You're standing on a track or maybe looking at a property line, and the question hits you. How many feet are in an eighth of a mile?
It’s 660.
That’s the short answer. Just 660 feet. But honestly, getting to that number feels like a weirdly specific trip through history. Most of us just think of a mile as 5,280 feet because that’s what we were told in third grade, yet when you start breaking it down into fractions, things get kind of interesting.
Why 660 Feet Matters More Than You Think
So, we know an eighth of a mile is 660 feet. If you’re a drag racing fan, this number is basically gospel. While the big leagues like NHRA often run the full quarter-mile, plenty of local tracks run the "eighth," and it’s a totally different beast. You have to be fast off the line. There's zero room for error. If you mess up your launch in a 660-foot race, you're done.
It’s not just for cars, though.
If you’ve ever looked at a standard 400-meter running track, you’ve probably noticed it doesn't align perfectly with our imperial system. A 400-meter track is roughly 1,312 feet. That means an eighth of a mile—our 660-foot friend—is almost exactly half a lap around a standard outdoor track. If you start at the beginning of the straightaway and run to the end of the next curve, you’ve basically covered an eighth.
The Math Behind the Number
To get here, you just take the total. 5,280 feet divided by 8.
The math is simple, but the history isn't. The mile itself is a bit of a Frankenstein’s monster of measurements. The Romans started it with the mille passus, which was 1,000 paces. But their paces were double-steps. Then the British came along and decided to complicate things by tying the mile to agricultural measurements like the "furlong."
Guess how long a furlong is?
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Exactly 660 feet.
So, when you ask how many feet are in an eighth of a mile, you are technically asking for the length of a furlong. It’s the same thing. Farmers used to use this distance because it was the length a team of oxen could plow a furrow without needing a breather. It’s a very "earthy" way to measure distance that we still use in horse racing today. When you hear a commentator say a horse is "leading by a length at the furlong marker," they’re talking about that final 660-foot stretch to the finish.
Real-World Comparisons to Visualize 660 Feet
Most of us can't actually visualize 660 feet. Our brains just aren't wired for it.
Think about a football field. A standard NFL field is 360 feet long if you include both end zones. So, an eighth of a mile is just slightly less than two full football fields. If you stood in one end zone and looked toward the other end of a second field placed end-to-end, that’s your distance.
Or think about city blocks. In a place like Manhattan, roughly 20 blocks make up a mile if you’re walking north-to-south (uptown/downtown). That means an eighth of a mile is about 2.5 city blocks. It’s a short walk. It’s the distance you cover when you realize you forgot your keys and have to double back to the car.
Why Do We Still Use This?
It’s a fair question. Why not just use meters? Most of the world does.
The United States is one of the few places where the feet in an eighth of a mile actually matters for legal property descriptions and local sports. In surveying, these fractions are vital. If you’re buying a piece of rural land, you might see "one-eighth of a mile" listed on a deed. If your surveyor is off by just a few feet because they didn't do the math right, you’ve got a property dispute on your hands.
There’s also the "City Mile" vs. the "Statute Mile." We generally use the statute mile (5,280 feet). However, in some older nautical contexts or specific surveying niches, things can get slightly hairy. But for 99% of people, 660 is the magic number.
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The Drag Racing Connection
I mentioned this briefly, but it deserves a deeper look because the eighth-mile is growing in popularity.
In drag racing, the 660-foot mark is where you see who has the best "60-foot time" and mid-range acceleration. Because it’s shorter, it’s safer. Tracks that don't have enough "shutdown area" (the space to slow down after the finish line) will often switch from quarter-mile to eighth-mile racing. It’s easier on the engines, too. You aren't holding the throttle wide open for nearly as long, which means fewer blown head gaskets and less expensive carnage.
If you’re watching a race and they say a car did the eighth in 4 seconds, they are moving at an incredible rate. To cover 660 feet in 4 seconds, you're averaging 112 mph from a dead stop.
Breaking Down the Fractions
If you're trying to memorize the mile's fractions for a test or just to be that person at the pub who knows things, here’s how the feet stack up:
A quarter-mile is 1,320 feet. That’s the big one. Then you have the eighth-mile at 660 feet. If you go even smaller, a sixteenth of a mile is 330 feet.
Notice a pattern? It’s all based on the number 66.
- 66 feet is a "chain" (an old surveying tool).
- 660 feet is 10 chains (one furlong/one-eighth mile).
- 5,280 feet is 80 chains.
It’s all connected back to these physical chains that surveyors used to literally drag across the dirt in the 1700s and 1800s. It’s archaic, honestly. But it works.
Practical Tips for Estimating 660 Feet
If you’re out hiking or walking and want to know when you’ve hit that eighth-mile mark without a GPS:
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- Count your steps: The average person’s stride is about 2.5 feet. To hit 660 feet, you’d need to take roughly 264 steps.
- Time your walk: At a brisk walking pace (3 mph), it takes almost exactly 2.5 minutes to walk an eighth of a mile.
- Use light poles: In many suburban areas, utility poles are spaced about 100 to 150 feet apart. If you pass about five or six poles, you’ve likely covered an eighth of a mile.
The Impact of Elevation and Terrain
It’s worth noting that 660 feet on a map isn't always 660 feet on the ground. This is a common mistake in hiking.
If you are climbing a steep hill, the "flat" distance on a map might be an eighth of a mile, but the actual physical distance your feet travel will be longer because of the incline. This is why trail miles feel so much longer than road miles. If you’re planning a route based on these measurements, always account for the "grade." A 10% grade makes that 660 feet feel a lot more like 700.
Nuance in Modern Standards
Is it exactly 660 feet?
Yes, in the United States Survey Foot and the International Foot standards, the math holds up. However, there was actually a tiny discrepancy for decades between the "US Survey Foot" and the "International Foot." We're talking fractions of an inch over a mile.
But guess what?
As of 2023, the US officially started phased out the "US Survey Foot" to align with the international standard. This was a huge deal for mappers and geodetic scientists. For you and me? It doesn't change the fact that an eighth of a mile is 660 feet. It just means the "foot" we use is now more precise globally.
Actionable Steps for Using This Information
Now that you know the numbers, here is how to actually use them:
- Calibrate your fitness tracker: If you suspect your treadmill or watch is off, find a local high school track. Walk half a lap (the straight and one curve). If your watch doesn't say roughly 0.12 or 0.13 miles, it's time to recalibrate.
- Property Assessment: If you're looking at land and the listing says the property line is an eighth of a mile, don't guess. Bring a long measuring tape or a laser measure, but knowing it should be 660 feet gives you a baseline to catch errors before you hire a pro.
- Race Tuning: If you're getting into amateur drag racing, focus your tuning on the 660-foot mark. Even if you eventually want to run quarters, the eighth-mile tells you everything you need to know about your car's torque and "60-foot" performance.
Understanding the feet in an eighth of a mile isn't just a trivia point. It’s a bridge between how we used to measure the world with oxen and chains and how we measure it now with lasers and satellites. It’s 660 feet of history that still dictates the shape of our tracks, our farms, and our neighborhoods.