How Long Does It Take to Walk 100 Miles?

Total Walking Time for 100 Miles at Different Paces

These are pure walking hours — the time your feet are actually moving. Your total trip duration will be much longer when you account for sleeping, eating, resting, and navigating.

The critical distinction with 100 miles: pace per mile matters less than daily mileage strategy. Whether you walk at 2.5 or 3.5 mph, the trip still takes multiple days. The real question is how many miles you cover each day.

Daily Mileage Plans for 100 Miles

How many days your 100-mile walk takes depends on your daily mileage target. Here are four realistic plans, from conservative to aggressive.

Plan A: 7 Days (Conservative — 14-15 miles/day)

Best for: First-timers, older walkers, those prioritizing enjoyment over speed. Walking 14–15 miles per day is manageable for anyone who can comfortably walk 10 miles.

Plan B: 5 Days (Standard — 20 miles/day)

Best for: Fit walkers with endurance experience. Twenty miles per day requires 6–7 hours of walking plus 1–2 hours of breaks — an 8–9 hour daily commitment.

Plan C: 4 Days (Aggressive — 25 miles/day)

Best for: Experienced long-distance walkers with trained feet and proven nutrition strategy. Twenty-five miles daily means 8+ hours of walking — leaving limited time for sleep, eating, and recovery.

Plan D: 3 Days (Ultra — 33+ miles/day)

This is the domain of ultra-endurance athletes. Walking 33 miles per day requires 11+ hours of movement and leaves barely 5–6 hours for sleep, meals, and foot care. Only attempt this with extensive multi-day walking experience.

5 Real-World Examples

1. The Charity 100-Miler

Kate, 41, walks 100 miles over 5 days to raise money for a children's hospital, following a supported route between two cities. She averages 20 miles per day at a moderate 3.0 mph, walking about 6 hours 40 minutes daily. A support vehicle carries her gear and meets her every 5 miles with water and snacks.

At 155 lbs, Kate burns approximately 8,215 calories from walking alone over 5 days (155 × 0.53 × 100). She loses 3 toenails and develops blisters on days 3 and 4 despite careful foot preparation — a common reality of 100-mile walks.

2. The Pilgrimage Walker

Eduardo, 56, walks the final 100 miles of the Camino de Santiago in Spain. He takes 6 days, averaging 16.7 miles per day at an easy 2.5 mph — about 6 hours 40 minutes of walking daily. The route includes moderate hills, hostels every 10–15 miles, and communal meals.

At 180 lbs, Eduardo burns roughly 9,540 calories over 6 days (180 × 0.53 × 100). The pilgrimage format — with established infrastructure, other walkers, and centuries of tradition — makes 100 miles feel more achievable than a solo effort.

3. The Veterans' March

A group of former military service members walks 100 miles in 4 days to raise PTSD awareness. They average 25 miles per day at a brisk 3.5 mph — about 7 hours 9 minutes of walking daily. The group walks in formation with planned rest stops every 5 miles and a medical support team.

Military-style 100-mile marches have a long history. The pace is sustainable for conditioned walkers, but the 4-day timeline means virtually no margin for foot problems or weather delays.

4. The Cross-Country Challenge

Diana, 33, walks 100 miles across the English countryside over 7 days — part of a tradition of long-distance footpath walking in the UK. She averages 14.3 miles per day at a moderate 3.0 mph, walking about 4 hours 46 minutes daily. The slower pace allows time for sightseeing, pub lunches, and countryside photography.

At 140 lbs, Diana burns approximately 7,420 calories (140 × 0.53 × 100). The 7-day format transforms the walk from a physical challenge into a vacation — she describes it as "the best week of the year."

5. The Ultra-Distance Record Attempt

Carlos, 29, attempts to walk 100 miles in under 24 hours — an extreme ultra-endurance challenge. He walks at 4.5 mph for the first 50 miles (11 hours 7 minutes), then slows to 3.5 mph as fatigue sets in for the final 50 miles (14 hours 17 minutes). His total time: approximately 25 hours 24 minutes with minimal breaks.

This is the far edge of human walking performance. The world record for walking 100 miles is held by competitive race walkers who complete the distance in under 20 hours.

What Affects Your 100-Mile Walking Time?

At 100 miles, the variable that matters most isn't pace — it's sustainability. Every system in your body is tested.

Cumulative foot damage is the #1 attrition factor. Blisters, hot spots, and toenail problems compound daily. Experienced 100-mile walkers rotate between two pairs of shoes, change socks 2–3 times per day, and treat blisters immediately rather than ignoring them.

Daily recovery determines next-day performance. The difference between walking 100 miles in 5 days versus failing on day 3 often comes down to sleep quality, stretching, and nutrition between walking days. Plan 8+ hours of sleep per night.

