Thru Hike Calculator

Try my quick and fun Thru Hike Calculator! I know what it's like to anticipate a backpacking trip - the fun of figuring out the logistics and contingencies. While you could manually calculate and factor in various variables, this calculator aims to simplify all that. Hope you like it!

Popular Trail

Start Date

This date is invalid

Total Miles

Select a trail above or enter your own custom mileage here.

Average Daily Miles

Enter your expected average daily miles. Do not include days off in this average.

Starting Daily Miles

You will typically build stronger legs after 2+ weeks. Enter the number of daily miles you expect when starting your journey.

Days to Ramp Up

Enter the number of days you expect to get your full leg strength. Usually 14 to 21 days

The ramp up miles is great than the total miles. (Calculated by Ramp Up Days x Starting Daily Miles).

Days Between Zero Days

A 'Zero Day' is a day you hike zero miles. Enter the number of days you plan to hike between zero days.

Likelihood of Injury

Nobody plans for injury, but the likelihood of injury can depend on your physical condition and how hard you push your body.

Results

End Date: {{endDate?.toLocaleDateString()}}

The end date includes days of hiking + zero days + injury days.

Total Days: {{totalDays}}

The total days includes days of hiking + zero days + injury days.

Zero Days: {{zeroDays}}

Zero days are days you choose not to hike - usually to rest, get cleaned up or take care of something.

Injury Days: {{injuryDays}}

Estimated number of days you will need to take care of a medical issue or minor injury.

It can be difficult to accurately know how many days a long journey can take you. Many things can surprise you, such as your pace, unexpected injuries, your appetite for 'zero days' in towns, and more. This calculator seeks to take reasonable assumptions to provide an estimated number of days and provide an end date. You can quickly change the numbers to see how that affects your end date. With this information you can set a start date and ensure you are in the appropriate shape to start your epic journey! Best wishes!