Official Trail Effort Ratings

Hiking & Walking Effort Ratings & Calorie Table

The official effort levels (MET values) for trail hiking, hill climbing, backpacking, and walking. Enter your weight to see real-time calorie burn across every hiking style.

2024 Compendium MET Codes 3.5–10.0 MET

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Code	Activity	Effort Rating (MET)	Includes Pack?	Burn Rate (cal/hr)	Total Calories	Hiking-Only Calories
17081	Walking / hiking, ambling, leisurely pace Gentle walking or ambling on natural flat pathways or gentle park paths without a pack.	3.8	Unloaded	--	--	--
17082	Hiking, normal trail pace (fields or hillsides) Standard day hike across meadows, woodland, dirt trails, and rolling countryside.	5.3	Unloaded	--	--	--
17080	Hiking, cross country Moderate to brisk trail hiking over mixed uneven terrain, tree roots, and dirt grades.	6.0	Unloaded	--	--	--
17035	Climbing hills, no load (6–10% grade, brisk) Sustained uphill ascent at moderate to brisk pace without carrying equipment.	7.0	Unloaded	--	--	--
17010	Backpacking, general expedition load Multi-day wilderness trekking carrying a full self-supported expedition pack (30–45 lbs).	7.0	Pack Included	--	--	--
17012	Hiking with daypack (5–10 kg / 11–22 lb) Mountain trail hiking carrying hydration, layers, food rations, and safety gear.	7.8	Pack Included	--	--	--
17036	Mountain climbing / steep ascent (11–20% grade) Challenging steep slope climbing without a heavy pack; demanding on heart and lungs.	8.8	Unloaded	--	--	--
17060	Loaded hill climbing (20+ lb pack, 5–20% grade) High-intensity mountain ascent carrying weighted pack over steep backcountry terrain.	10.0	Pack Included	--	--	--
17150	Walking, 3.0 mph (4.8 km/h), level firm ground Standard moderate walking pace on flat asphalt, sidewalk, or paved promenade.	3.5	Unloaded	--	--	--
17170	Walking, 3.5–4.0 mph (5.6–6.4 km/h), brisk pace Aerobic fitness walking on level ground with active arm swing.	4.8	Unloaded	--	--	--
17160	Walking on grass, uneven park lawn Walking on natural grass and turf, which takes slightly more effort than flat pavement.	4.8	Unloaded	--	--	--
17165	Walking in soft snow or loose dry sand Soft ground that shifts underfoot, making leg muscles work significantly harder.	5.8	Unloaded	--	--	--
17200	Nordic walking (with poles), flat ground Walking with trekking poles, actively using your arms, shoulders, and upper body.	5.2	Unloaded	--	--	--
17210	Nordic walking, uphill mountain grade Uphill climbing using trekking poles to help push with your arms, core, and shoulders.	8.0	Unloaded	--	--	--
17070	Rucking / military march with heavy pack Fast paced marching on roads or hard trails with standard military ruck load (35–45 lbs).	9.0	Pack Included	--	--	--

How Trail Effort Ratings (METs) Work

What Is an Effort Rating (MET)?

A MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) is a simple way to measure how hard your body is working compared to resting quietly on the couch.

In sports science, 1.0 MET is your baseline resting burn:

1.0 MET ≈ 1 calorie burned per kilogram of body weight per hour (resting)

This means an activity rated 7.0 (like backpacking with an overnight pack) burns roughly 7 times as many calories as sitting quietly.

Total Calories vs. Hiking-Only Calories

When looking at fitness trackers and outdoor apps, understanding the difference between Total and Hiking-Only calories helps you plan food properly:

Total Calories (Gross): Everything your body burned while on the trail, including baseline energy needed to stay alive.
Total Calories = MET × Body Weight (kg) × Hours
Hiking-Only Calories (Active): The extra calories burned purely from physical walking effort.
Hiking-Only = (MET - 1.0) × Body Weight (kg) × Hours

Watch Out: Don't Double-Count Backpack Weight

A common mistake in fitness apps is adding backpack weight on top of an activity that already assumes you are carrying a pack (such as code 17010 or 17012). That inflates your calorie count by 25% to 40%! When an activity already includes a backpack, use just your body weight, or use our dedicated Backpack Hiking Calorie Calculator.

Source: Ainsworth BE, et al. 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities.

Calculation Methods → Total vs. Active Guide →