How Long Does It Take to Walk 3.5 Miles?

Walking Time for 3.5 Miles at Different Paces

Three and a half miles is the distance where brisk walkers hit a satisfying milestone: exactly 1 hour at 3.5 mph. Here are the exact times at six pace levels, derived from the Compendium of Physical Activities and CDC walking pace guidelines.

The clean 1-hour mark at brisk pace is the defining feature of 3.5 miles. If you're a brisk walker looking for a walk that fills exactly 60 minutes, this is your distance.

At moderate pace, the 1:10 time sits in a slightly awkward zone — too long for a standard lunch break but short enough for a morning routine or evening outing.

How Long to Walk 3.5 Miles by Age

At 3.5 miles, comfortable walking speed by age creates a spread of about 30 minutes between the fastest and slowest groups. According to Bohannon & Andrews (2011):

Key takeaways:

• Under 1 hour 10 minutes: Men aged 20–59 and women aged 40–49 all finish under the 1:10 mark at their natural pace.
• The brisk-pace sweet spot: Anyone who naturally walks at 3.5 mph completes 3.5 miles in exactly 1 hour — a clean, memorable benchmark for planning.
• Senior timing: Adults aged 70–79 need 1 hour 14 to 1 hour 23 minutes. Over 80, it stretches to 1 hour 37 to 1 hour 40 minutes, potentially warranting a midpoint break.

5 Real-World Examples

1. The 1-Hour Brisk Walker

Alicia, 43, walks every Saturday morning with one goal: fill exactly 1 hour with purposeful movement. At a brisk 3.5 mph, she covers 3.5 miles in 60 minutes flat. She's mapped a loop from her house, through a park, along a creek trail, and back — precisely 3.5 miles.

According to Bohannon & Andrews (2011), women aged 40–49 walk at 3.11 mph naturally. Alicia's brisk pace reflects consistent training. At 150 lbs, her hour-long walk burns about 279 calories (150 × 0.53 × 3.5) and logs approximately 7,882 steps.

2. The Round-Trip Errand Walker

Derek, 37, walks to a hardware store 1.75 miles from his house to pick up supplies, then walks back — 3.5 miles total. At his natural 3.20 mph (Bohannon data, men aged 30–39), the round trip takes about 1 hour 5 minutes 38 seconds of walking time, plus 10 minutes in the store.

He carries purchases back in a backpack, which adds slight resistance but doesn't meaningfully slow his pace. At 195 lbs, the round trip burns approximately 362 calories (195 × 0.53 × 3.5) and replaces a car trip that would have taken 12 minutes round-trip — a 53-minute "cost" that pays off in exercise and gasoline savings.

3. The Podcast-Length Walk

Kira, 28, times her walks to podcast episodes. Her favorite shows run 65–70 minutes — almost exactly the duration of a 3.5-mile moderate walk at 3.0 mph (1 hour 10 minutes). She queues up an episode, walks until it ends, and turns around if she's doing an out-and-back.

At 135 lbs, Kira's walk burns about 250 calories (135 × 0.53 × 3.5). She walks three times per week, accumulating 10.5 miles, 750 calories, and 210 minutes of activity — exceeding the CDC's 150-minute weekly recommendation by 40%.

4. The Golf Course Walker

Martin, 65, walks his local 9-hole golf course twice a week instead of taking a cart. The course measures roughly 3.5 miles on foot (including walks between greens and tees). At his natural 3.0 mph (Bohannon data, men aged 60–69), the walking portion takes about 1 hour 10 minutes, though the full round takes 2+ hours with play.

At 185 lbs, Martin burns approximately 343 calories from walking alone (185 × 0.53 × 3.5) — more when carrying a lightweight bag. Walking speed has been called "the sixth vital sign" by Fritz & Lusardi (2009) in the Journal of Geriatric Physical Therapy, and Martin's ability to walk a full course signals strong physical health for his age.

5. The Urban Explorer

Priti, 51, walks from her home to a neighborhood she's never explored, wanders through it, and buses back — a 3.5-mile total route. At her natural 2.93 mph (Bohannon data, women aged 50–59), the walk takes about 1 hour 11 minutes 40 seconds. She does this in a different direction every weekend.

Over a month, she's explored 14 miles of her city on foot and burned roughly 742 calories per session at 200 lbs (200 × 0.53 × 3.5). The walks double as both exercise and city discovery — a strategy that keeps long walks interesting.

What Affects Your 3.5-Mile Walking Time?

At 3.5 miles, you're walking long enough for several factors to add 5–10 minutes to your estimated time.

Fatigue is minimal but present. Most walkers maintain pace through 3 miles without difficulty. The final half-mile of a 3.5-mile walk might bring a subtle 1–2% pace drop — adding about 30 seconds to your total.

Route interruptions accumulate. Two traffic crossings at 90 seconds each adds 3 minutes to a 70-minute walk. Three crossings pushes that to 4.5 minutes. For a 3.5-mile walk, a continuous park or trail route saves meaningful time.

