How Long Does It Take to Walk 4 Miles?

Walking Time for 4 Miles at Different Paces

Four miles is the distance where walking starts to feel like a genuine workout — your legs notice the effort, you've been moving for over an hour, and the calorie burn is substantial. Here are the exact times at six pace levels.

Two clean landmarks stand out in this table. At fast pace (4.0 mph), 4 miles takes exactly 1 hour. At leisurely pace (2.0 mph), it takes exactly 2 hours.

At moderate pace, the 1:20 duration feels substantial — you're past the point of a "quick walk" and into real exercise territory. The CDC defines moderate-intensity walking as 2.5–4.0 mph, and at any pace in that range, 4 miles takes 1 to 1 hour 36 minutes.

How Long to Walk 4 Miles by Age

Four miles creates enough distance for age-related speed differences to matter in your planning. According to Bohannon & Andrews (2011):

Key takeaways:

• Under 1 hour 20 minutes: Men aged 20–59 and women aged 40–49 all finish in under 1:20 at their natural pace. Peak-speed men complete 4 miles in 1:15 flat.
• The 1.5-hour line: Women over 70 and adults over 80 approach or exceed 1 hour 30 minutes, shifting the walk from "extended exercise" to a commitment that needs scheduling.
• Practical insight: For the 20–69 age range, 4 miles takes between 1:15 and 1:27 — a difference of only 12 minutes across five decades of aging.

5 Real-World Examples

1. The Power Walker's Hour

Tomas, 45, walks 4 miles at a fast 4.0 mph every weekday morning — finishing in exactly 1 hour. At this pace, the Compendium of Physical Activities assigns a MET value of 5.0, which places his effort squarely in "vigorous-light" exercise territory. Bohannon data for men aged 40–49 shows a natural comfortable speed of 3.20 mph — Tomas pushes well beyond that.

At 175 lbs, he burns approximately 371 calories per walk (175 × 0.53 × 4). Five sessions per week: 20 miles, 1,855 calories, and 5 hours of vigorous walking.

2. The Weekend Couple's Walk

Jenny (39) and Mark (42) walk a 4-mile loop around a local reservoir every Sunday. They walk at Jenny's pace of about 3.0 mph (Bohannon data, women aged 30–39), completing the loop in 1 hour 20 minutes. Mark's natural pace is 3.20 mph (men aged 40–49), so he adjusts slightly to match.

At 165 lbs, Jenny burns about 350 calories (165 × 0.53 × 4), while Mark at 185 lbs burns about 392 calories. Their weekly ritual provides roughly 80 minutes of moderate activity each — over half the CDC's 150-minute weekly target in a single outing.

3. The Midday Reset

Sandra, 52, works from home and walks 4 miles every day at 11:30 AM to break up her workday. At her natural 2.93 mph (Bohannon data, women aged 50–59), the walk takes about 1 hour 22 minutes. She returns by 12:52 PM, eats lunch, and starts her afternoon block refreshed.

A study cited on Healthline found that people who walk 30–45 minutes during flu season take 43% fewer sick days. Sandra far exceeds that threshold. At 145 lbs, her daily walk burns about 307 calories (145 × 0.53 × 4) and adds approximately 9,008 steps to her count.

4. The Progressive Distance Builder

Leo, 24, started walking 1 mile three months ago and has been adding half a mile every two weeks. He's now at 4 miles, walking at a moderate 3.0 mph pace in 1 hour 20 minutes. At his age, Bohannon data shows men walk naturally at 3.04 mph — right at his current pace.

The progression from 1 mile (20 minutes) to 4 miles (80 minutes) has increased his daily step count from roughly 2,252 to 9,008 and his calorie burn from 106 to 424 calories at 200 lbs. His next goal: 5 miles in under 1 hour 40 minutes.

5. The Trail-Walking Retiree

Gail, 72, walks a 4-mile paved trail along a river three times per week. At her comfortable 2.53 mph (Bohannon data, women aged 70–79), each walk takes about 1 hour 35 minutes. She takes one 5-minute break on a bench at the 2-mile turnaround, putting her total outing at about 1 hour 40 minutes.

At 155 lbs, Gail burns approximately 329 calories per walk (155 × 0.53 × 4). Three weekly walks provide 12 miles, 987 calories, and roughly 285 minutes of activity — nearly double the CDC's recommended 150 minutes.

What Affects Your 4-Mile Walking Time?

Four miles is the distance where you transition from "walk and forget" to "walk and plan." Several factors can add 5–15 minutes.

Pace drift is real at this distance. After 3 miles, most casual walkers slow by 3–5%. If your first 3 miles average 20 min/mile, mile 4 might take 20:45 to 21 minutes. Over a full 4-mile walk, this adds 1–3 minutes beyond a simple pace calculation.

Hydration starts to matter. An 80-minute walk at moderate pace in warm weather can lead to mild dehydration. Carrying a small water bottle or planning a fountain stop at the 2-mile mark helps maintain pace in the second half.

