How Long Does It Take to Walk 2 Miles?

Walking Time for 2 Miles at Different Paces

Two miles sits in a sweet spot — long enough to be a meaningful workout, short enough to fit into a lunch break or morning routine. Here are the exact times at six standard pace levels, derived from the Compendium of Physical Activities and CDC walking pace guidelines.

Notice the psychological tipping point: at a brisk pace, 2 miles takes just over half an hour, but at a leisurely pace, it becomes a full hour. The CDC defines moderate-intensity walking as 2.5–4.0 mph, and at any speed within that range, 2 miles takes between 30 and 48 minutes.

Two miles is also the distance many public health advocates call the "sweet spot" for daily walking — far enough to produce real cardiovascular benefit, close enough to home that you don't need to drive somewhere to do it.

How Long to Walk 2 Miles by Age

Your comfortable walking speed changes with age, which shifts your 2-mile time. According to Bohannon & Andrews (2011), published in Physiotherapy and covering 23,111 participants:

Key takeaways:

• Fastest group: Men aged 30–59 walk 2 miles in about 37 minutes and 30 seconds at their comfortable pace of 1.43 m/s (3.20 mph).
• Women's peak: Women aged 40–49 complete 2 miles in about 38 minutes 35 seconds at their peak speed of 1.39 m/s (3.11 mph).
• Senior range: Even adults over 80 can complete 2 miles in under an hour at their natural comfortable pace. For adults 60–79, the walk falls comfortably in the 40–47 minute range.
• The total age-related time spread for 2 miles is about 20 minutes — from 37:30 for peak-speed men to 57:08 for women over 80.

5 Real-World Examples

1. The Before-Work Routine

Daniel, 36, wakes at 6:15 AM and walks a 2-mile loop through his neighborhood before showering and heading to work. At a brisk 3.5 mph pace, his loop takes 34 minutes and 17 seconds. He's back by 6:50, showered by 7:10, and out the door by 7:30.

At 180 lbs, Daniel burns approximately 100 calories per mile (body weight × 0.53), or 200 calories for the full 2 miles. Over five workday mornings, that's 10 miles and 1,000 calories before most people have left bed.

2. The Walkable Errand Loop

Tanya, 44, maps a Saturday errand route on foot: apartment → dry cleaner (0.6 mi) → farmers market (0.5 mi) → coffee shop (0.4 mi) → home (0.5 mi) — roughly 2 miles total. At a moderate 3.0 mph pace between stops, with about 15 minutes spent at the dry cleaner and market, her full outing takes just over an hour.

The walking portion alone is 40 minutes, during which she burns approximately 85 calories at 160 lbs (160 × 0.53 × 2 miles) and logs about 4,504 steps (2,252 × 2). She replaces a car trip, gets exercise, and runs her errands — all in one outing.

3. The Couple's Evening Walk

Diane (64) and Michael (66) walk together every evening after dinner. Diane's natural pace is 2.77 mph (Bohannon data for women aged 60–69) and Michael's is 3.00 mph (men aged 60–69). They walk at Diane's pace, covering 2 miles in about 43 minutes and 19 seconds.

Over seven evenings, their routine adds up to 14 miles, roughly 31,528 steps, and over 5 hours of moderate-intensity activity per week. That far exceeds the CDC's recommended 150 minutes — all from a daily walk that feels more like a conversation than exercise.

4. The Treadmill Desk Walker

Nadia, 39, uses a walking pad under her standing desk and walks at a slow 2.0 mph while answering emails. At this pace, she covers 2 miles in exactly 1 hour. She does this three mornings per week without breaking a sweat or losing focus.

At 140 lbs, each session burns about 148 calories (74 cal/mile × 2 miles). Three sessions per week add up to 6 miles, 180 minutes of walking, and 444 calories — exceeding the CDC's weekly activity guideline entirely during work hours.

5. The Recovery Walk

Chris, 48, is a recreational runner recovering from a mild knee strain. His physical therapist recommends walking 2 miles daily at an easy 2.5 mph instead of running. The walk takes 48 minutes — longer than his usual 20-minute run for the same distance, but the lower impact gives his knee time to heal.

At 200 lbs, Chris burns approximately 212 calories per walk (106 cal/mile × 2). The Compendium of Physical Activities rates walking at 2.5 mph at a MET of 3.0, compared to roughly 8.0–10.0 for running — confirming the dramatically lower joint stress.

What Affects Your 2-Mile Walking Time?

Two miles is long enough for several factors to influence your time, but short enough that none of them are deal-breakers.

Age shifts your 2-mile time by a predictable amount. Bohannon & Andrews (2011) documented that comfortable speed declines by approximately 1.2 minutes per kilometer after age 60 versus age 20 — which adds roughly 4 extra minutes to a 2-mile walk for a 65-year-old compared to a 35-year-old.

Route selection matters more than many people realize. A 2-mile walk with four traffic light crossings can easily add 3–5 minutes of standing time. Choosing a park, greenway, or residential loop with fewer intersections keeps your pace more consistent.

Walking with a partner typically reduces your speed to the slower walker's pace. Bohannon data shows up to a 0.30 mph gap between men and women in the same age bracket, which adds 2–3 minutes to a 2-mile walk.

