How Long Does It Take To Hike 15 Miles (Explained)

Whether you’re an experienced hiker or a beginner, it’s always important to know how long a hike will take. Depending on the difficulty of the trail and your own hiking abilities, a 15-mile hike can vary quite a bit – so let’s get right into it.

How Long Does The Average Person Take To Hike 15 Miles?

The average person takes about 450 minutes, or 7 hours and 30 minutes, to hike 15 miles. This pace includes stopping for rest and admiring the scenery. If you’re hiking with a group, it’s also important to factor in the time it takes to chat and take photos. Of course, your mileage may vary depending on your fitness level, the terrain, and the weather.

How Many Calories Do You Burn Hiking 15 Miles?

The number of calories you burn while hiking depends on a few factors, such as your weight, the terrain, and the intensity of your hike. But on average, you can expect to burn about 1500 calories on a 15-mile hike. That’s quite a bit!

How To Hike 15 Miles Faster

If you’re looking to hike 15 miles in the shortest amount of time possible, you’ll need to pick up the pace. A good target time would be 300 minutes or less, which is a total target time of 5 hours. This may seem like a daunting task, but it’s definitely doable with some practice. Here are a few tips to help you hike 15 miles in 5 hours or less:

• Warm up before you start hiking. A gentle walk for 5-10 minutes will do the trick.
• Start out at a moderate pace and increase your speed as you go.
• Keep breaks to a minimum and shorten them whenever possible.
• Focus on your breathing and try to keep your breathing steady.
• Pick a flat, well-marked trail to hike on.
• Wear comfortable shoes and clothing that won’t slow you down.

How Much Water Should You Bring For A 15-Mile Hike?

Keeping hydrated while hiking is essential, especially in hot weather. However, how much water do you need for a 15-mile hike exactly? An easy-to-follow guideline is one liter of water for every hour of hiking.

So if you plan on hiking 15 miles in 450 minutes, bring 7.5 liters of water.

If you want to learn more about how much water you should bring on all of your future hikes, check out our comprehensive guide on how much water to bring on a hike.

Naismith’s Rule For A 15-Mile Hike

If you want to get more in-depth with your hiking time, there’s a formula called Naismith’s Rule that can help you estimate how long it will take to hike a given distance.

At its most basic level, Naismith’s Rule states that it takes 30 minutes to hike 1 mile, plus an additional 30 minutes for every 1,000 feet of elevation gain.

So to hike 15 miles, here are some examples based on Naismith’s Rule:

• A 15-mile hike with 0 ft of elevation gain would take you 450 minutes, or seven and a half hours
• A 15-mile hike with 500 ft of elevation gain would take you 465 minutes
• A 15-mile hike with 1000 ft of elevation gain would take you 480 minutes
• A 15-mile hike with 2000 ft of elevation gain would take you 510 minutes, or eight and a half hours

Of course, this is just an estimate, and your actual hiking time may vary depending on factors such as the terrain, weather, and your fitness level.

But if you’re planning a hike and want to get a general idea of how long it will take, Naismith’s Rule is a good place to start. If you want to learn how to maximize your day hikes, check out our guide on how many miles you can hike in a day.