How often do you stop and take a break?

[joeyt1291]

I've done a few section hikes on the AT in Virginia, Maryland and Pa. Every time I go I feel like it takes me almost an hour to walk a mile especially on the tougher sections. How long does it take you to walk a mile on average and how many times do you stop and take a break?
Also I'm relatively athletic just wondering if I'm a slow hiker haha

[mad4scrapping]

Everyone is different, of course, but I generally hike about 2 miles per hour. If I'm by myself, I will stop whenever I feel like it. I like to take my time and enjoy the journey. When I'm with a group, we usually stop once an hour.

[Demillo]

I hike with my step father. I move quicker 2-2 1/2 miles an hour usually, and he's usually moving about 1 3/4 miles an hour. I stop every hour and a half or two hours and wait for him. If it's REALLY hot/humid, I may stop more often.

[LoneRidgeRunner]

I've done a few section hikes on the AT in Virginia, Maryland and Pa. Every time I go I feel like it takes me almost an hour to walk a mile especially on the tougher sections. How long does it take you to walk a mile on average and how many times do you stop and take a break?
Also I'm relatively athletic just wondering if I'm a slow hiker haha

By other people's standards I guess we're both slow hikers but it seems to me that our rates are very similar. I will take a "standing" break whenever I get short of breath for 30 seconds to a few minutes or until my breathing returns closer to normal and I'm not panting with my tongue hanging out. I will usually take a "sit down and remove pack" break about every 3 hours or so. These breaks will last from 10 to 30 minutes depending on my level of fatigue, whether or not I eat, how much more distance I need to cover that day and how much day is left...etc... Unless I'm in an area that requires reservations at designated sites or shelters, such as in the GSMNP on designated nights where a schedule needs to be adhered too I usually don't push myself to maintain a set schedule and will go at my own pace and stop for the day whenever I decide I have went as far as I want on a given day..

[ChinMusic]

I've done a few section hikes on the AT in Virginia, Maryland and Pa. Every time I go I feel like it takes me almost an hour to walk a mile especially on the tougher sections. How long does it take you to walk a mile on average and how many times do you stop and take a break?
Also I'm relatively athletic just wondering if I'm a slow hiker haha
Averaging 1.5 mph (including breaks) is not uncommon. Averaging 1 mph on tough sections is not uncommon. I prefer to just go slow instead of pushing too hard and having to take a break. On steep climbs I just slow to a pace I can continue, VERY short, slow steps if necessary. I usu take extended breaks at interesting places a couple times during the day. In crappy weather I tend to get more miles in because breaks don't feel like a reward. Just listen to your body. Stop if you need too. If the dogs are barking, take those shoes/boots off and massage your feet or stick them in some cool stream.

As a section hiker, south of VA on the AT, I find 1.4 to 1.8 to be my net rate for a day. I'm sure I would pick things up as a thru.

[Namaste]

I generally hike about 2 to 2 1/2 miles per hour with a stop as needed. I don't like to break too much because I lose momentum. I do break for lunch and then move on to finish the day. I enjoy "smelling the roses" and don't care if I'm slower or faster than anyone else. Of course this differs depending on the terrain such as the flats of PA or the ups/downs of Maine. No matter what your pace just remember to enjoy your time out there and be safe.:)

[Lone Wolf]

3 mph. 5 or 6 breaks

[max patch]

2 mph on level ground is generally considered average.

[kanga]

it really depends on the day. sometimes i poke and poke and poke. then the next day i go up albert at 3mph. somedays, on my uphills, i stop every 100 yds. then sometimes i don't stop at all. i'm not a very predictable hiker.

[10-K]

I don't know how fast I walk since it' so variable but I pretty much always get between 20-30 miles in every day - probably average 24-25ish...

Really it's not how fast you hike it's how long you hike that makes the bigger difference. Hiking an extra 3-4 hours a day really adds up over a weeks time.

[Raul Perez]

Depends on my mood. If I'm really enjoying myself and being a lolly gagger... I'm looking at around 1.5 mph and I stop probably 2 long rests (1/2 hour to an hour each).

If I feel like pushing it to a specific area I take 1 short break and eat on the go averaging about 2.25 mph


These figures are based on my last outing over the weekend.

[Smile]

5 min break ( even just to stand still) every half hour makes the hiking easier, and more forgiving on the body.

[Invictus Maneo]

HI. I hike about 2.5 mph which really doesn't feel fast. Just my regular walking pace I guess. But I stop to snap photos, or investigate plant life along the Trail. I don't think it really matters how fast you're going, as long as you get there. I think you should hike at the speed you feel most comfortable- and take time to "smell the roses". You'll get there when you get there!

[sbhikes]

I go 2.5 miles per hour. If the trail is really steep, I put myself in low gear and just grind away at the hill until I'm done. I will only stop to get something out of my pack or to remove/add layers. I might stop for lunch if I'm being nice to myself, but often I eat on the hoof, keeping snacks in a pocket so I don't have to stop to get them out of my pack.

