A five-mile trail can feel much harder than a two-mile one, and that is normal. Building endurance isn’t about pushing to exhaustion on day one.
Start with shorter routes and add distance slowly. Treat the days between hikes as part of the plan.
If you have a heart or lung condition or joint problems, talk with your healthcare provider about how much activity is right for you before you add distance.
Start small and add 5 to 15 minutes at a time
If you’re new to hiking or getting back into it, begin with an easy, flat route you finish feeling good. If you’ve been inactive, the HHS advice is to “start low and go slow.”
HHS says adding 5 to 15 minutes of walking per session, 2 to 3 times a week, carries a low risk of injury.
Older adults appear to need 2 to 4 weeks to adapt to each new level.
For example, hold a distance 2 to 4 weeks, then add 5 to 15 minutes to two or three walks. At a brisk 2.5 mph, 15 extra minutes is about 0.6 mile.
The National Park Service says not to overestimate your abilities and to pick an easier trail.
Repeat a distance until it feels easy, then add a little more.
When you’re ready to add miles, check your shoes first. The footwear selection guide covers fit, and beginner hiking tips cover weather checks, hydration and gear.
Add gentle cross-training and two strength days
Hiking uphill counts as vigorous activity, so your legs do real work on climbs. Cycling and swimming are low-impact, and the HHS guidelines list them among the activities with the lowest injury rates.
Step-ups on a low, sturdy step with a rail work your thighs and hips. Standing on one leg is a balance exercise, so keep a sturdy chair or counter within reach.
The HHS guidelines recommend muscle-strengthening on 2 or more days a week. One set of 8 to 12 repetitions of each exercise is effective.
Aim for two short strength sessions a week, starting with one.
The guide on preparing your body for hiking goes deeper on strength work. You can also read about the benefits of low-impact outdoor activity after 50.
Pace yourself with the talk test
At a moderate pace you can talk but not sing. If you can say only a few words without pausing for breath, slow down until you can speak more easily.
The pace and rest guide explains how to set your pace and space your stops.
Take rest days from long hikes, not from walking
What happens after you come down matters too. Easy walks on most days are fine.
- Schedule rest days. Put them between longer hikes
- Stretch gently. Stretch after your walk, gently, and stop before it hurts
- Sleep regularly. Keep a regular sleep routine
- Know when to stop. Stop if you feel dizzy, chest pain or pressure, or nausea, and call your doctor before the next walk
Take an extra rest day whenever your legs still feel heavy.
Change one thing at a time when you add terrain
Once your base distance feels easy, try a different surface now and then. A gravel path or a gentle hill uses your legs differently than pavement does.
Hills, rocks and mud make footing harder.
Change one thing per hike, either distance or terrain, never both.
The guide to preventing falls on the trail has more on keeping your footing.
Check your readiness before a bigger hike
Before a longer or harder hike, take an honest look at whether you’re ready.
- Compare distances: Your longest recent walk should be close to the length of the hike you want.
- Practice similar conditions: Try a shorter trail with similar terrain and weather first.
- Notice your recovery: If you’re still sore days later, stay at the current distance a little longer.
- Check the plan: Tell someone where you’re going and when you’ll be back.
Choose a trail you can finish comfortably, even if conditions turn out harder than expected.
Spread moderate activity through the week
Activity of any length counts, and HHS suggests spreading it through the week.
The 10,000-step target isn’t a rule you have to meet.
A JAMA Internal Medicine study of 16,741 women, average age 72, linked about 4,400 steps a day to lower mortality than about 2,700. The benefit leveled off near 7,500.
That study was observational and covered older women only, so it shows a link, not proof of cause.