Walking surface affects speed. The Compendium of Physical Activities rates flat pavement walking at MET 3.5, but walking on a 1–5% grade jumps to MET 5.3. A rolling 3.5-mile route might add 6–10 minutes over flat ground.

Carrying a load — a backpack with groceries, a toddler in a carrier, or a heavy handbag — reduces pace by 5–10% for most people. Over 3.5 miles, that translates to 4–7 extra minutes.

3.5 Miles in Steps and Calories

Steps

At a moderate 3.0 mph pace, 3.5 miles equals approximately 7,882 steps, based on the ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal (2008) figure of ~2,252 steps per mile. By height:

At 7,000–9,000 steps, a 3.5-mile walk gets most people close to or past the 8,000-step daily threshold that a CDC-cited study linked to 51% lower all-cause mortality. Combined with normal daily activity, a 3.5-mile walk almost guarantees hitting 10,000 steps.

Calories Burned

Using the Compendium formula (body weight in lbs × 0.53 per mile × 3.5 miles):

The CDC benchmark of 280 calories per hour for a 154-lb person at moderate pace translates to about 327 calories over the 1:10 it takes to walk 3.5 miles. At brisk pace, the 1-hour walk burns a similar total due to the higher per-minute MET value (4.3 vs. 3.5).

Tips for Walking 3.5 Miles

Three and a half miles is an underrated distance — it doesn't get the attention that 3 or 5 miles does, but it has a practical advantage: exactly 1 hour at brisk pace.

If you're a brisk walker, claim it as your benchmark. "I walk an hour every morning" sounds better and is easier to remember than "I walk 51 minutes." At 3.5 mph, an hour walk = 3.5 miles — a clean, repeatable routine.

Use it to bridge 3 to 4 miles. If you're building distance and 3 miles feels easy but 4 miles feels daunting, 3.5 is the natural stepping stone. Spend 2 weeks at 3.5 before jumping to 4.

Plan the route to end near food. A 70-minute walk at moderate pace is long enough to build genuine hunger. Plan your loop to end near your kitchen or a café for a satisfying post-walk meal.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to walk 3.5 miles on a treadmill?

At 3.0 mph, a treadmill walk of 3.5 miles takes 1 hour 10 minutes. At 3.5 mph, exactly 1 hour; at 4.0 mph, 52 minutes 30 seconds.

A 3.5 mph treadmill session for exactly 1 hour is one of the most practical treadmill workouts — a clean time, a meaningful distance, and no math required to track your progress.

Is walking 3.5 miles a day good exercise?

Walking 3.5 miles daily at moderate pace provides 490 minutes of activity per week — over 3× the CDC's recommended 150 minutes (CDC Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2018). Each walk contributes about 7,882 steps, which when combined with baseline movement puts most people above the 8,000-step threshold linked to 51% lower mortality risk.

At brisk pace, the same distance takes just 1 hour per day. Seven hours of brisk walking per week represents an exceptional fitness routine.

How many steps is 3.5 miles?

Three and a half miles equals approximately 7,882 steps at a moderate 3.0 mph pace, based on ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal (2008) data. At a brisk 4.0 mph, the count drops to about 6,773 steps (1,935 per mile).

By height, 3.5 miles ranges from about 6,948 steps (6'4") to 8,799 steps (5'0"). Combined with normal daily movement, a 3.5-mile walk practically guarantees hitting 10,000 daily steps.

How long would it take a senior to walk 3.5 miles?

For adults aged 60–69, Bohannon & Andrews (2011) data shows 3.5-mile times of 1 hour 10 minutes (men) and about 1 hour 16 minutes (women). For adults aged 70–79, expect approximately 1 hour 14 minutes (men) and 1 hour 23 minutes (women).

Adults over 80 typically need 1 hour 37 to 1 hour 40 minutes. This is still manageable as a single continuous walk for most active seniors, though a 5-minute midpoint break helps maintain comfort.

How does walking 3.5 miles compare to running it?

A recreational runner at a 10:00 min/mile pace covers 3.5 miles in 35 minutes — half the time of a moderate walker. A beginner runner at 12:00 min/mile finishes in 42 minutes.

Walking 3.5 miles burns about 279 calories for a 150-lb person (body weight × 0.53 × 3.5), while running burns about 394 calories (body weight × 0.75 × 3.5). The calorie gap is real, but walking 3.5 miles is something almost anyone can do today without training.

Related Pages

• How Long to Walk 3 Miles — half a mile shorter
• How Long to Walk 4 Miles — half a mile longer
• How Long to Walk 5 Miles — the next major milestone
• How Far Can I Walk in 1 Hour? — 3.5 miles at brisk pace
• How Long to Run 3 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.
6. Fritz, S. & Lusardi, M. (2009). "White paper: Walking speed — the sixth vital sign." Journal of Geriatric Physical Therapy, 32(2), 2–5.