Elevation has a moderate effect at this distance. The Compendium of Physical Activities assigns a MET of 5.3 for walking on a 1–5% grade versus 3.5 on flat ground. A hilly 2-mile route might take 5–8 minutes longer than a flat one.

2 Miles in Steps and Calories

Steps

At a moderate 3.0 mph pace, 2 miles equals approximately 4,504 steps, based on the ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal (2008) figure of ~2,252 steps per mile. By height:

The average American walks 3,000–4,000 steps per day (CDC data). A dedicated 2-mile walk adds 4,000–5,000 steps, effectively doubling a sedentary person's daily count.

For context, 10,000 steps equals roughly 4–5 miles (ACSM data). A 2-mile walk gets you nearly halfway to that popular target in a single session.

Calories Burned

Using the Compendium of Physical Activities formula (body weight in lbs × 0.53 per mile × 2 miles):

These figures use a MET of 3.5 for moderate walking on flat ground. At a brisk 3.5 mph (MET 4.3), calorie burn increases by roughly 20% per minute — but since you cover the same distance faster, the total per-walk difference is smaller than you'd expect.

The CDC benchmark of 280 calories per hour for a 154-lb person at moderate pace translates to about 187 calories over a 40-minute, 2-mile walk.

Tips for Walking 2 Miles

Two miles is the distance that converts occasional walkers into daily walkers. It's long enough to feel like you've accomplished something, short enough to never feel like a burden.

Time it once, then forget the clock. Walk your regular 2-mile route once with a timer. Once you know it takes 35–40 minutes, you can plan around it without constantly checking your watch.

Make it non-negotiable. The CDC recommends 150 minutes of moderate activity per week. A daily 2-mile walk at moderate pace provides 280 minutes — nearly double the minimum. Even walking 2 miles just five days a week gives you 200 minutes, comfortably exceeding the target.

Find a 2-mile loop from your door. The biggest barrier to consistent walking isn't fitness or time — it's the hassle of driving to a walking location. Map a loop that starts and ends at your front door, and you've eliminated every logistical excuse.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to walk 2 miles on a treadmill?

At 3.0 mph, a treadmill walk of 2 miles takes exactly 40 minutes. At 3.5 mph, it drops to 34 minutes 17 seconds; at 4.0 mph, exactly 30 minutes.

Treadmill walking offers more consistent pacing than outdoor walks because there are no stops or terrain changes. For a 2-mile session, setting the incline to 1% approximates outdoor energy expenditure without significantly affecting your time.

Is walking 2 miles a day good exercise?

Walking 2 miles daily is excellent exercise that exceeds public health minimums. At a moderate 3.0 mph pace, the walk takes 40 minutes per day, totaling 280 minutes per week — nearly double the CDC's recommended 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity (CDC Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2018).

In terms of steps, 2 miles per day adds roughly 4,504 steps to your count. Combined with baseline daily movement, most people easily surpass the 8,000-step threshold that a CDC-cited study linked to 51% lower all-cause mortality.

How many steps is 2 miles?

Two miles equals approximately 4,504 steps at a moderate 3.0 mph pace, based on ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal (2008) data of ~2,252 steps per mile. At a brisk 4.0 mph, the count drops to about 3,870 steps (1,935 per mile) because your stride lengthens at faster speeds.

By height, 2 miles ranges from about 3,970 steps (6'4") to 5,028 steps (5'0"). The general rule is 4,000–5,000 steps for 2 miles of walking.

How long would it take a senior to walk 2 miles?

For adults aged 60–69, Bohannon & Andrews (2011) found comfortable speeds of 3.00 mph (men) and 2.77 mph (women), putting the 2-mile time at 40 minutes for men and about 43 minutes 19 seconds for women. For adults aged 70–79, it's approximately 42 minutes 33 seconds (men) and 47 minutes 25 seconds (women).

Adults over 80 typically complete 2 miles in 55–57 minutes at their comfortable pace. Two miles is a very achievable daily distance for most older adults and requires no rest stops at a comfortable pace.

How does walking 2 miles compare to running it?

A recreational runner at a 10:00 min/mile pace covers 2 miles in 20 minutes — half the time of a moderate walker. A beginner runner at 12:00 min/mile finishes in 24 minutes.

The calorie comparison: walking 2 miles burns about 159 calories for a 150-lb person (body weight × 0.53 × 2), while running burns about 225 calories (body weight × 0.75 × 2). Running is faster and burns more per mile, but a 2-mile walk can be done daily with virtually zero injury risk or recovery time.

Related Pages

• How Long to Walk 1.5 Miles — slightly shorter distance
• How Long to Walk 2.5 Miles — slightly longer distance
• How Long to Walk 3 Miles — the next common milestone
• How Far Can I Walk in 30 Minutes? — you'll cover about 1.5 miles in this time
• How Far Can I Walk in 45 Minutes? — roughly 2 miles at easy pace
• How Long to Run 2 Miles — running comparison
• 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. Bohannon, R.W. (1997). "Comfortable and maximum walking speed of adults aged 20–79 years." Age and Ageing, 26(1), 15–19. Oxford Academic
3. CDC Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition (2018). health.gov
4. Compendium of Physical Activities — MET values. compendiumofphysicalactivities.com
5. ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal (2008). Step counts per mile at various speeds.