Surface variation has a compound effect. The Compendium of Physical Activities rates flat pavement at MET 3.5 versus 5.3 for a 1–5% grade. A rolling 4-mile route adds 6–12 minutes over flat ground.

Gear and load affect your pace more than you might think. Walking with a daypack, shopping bags, or a child in a carrier adds drag. Over 4 miles, even a 5% pace reduction translates to 4 extra minutes.

4 Miles in Steps and Calories

Steps

At a moderate 3.0 mph pace, 4 miles equals approximately 9,008 steps, based on the ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal (2008) figure of ~2,252 steps per mile. By height:

Four miles puts nearly every walker within striking distance of 10,000 daily steps. A 5'8" person walking 4 miles hits 8,800 steps from the walk alone — add baseline daily movement of 3,000–4,000 steps (CDC data), and they're at 11,800–12,800 steps.

Calories Burned

Using the Compendium formula (body weight in lbs × 0.53 per mile × 4 miles):

The CDC benchmark of 280 calories per hour for a 154-lb moderate walker works out to about 373 calories over the 1:20 it takes to walk 4 miles. At brisk pace, the shorter 1:08 duration burns a similar total because the MET value jumps from 3.5 to 4.3.

For context, 4 miles of walking burns roughly the same calories as 25–30 minutes of jogging for most people — but with significantly less joint stress and no recovery time needed.

Tips for Walking 4 Miles

Four miles is a solid workout distance — enough to challenge new walkers while remaining routine for experienced ones.

Break the mental barrier. If 4 miles sounds daunting, think of it as two 2-mile halves. Walk 2 miles out, turn around, walk 2 miles back. The return trip goes faster because you know the route.

Bring minimal hydration. At 1 hour 20 minutes, you don't need a hydration pack — but a small handheld bottle or a route past a water fountain prevents discomfort, especially in warm weather.

Make it your "step guarantee." A 4-mile walk adds roughly 9,000 steps. Combined with normal daily movement, that virtually guarantees 10,000+ steps — the most widely recognized daily activity benchmark, roughly equivalent to 4–5 miles total (ACSM data).

Graduate to 4 miles from 3. If 3 miles feels comfortable, add a quarter-mile per walk over 4 sessions. You'll reach 4 miles in two weeks without any single walk feeling dramatically harder than the last.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to walk 4 miles on a treadmill?

At 3.0 mph, a treadmill walk of 4 miles takes 1 hour 20 minutes. At 3.5 mph, about 1 hour 9 minutes; at 4.0 mph, exactly 1 hour.

An hour on the treadmill at 4.0 mph covering 4 miles is one of the most efficient walking workouts available — meaningful distance, substantial calories, and a clean time block. Vary the incline every 10–15 minutes to maintain engagement.

Is walking 4 miles a day good exercise?

Walking 4 miles daily at moderate pace provides 560 minutes of activity per week — nearly 4× the CDC's recommended 150 minutes (CDC Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2018). At about 9,008 steps per walk, you'll comfortably exceed the 8,000-step daily threshold linked to 51% lower mortality risk in a CDC-cited study.

Four miles per day is the level where consistent walking produces visible fitness improvements — better endurance, weight management, and cardiovascular health. It's ambitious enough to be effective but sustainable enough to maintain indefinitely.

How many steps is 4 miles?

Four miles equals approximately 9,008 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 7,740 steps (1,935 per mile).

By height, 4 miles ranges from about 7,940 steps (6'4") to 10,056 steps (5'0"). For shorter individuals, 4 miles alone exceeds the 10,000-step daily benchmark.

How long would it take a senior to walk 4 miles?

For adults aged 60–69, Bohannon & Andrews (2011) data puts 4-mile times at 1 hour 20 minutes (men) and about 1 hour 27 minutes (women). For adults aged 70–79, expect approximately 1 hour 25 minutes (men) and 1 hour 35 minutes (women).

Adults over 80 typically need about 1 hour 51 to 1 hour 54 minutes. A brief midpoint break is advisable at this distance for older walkers, adding 5–10 minutes to the total outing time.

How does walking 4 miles compare to running it?

A recreational runner at a 10:00 min/mile pace covers 4 miles in 40 minutes — half the time of a moderate walker. A beginner runner at 12:00 min/mile finishes in 48 minutes.

Walking 4 miles burns about 318 calories for a 150-lb person (body weight × 0.53 × 4), while running burns about 450 calories (body weight × 0.75 × 4). Walking takes 40 minutes longer but carries minimal injury risk — and most people can walk 4 miles daily, while running 4 miles daily demands significant conditioning.

Related Pages

• How Long to Walk 3.5 Miles — half a mile shorter
• How Long to Walk 5 Miles — one mile longer, the next big milestone
• How Long to Walk 3 Miles — a common comparison distance
• How Far Can I Walk in 1 Hour? — 4 miles at fast pace fits in 1 hour
• How Long to Run 4 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.