30 minutes of
hiking
221 kcal 30 minutes of hiking burns approximately 221 calories for a 70 kg adult, based on a MET value of 6. Heavier bodies burn proportionally more: 284 kcal at 90 kg, 347 kcal at 110 kg.
SOURCE·2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities·REVIEWED JUL 2026
MET 6 × 3.5 × 70 kg ÷ 200 = 7.35 kcal/min × 30 min = 221 kcal
Source—2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities—code 17080—ACSM energy equation—retrieved 2026-07
How this is worked out
- Take the MET value for hiking from the 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities: MET 6.
- Convert MET to a rate using the ACSM relationship: multiply by 3.5, then by body mass in kilograms, then divide by 200. That gives kilocalories per minute.
- Multiply the rate by the number of minutes actually spent.
- Round to whole kilocalories. Nothing else is applied — no age factor, no sex factor, no proprietary adjustment, because the underlying data does not support one.
kcal/min = MET × 3.5 × mass(kg) ÷ 200 kcal = kcal/min × minutes 6 × 3.5 × 70 ÷ 200 = 7.35 kcal/min 7.35 × 30 min = 221 kcal
30 minutes of hiking, by body weight
| Body weight | 30 minutes | Per minute |
|---|---|---|
| 50 kg (110 lb) | 158 | 5.3 |
| 60 kg (132 lb) | 189 | 6.3 |
| 70 kg (154 lb) | 221 | 7.4 |
| 80 kg (176 lb) | 252 | 8.4 |
| 90 kg (198 lb) | 284 | 9.5 |
| 100 kg (220 lb) | 315 | 10.5 |
| 110 kg (243 lb) | 347 | 11.6 |
| 120 kg (265 lb) | 378 | 12.6 |
SOURCE·2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities·REVIEWED JUL 2026
Questions
How many calories does 30 minutes of hiking burn?
About 221 kcal for a 70 kg adult at MET 6. At 60 kg it is 189 kcal and at 100 kg it is 315 kcal.
Is 30 minutes of hiking a good workout?
At MET 6 this is vigorous activity. Adults are advised to accumulate 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous activity a week, so 30 minutes is 40% of a week's target at that intensity.
A number this clean is a model. It does not know your gradient, your gear, the wind, or how hard you were actually trying.
MET from the 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities. General information only — not medical, fitness or nutrition advice. Calorie figures are population estimates and vary between individuals.
