Counting your steps is a good way to estimate distances as you hike, but first you need to know the length of your footsteps. Discover the length of your step with this method:
- Use a tape measure to mark a 100-foot course on flat ground.
- Walk at a normal speed from one end of the course to the other, counting your steps as you go.
- Divide the total number of steps into 100, and you’ll find out the length of one step. For example, if you took 50 steps to go 100 feet, your step length is 2 feet. If it took you 40 steps, figure 2 1/2 feet per step.
In the field, you can measure distances by counting every step along the way. Multiply that number by the length of your step, and you’ll know how far you have gone.