How Long Does It Take To Walk 3 Miles?
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By Simon Gould
Walking for 3 miles would be a choice of many for exercise as it will burn your calories and lose you weight. It will take a while to go 3 miles depending on how fast you walk. You need to find an accurate way of measuring the distance first. Most apps on smartphones can tell you when you’ve covered 3 miles due to their GPS technology. We also researched how many steps in 3 miles, and there are 6-7 thousand!
How long 3 miles will take
So, how long does it take to walk 3 miles? Here, the following table will tell you how long it will take. On the left is the speed in miles an hour and we’ve shown the speed between 2.5 and 4 mph, then we have minutes per mile and finally the 3-mile time. People tend to walk naturally at 3.1 mph so I’ve given speeds a bit slower and faster as well:
| Miles per hour (mph) | Minutes per mile | Time for 3 miles |
|---|---|---|
| 2.5 | 24:00 | 1h 12:00 |
| 2.6 | 23:04 | 1h 09:12 |
| 2.7 | 22:13 | 1h 06:39 |
| 2.8 | 21:25 | 1h 04:15 |
| 2.9 | 20:41 | 1h 02:03 |
| 3.0 | 20:00 | 1h 00:00 |
| 3.1 | 19:21 | 58:03 |
| 3.2 | 18:45 | 56:15 |
| 3.3 | 18:10 | 54:30 |
| 3.4 | 17:38 | 52:54 |
| 3.5 | 17:08 | 51:24 |
| 3.6 | 16:40 | 50:00 |
| 3.7 | 16:13 | 48:39 |
| 3.8 | 15:47 | 47:21 |
| 3.9 | 15:23 | 46:09 |
| 4.0 | 15:00 | 45:00 |
So, how long does it take to walk three miles? As you can see it ranges from 45 minutes to an hour and 12 minutes to walk 3 miles. Remember, this is the same wherever you walk. This represents a long time, but if you pick a scenic route, the time should pass very quickly and you’ll enjoy it. Regularly walking 3 miles is very beneficial to our health especially as we get older.
How much walking is healthy
The CDC says brisk walking is moderate physical activity and you need to do 2 hours and 30 minutes per week for “important health benefits”. If you walk 3 mph then you would need to cover 7.5 miles per week to get the recommended duration. If you can spread that out over 7 days it’s achievable.
If you do start walking often then consider buying some specialist footwear. This can help cushion and support your joints as you go. Think about your safety as well which includes terrain, traffic, and other hazards. An hour of walking may be too much at first, so try a mile first and slowly increase your distance weekly.
Enjoy your walk
If you regularly walk 3 miles then you may already know some of the nicer walks in your area. If you don’t, do some research, there may be some beautiful places. You could try a different walk every week. There are clubs and societies of walkers for people who get together and appreciate walking as exercise.
Wherever you go, remember to take some hydration and maybe food with you. A small first aid kit may be a good idea especially if you’re far from town. Make sure your phone is charged and someone knows where you are. One thing you may consider is getting a treadmill if you want the convenience of walking at home.
And do you know how long it takes to walk 5 miles on a treadmill? We reviewed that, too. A 5-mile walk is a great long-term goal and can have fantastic side effects.
Final thoughts
Walking 3 miles is a great way to spend an hour. But to make it worthwhile for your health try and do it regularly. For seniors, walking is so good for you, all the science says so. It can make a great addition to your life. So while you only may be here to find out how long walking 3 miles will take you, try and make walking a part of a new lifestyle.
Thinking of buying a treadmill? Here’s my favorite, I always recommend it when asked.
