How Long Do I Need To Train for a Rim to Rim Hike?

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How long do you need to train for a Rim to Rim? This is not a one size fits all answer. A lot of it is going to have to do with age, background, prior experience, current experience, injury history, etc. You also need to take into account if you have a suitable baseline on which to build the foundation of your Rim to Rim training. You shouldn’t go from hiking 0 miles one week to attempting a 12 mile hike the next. That is a recipe for overuse injuries. So heads up – here’s a broad answer to the question of how long should you train for a Rim to Rim hike. It’s a months long minimum commitment, full of weekly hiking, cross training, and strength training. It’s HARD. There’s no shortcuts to being physically ready for a Rim to Rim hike. So if you’re ready to commit (and believe me the payoff is worth it), then keep reading to get the answers you need to start planning your own Rim to Rim training timeline!

Disclosure: Below are some affiliate links-these are all products I highly recommend. I won’t make any recommendations on this page that I haven’t tested or personally used! Enjoy this guide to training for your Rim to Rim hike!

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How Long Do I Need to Train for a Rim to Rim Hike?

As with most endurance training, you need to give yourself enough time to have a developed BASELINE FOUNDATION (if you’re starting from scratch this could be several months to a year depending on the person), plus enough time to progress through gradual weekly increments in mileage distance and volume during targeted Rim to Rim training.

Want to see what these weekly increments look like? Grab your FREE Rim to Rim Training Calendar example HERE!

If you are currently HEALTHY and have a decent baseline foundation on which to build right away (more on what exactly this looks like just below), I would recommend at least 4 months of targeted Rim to Rim training before your hike.

What is Targeted Rim to Rim Training?

What does “targeted” Rim to Rim training mean?

Gradually working up in hiking volume and mileage to replicate the distance of a Rim to Rim hike.
Gradually working up in elevation gain hiking to replicate the elevation gain of a Rim to Rim.
Supplementing those training hikes with weekly cross training that’s beneficial to preparing for the Rim to Rim (yoga is great, but you can’t do only yoga for cross training if you’re preparing for a Rim to Rim) and strength training workouts that will help to strengthen your body for the grind of a Rim to Rim (as well as keep you strong and healthy during training).
Making rest and recovery days actually work FOR you by doing them right.
And if you don’t have naturally challenging hiking trails with natural elevation gain (like me in north central Texas, get ready to get creative and use some additional strategies to prepare for the Rim to Rim)

But keep in mind it rarely hurts to do more than 4 months, depending on the baseline you are starting with. This might mean front loading more time onto your training timeline. If you’re training the right way, I see nothing wrong with establishing a stronger foundation on which to build. This will also come in handy if you don’t plan on being a “one and done” hiker, and want to continue your hiking goals after your Rim to Rim. A stronger underlying foundation will be easier to keep going with after the Rim to Rim.

What is a Baseline Foundation for Rim to Rim Training?

So how do you establish a baseline foundation for Rim to Rim training?

Moderate cardio workouts, including hikes, for at least 60 minutes 3 x a week, consistently and comfortably.

This can look like:

A 60 minute run
A 60 minute hike
A 60 minute strength training or HIIT workout (check out my FREE Rim to Rim customizable strength training workout HERE)
A 60 minute kickboxing class
A 60 minute cycle
Etc…

If you are able to workout, including some hiking, for at least 60 minutes at least 3 x a week consistently and comfortably, then you are ready to start training for a Rim to Rim.

And what do I mean by “comfortably“? If you find you are still needing to stop and catch your breath every 2 minutes on a hike, keep working at it. You still need to put in some time building your baseline foundation. If you are experiencing nagging and reoccuring pain, you need to spend some time figuring out the reason and the fix before diving into progressively more challenging hikes and training.

So if you’re not there yet, no worries. Just back your calendar up a little bit to make more time to establish that baseline foundation. For example, if you want to hike the Rim to Rim in early October, then back that date up by 4 months for the targeted Rim to Rim training, and then another 2 or 3 months before that to make sure you’ve established a baseline foundation. So you would want to consider starting to train no later than March or April.

Again, it NEVER hurts to start training as early as you are ready to commit. The average amount of time that most of my clients are training for the Rim to Rim is 6 months. (If you’re looking at a May ’25 Rim to Rim, that means the time to start training is NOW!)

Interested in what Rim to Rim coaching services I offer? Fill out this INTEREST FORM to learn more and RESERVE YOUR SPOT!

If you want to train for an entire year, more power to you! Just be sure to monitor for burnout and overuse injuries, and to gradually increase your hiking volume and distances.

Progressing to Targeted Rim to Rim Training

When you’re ready to tackle targeted Rim to Rim training (weekly short hikes, incremental long hikes, strength training, cross training, and rest / recovery days), be sure to check out these follow up resources that will keep you heading down the right path! And in the meantime, while you are training be sure to start investing in the right Rim to Rim gear (and use it on your training hikes), planning your logistics, fine tuning your fueling and hydration game, and familiarizing yourself with the Rim to Rim trails! All the resources you need to do this are listed below. It’s a one stop shop for all things Rim to Rim!

Complete Rim to Rim Training Plan – a thorough guide to targeted Rim to Rim training

1st Timers Guide to Hiking the Rim to Rim in One Day – overview of the trails, logistics, gear, training, etc., that all go into executing your 1st Rim to Rim!

Complete Rim to Rim Packing List – all the recommended gear you need!

Backpacking for Beginners – gear recommendations for multi-day / overnight Rim to Rim hikers

Rim to Rim Visual Guidebook for 1st Timers – over 30 pages of downloadable, CLICKABLE, pdfs to guide you through the Rim to Rim process. Includes: training calendars, strength training workouts, trail routes, maps, gear checklists with links, snack checklists with links, trail overviews, clickable lists of helpful websites and #’s for logistics planning, sample itineraries, and more! Everything you need to plan your Rim to Rim all in ONE PLACE! You can save it to your computer and have it forever.

1:1 Rim to Rim Coaching Services – RESERVE YOUR SPOT and take advantage of individualized, personalized, and relatable coaching support for your Rim to Rim hike, throughout the entire training period!