Hiking is actually considered a form of cardio, as it aids in building endurance and strength. Running will increase your heart rate more and potentially burn more calories compared to a hike. However, the difference is not large. For example, someone may run for an hour at a rate of five miles per hour and burn 700 calories. If the same person were to hike cross country for the same amount of time, they would burn roughly 525 calories (5).