[booney_1]

Most people overestimate how fast they walk. I've done a lot of backpacking trips with Boy Scouts and Venture crews. For the older kids, 1.5 mph in the mountains is pretty typical.(this includes breaks). Most younger people tend to take long breaks. 5 minutes/hour is a pretty good break plan. It helps to be athletic, but being in running shape is not the same as backpacking shape. You definitely use different muscles. I run over 40 miles/week, including hills, but when I backpack, my legs are always sore for the first day or two. Mainly it's the hip flexors and thigh muscles. I think even walking uses different muscles than running. I can do a 10 mile run pretty easily, but during a 10 mile hike my legs definitely feel it.

[garlic08]

I can plan on 3 mph on decent tread between breaks, which I take about every two hours. I like to cover 5 to 6 miles between breaks. Daily average is closer to 2 mph for a 12 hour day.

[max patch]

Most people overestimate how fast they walk.


WB is like Lake Wobegon where all the residents are above average.

[WingedMonkey]

WB is like Lake Wobegon where all the residents are above average.

I never take breaks.
:D

[Joey C]

No schedule, stop when I feel the need. Listen your self. Drink when you need to, eat when you need to, rest when you need to. It's really that simple.

[Tenderheart]

I walk between 1 and 3 mph, depending on terrain. I almost never take breaks.

litefoot 2000

[Finnster]

I usually take breaks going uphill when My lungs feel like their gonna quit. Otherwise, on downhill or flat ground I keep going unless it's time to eat.

I average between 2.5 and 3 miles an hour downhill to flat surfaces but uphill is more like 1.5 to 2 depending on the grade.

[Joker4ink]

I am usually at the 2mph mark. Never less than 1.5 (in the Whites) and usually at 3mph on railroad grade. I dont really take too many breaks...which catches up to me because I dont stop to eat. I do stop at vistas and snap a couple pictures though.

[kayak karl]

i've seen many hikes ruined because of this. a hiker that can't keep up. the idiot in the front of the pack showing off.

hike your own hike. rest when you want to. walk when you feel like it and go home if its no fun anymore. this is why i hike alone.

[Finnguy]

I get up to see the sunrise, eat breakfast get out by 8. I usually do a 10-12 mile day by 1 or 2 and enjoy my evening at the campsite.

[Northern Lights]

I'm not the fastest hiker either, but I don't like to stop constantly. I can snack and hike, so I don't stop until lunch and then again for supper. I'll wait for people slower than me, but if others wish to blaze ahead. I'm not concerned.

[Erin]

Section hiker here: we usually break once every two hours, elevate our feet on pack or log, drink and eats snacks. This works for me. I have good boots, no blisters but my feet hurt and the break is great.

[Spirit Walker]

When I started backpacking, I followed the Colin Fletcher rule of walk 60 minutes, pack off break for ten minutes, then walk for another 60 minutes -- with longer breaks for lunch or snacks. It worked well for me. I learned not to stop when climbing (unless it was a very long climb like you get out west), I just drop into "Granny gear" and keep on moving.

At this point, if I'm carrying a pack I usually will stop every two hours or so. If I'm dayhiking, we'll stop for lunch, and that's it.

As to pace, I'm very consistent at 2 mph with a backpack - except on the PCT where I did 2.5 or more due to the easy grade and treadway. I'm generally slower on the downhill than the uphill, but it all averages out to 2 mph. The difference is whether that's 2 mph for the day including breaks or not including breaks. When I'm in good shape, in 10 hrs hiking, I'll go 20 miles, including lunch and snacks. If I'm not in shape, it will take 11 or more hours to do 20 miles, because I take long food breaks.

[Tinker]

I usually stop briefly to take pictures when the opportunity presents itself. At that time I will usually have a snack, a swig of water, then keep on walking. I'll stop for 1/2 hour or so to have lunch and whenever I need to refill my water bottles, but other than that I usually just keep on walking.

"I just walked. I was very happy". My old signature line from Bill Bryson's book A Walk in the Woods.
The dynamics change, sometimes drastically, when I hike with someone else. When I hike with my local buddy, Chatter, it seems like we stop every hour for 20 minutes while he changes clothes, has a snack, and rearranges his pack after making sure (for the 900th time) that he has everything he needs :rolleyes:).
But he is a nice guy. :)

[azb]

I don't think it really matters how fast you're going, as long as you get there. !

This.

However, if you're interested in a way to maximize your capability no matter what your condition, get yourself a cheap heart rate monitor. It doesn't have to be fancy, just something that shows your current heart rate and your Max and average for the day. You can Google training with heart rate for more info, but basically it's pretty simple. Everyone has an anaerobic threshold. All this means is that when you push yourself, your heart rate increases to keep the oxygen level in your blood up to meet the needs of your body. At some point, your circulatory system just can't keep up anymore, and your body goes into something called oxygen debt. This is the point where you start breathing hard and sweating more than normal. If you use a heart rate monitor, you can precisely see when this happens. For example, my threshold is 180 bpm. If I keep my heart rate at 176-178 bpm, I can walk at this speed for hours without having to stop for breaks. Keep in mind that everyone is different, and the number can change as you become more fit.

