing time, then add them together. For example, 10 km with 600 m of climbing gives 120 + 60 = 180 minutes, or 3 hours of moving time. This calculator does the maths for you and adjusts it for your fitness level.
It is a useful ballpark figure, not a precise prediction. It was designed for a fit hillwalker on decent paths, so it tends to underestimate beginners, heavy packs, rough terrain, big groups and poor weather, and it ignores breaks entirely. Treat it as a starting point and always add a buffer, especially on unfamiliar trails.
On flat, well maintained trail, most hikers cover a mile in 20 to 30 minutes. Add elevation and the same mile can take 40 minutes or more: 300 feet of climbing might push it to 30 minutes, while rocky or technical ground slows you to 25 to 30 minutes per mile even without much climbing.
On flat terrain at a standard 3 mph pace, 5 miles takes about 1 hour 40 minutes and 10 miles about 3 hours 20 minutes. Most hikers average closer to 2 mph, so plan on 2.5 hours for 5 flat miles and 5 hours for 10 flat miles, then add 30 to 60 minutes per 1,000 feet of elevation gain plus break time.
The classic rule assumes 3 mph, but most hikers on real trails average closer to 2 mph, or 30 minutes per mile. Beginners often manage 1 to 2 mph, intermediate hikers 2 to 3 mph, and experienced hikers on smooth paths can reach 3 to 4 mph. Your personal average is the most useful number for planning.
The biggest factors are elevation gain, terrain roughness, altitude, fitness and experience, pack weight, group size, weather, and even your goals for the day. Steep, rocky, muddy or high-altitude routes can halve the speed you manage on a flat valley path.
Yes. The estimate is moving time only and does not include any stops. A common rule is to add 10 to 15 minutes of break time per hour of moving time, plus extra for viewpoints and lunch. A 3 hour moving estimate realistically means 3 hours 30 to 45 minutes on the trail.
Naismith's rule adds 10 minutes for every 100 metres of ascent, which equals 30 minutes per 1,000 feet. So 2,000 feet of climbing adds a full hour. Steep, concentrated climbing costs more effort than the same gain spread over a long gentle route.
It is designed for hiking, but trail runners can use it as a starting point and choose the athlete fitness level for a faster estimate. For running-specific training you will get better results from a pace calculator or race time predictor, which use running performance models rather than hiking rules.