Nutrition becomes a mathematical problem. At moderate pace, you burn roughly 800–1,500 calories per walking day (depending on body weight and daily mileage). Over 5 days, that's 4,000–7,500 calories of pure walking expenditure. You need to replace these calories plus your normal daily needs — requiring deliberate high-calorie eating.

Terrain and weather shift daily. A 5–7 day walk may encounter rain, heat, wind, hills, and flat stretches in unpredictable combinations. Packing layers, rain gear, and sun protection is essential.

Mental endurance is the final challenge. Days 3 and 4 are the hardest mentally — you're too tired for novelty but too far from the finish for excitement. Having a walking partner, daily milestones, or a meaningful purpose (charity, pilgrimage) sustains motivation.

100 Miles in Steps and Calories

Steps

At moderate pace, 100 miles equals approximately 225,200 steps (~2,252 per mile). That's roughly 22.5 days' worth of the 10,000-step target, compressed into less than a week.

Calories Burned

These are flat-terrain estimates. On hilly routes, add 30–50%. A 180-lb person walking 100 hilly miles might burn 12,000–14,000 calories — the equivalent of 4–5 days of normal food intake.

Tips for Walking 100 Miles

One hundred miles is not a walk — it's a project. Treat it with months of planning.

Train for 12–16 weeks minimum. Build your weekly long walk to at least 20 miles before attempting 100. Include back-to-back long walk days (e.g., 15 miles Saturday, 10 miles Sunday) to simulate multi-day fatigue.

Invest in foot care above all else. Buy two pairs of well-fitted shoes and alternate them. Test socks, blister prevention products, and toenail trimming strategies during training. Your feet are the limiting factor.

Plan logistics in advance. Where will you sleep each night? How will you carry or access water and food? Will you have a support crew, stay in hotels, or camp? Logistical failure ends more 100-mile walks than physical failure.

Start with a supported event. Your first 100-mile walk should be an organized event or a well-established route (like the Camino de Santiago) with infrastructure. Solo, unsupported 100-mile walks require extensive outdoor and navigation experience.

Respect rest days. If your body screams on day 3, taking a half-day rest is better than pushing through an injury that ends your walk entirely. Build buffer days into your plan.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many days does it take to walk 100 miles?

Most people walk 100 miles in 4 to 7 days, covering 14–25 miles per day depending on fitness and experience. A conservative 7-day plan at 14 miles/day is accessible to anyone who can walk 10 miles comfortably. An aggressive 4-day plan at 25 miles/day requires serious endurance training.

Ultra-endurance athletes can walk 100 miles in 24–30 hours with minimal stops, but this is an extreme feat.

Can anyone walk 100 miles?

Most healthy adults under 70 can walk 100 miles with proper training and a reasonable timeline (5–7 days). The key requirements are gradual training over 12–16 weeks, proper footwear, adequate nutrition, and a practical daily mileage plan.

The distance is not the primary challenge — sustainability is. Walking 20 miles on day 1 is achievable for many people. Walking 20 miles on day 4, with accumulated fatigue and blisters, requires training and mental toughness.

How many calories do you burn walking 100 miles?

Walking 100 miles burns approximately 7,950 calories for a 150-lb person and 10,600 calories for a 200-lb person (Compendium formula). On hilly terrain, add 30–50%.

This massive calorie expenditure requires aggressive nutritional planning. Over a 5-day walk, you need to consume an additional 1,500–2,100 calories per day above your normal diet just to replace walking energy.

What are famous 100-mile walking routes?

Some of the world's most celebrated long-distance walks cover approximately 100 miles: the final stage of the Camino de Santiago (Spain), the South Downs Way (England, 100 miles), the Cotswold Way (England, 102 miles), and various 100-mile ultra-walking events across the US and Europe. These established routes offer infrastructure, waymarking, and accommodation that make 100 miles approachable for prepared walkers.

Related Pages

• How Long to Walk 26 Miles — marathon distance
• How Long to Walk 15 Miles — full-day walk
• How Long to Walk 10 Miles — half-day walk
• How Long to Run 100 Miles — ultramarathon comparison
• How Far Can I Walk in a Day? — daily distance limits
• Walking Time Calculator — calculate any distance

Sources Cited

1. Bohannon, R.W. & Andrews, A.W. (2011). "Normal walking speed: a descriptive meta-analysis." Physiotherapy, 97(3), 182–189. PubMed: 21820535
2. Compendium of Physical Activities — MET values. compendiumofphysicalactivities.com
3. ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal (2008). Step counts per mile at various speeds.
4. CDC Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition (2018). health.gov