Another simpler way to tell is from your breathing. If you're with someone, you should be able to keep up a conversation with no difficulty. If you're alone, try singing. In either case, slow down if you start having trouble. You will make much better time and be more efficient if you slow down but keep moving steadily. Hiking faster and taking breaks will kill your average speed.

This is greatly simplified of course, so if you're interested in more info, just Google training with heart rate. There's a ton of info out there about how to train, or just how to learn to listen to your body to be your most efficient and increase your comfort level.

Az

[earlyriser26]

When I hike with a group we don't stop much, other than a quick lunch. When I hike alone I stop all the time. I want to enjoy the trail, not just rush and camp. I can do that at a KOA.

[OldFeet]

Normally l'll do 1.5 to 2 miles per hour and take a 10 minute break about every hour and a half. l'll also take a 30 to 45 minute break in the middle of the day that includes taking off my boots and relxing. I've found this really helps prevent injury after l overdid it on my first section hike where l ignored breaks because the hiking felt easy. It was for that day but not for the next four lol.

[Monkeywrench]

I've done a few section hikes on the AT in Virginia, Maryland and Pa. Every time I go I feel like it takes me almost an hour to walk a mile especially on the tougher sections. How long does it take you to walk a mile on average and how many times do you stop and take a break?
Also I'm relatively athletic just wondering if I'm a slow hiker haha

For most of my hiking life I stuck to the routine I first learned and stopped pretty much every hour for ten minutes or so.

Once I got my trail legs on my thru-hike I usually hiked from shelter to shelter, without a break.

Through Virginia and the mid-Atlantic, I could look at the mileage for the day and tell you within 15 minutes how long it would take me to hike, at a pace of 2.5mph, including breaks.

Once I hit New England my pace slowed to about 2mph, and through the Whites and the Mahoosucs, I found it nearly impossible to estimate as there are large sections of climbing, not hiking.

[Blissful]

I stop every two hours at least for a short break. If not I get complaints.
At first I go about 1 1/2 miles an hr. But on my SOBO with trail legs I had a stretch where I did 7 miles in 2 hrs., but on an old forest road

[Storm]

Lately it seems like my breaks have been longer than my hiking stretches. Barely making two miles an hour on flat ground. I know I would be hard pressed to do a mile an hour in the mountains.

[88BlueGT]

I think there are many factors that could play into this. What you have in your pack (15lb summer or 30lb winter). Who are you hiking with? (your friend whos 22yrs old or your 58yr old uncle), where you are hiking? flats of Virginia or huge inclines, etc.

With all that said, I would say I average about 2mph and stop once an hour or so for a few minutes. Thats usually a good pace for myself without getting too crazy. I tend to hike fast but I try and slow myself down so I can pick my head up and catch some scenery instead of hiking through w my head down. (I do most of my hiking in NJ & PA where there is TONS of rocks, if you don't keep your head down, you'll soon regret it).

[Chester Copperpot]

I have a ridiculously large gait, as I am a tall bloke-- which impares me from having any hiking company. So I stop for breaks whenever I please, but it all depends on the terrain.

[WalksInDark]

For me, it is more important to enjoy the journey...than to try to race to the camp.

Because I have short legs plus asthma, I go at whatever pace is comfortable; take breaks as needed; never less than 5 minutes on the half hour and ten minutes...or until I am fully rested on the hour.

Compared to the young "normals" I usually get where I am going about 20-30 minutes behind them.

[jesse]

Stop when I'm tired, go when I'm rested. Average about 1.5 mph for the day. I hike faster than some, slower than others.

[Rockhound]

I walk a steady 2 1/2 mph. with breaks included which are about 10 minutes every 90 minutes or so on average

[Dogwood]

I've done a few section hikes on the AT in Virginia, Maryland and Pa. Every time I go I feel like it takes me almost an hour to walk a mile especially on the tougher sections. How long does it take you to walk a mile on average and how many times do you stop and take a break?
Also I'm relatively athletic just wondering if I'm a slow hiker haha

GENERALLY, I hike about 2 1/2 MPH. This depends on a variety of factors some of which are: terrain, how much wt. I'm hauling, weather, physical and mental condition, what there is to see/experience, etc. I really don't get to worked up or overly concerned about how fast I or anyone else walks though. I would advise you NOT get TOO hung up on it either. If you are asking this question out of ego(pride) lose it and I promise you you will be a better hiker!!! There are those faster than you and those slower than you!!!

On my AT thru-hike coming out of Standing Bear in the Smokies I hiked 4 miles in 12 hrs because I was stopping to identify and draw every type of plant I didn't know! Had a GREAT day despite the low mileage!!!

As far as stops/breaks, I do it when I feel I want. NO set time schedule. Why go hungry or cruise past a nice view to stay on some pre-appointed schedule when it's VERY OFTEN really not necessary? Didn't you take up hiking to get out of that mind set? Break the habit!

It is good to know your hiking rate though because by knowing how long you have been hiking(by looking at your watch(timepiece)) and your rate you can begin to get a good idea how far you've gone and where you are! I'll often know, within a very narrow range, where I am, without looking at a map, if I know this data.