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How the hiking time estimate works
- Distance: 1 hour per 5 km (about 3.1 miles).
- Ascent: plus 1 hour per 600 m of climbing (about 1,970 feet).
- Descent (optional): a correction based on Langmuir's refinement of Naismith. Gentle descents subtract 10 minutes per 300 m; steep descents add 10 minutes per 300 m.
- Pace: the result is multiplied by the pace factor you pick.
- Breaks: the minutes you enter are added for each hour of moving time.
A worked example of Naismith's rule
Take a 14 km circular walk with 800 m of ascent. Plain Naismith gives 2 h 48 min for the distance and 1 h 20 min for the climbing, so 4 h 08 min of moving time. A relaxed pace factor of 1.2 makes that about 4 h 58 min, and ten minutes of breaks per hour brings the total to roughly 5 h 47 min. Leave at 08:30 and you'd expect to finish a little after 14:15, with a comfortable buffer before dark on most days of the year.
Using hiking time to set a turnaround time
On an out-and-back route, look at the total time and the latest finish you're happy with (well before dark, or before the last bus). Your turnaround time is that latest finish minus the time you need to walk back. As a rough rule, take half the total time and then turn a bit earlier, because people slow down on the way back when they're tired.
On a circular route, pick a checkpoint around halfway and a time you must reach it by. If you're late there, take your escape route or retrace your steps. How to plan a day hike covers escape routes and the rest of the plan.
Limits of any hiking time formula
- Naismith assumes reasonable fitness and paths. Scree, bog, boulder fields and scrambling can be much slower than any setting here.
- Groups move at the pace of the slowest member, and larger groups stop more.
- Heat, altitude and late-day fatigue all slow walkers down.
Compare your real times with the estimate on a few walks. After three or four hikes you'll know your own pace factor and the calculator becomes much more useful. For trips of several days, run it once per day with a slower pace for the heavier pack, as the multi-day trip guide suggests.
Hiking time calculator FAQ
Is Naismith's rule accurate?
It's a reasonable starting point for a fit walker on decent paths with a light pack. It doesn't count stops and can be well off on rough or pathless ground, which is why the calculator adds a pace factor and breaks.
What is Naismith's rule in miles and feet?
Allow about 3 miles per hour plus 1 hour for every 2,000 feet of ascent. It gives results very close to the metric version.
Does Naismith's rule include breaks?
No. It gives moving time only. Ten minutes per hour is a realistic average for stops, plus a longer lunch.