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It doesn't get much more American than the Appalachian Trail. Route 66, maybe. Apple pie, possibly. But it definitely takes true patriotic grit—and a load of determined volunteers—to build a 2,184-mile (3,515 km) long trail that crosses through all 13 original colonies. (And just as much to hike it, too.) From Mount Katahdin in Maine down to Springer Mountain in Georgia, it's one of the longest and most famous hikes on earth. The total elevation gain is like climbing Mt. Everest 16 times. Two-to-three thousand hikers every year set out to "thru-hike" the entire trail but only one out of four completes the long journey.
Don't worry, the trail has numerous access points where "section-hikers" can trek more manageable chunks. Good news if you're not looking to beat the speed record of 46 days and 11 hours (that's over 47 miles/76 km a day).
Taking a healthcare job in New York? Check out the two-mile Anthony's Nose hike—it climbs 500 feet and gives epic views of the Hudson River Valley below. A bit farther north in Maine you can hike a longer portion—with log-cabin style shelters along the way—in the Rangeley Lakes region.
There are two trails in the American West that tout great distances of hiking, too. The Continental Divide Trail runs down the Rockies from Canada to Mexico and the Pacific Crest Trail stretches from Northern Washington down to Southern California. And if you complete all three of these monumental trails you're a tried-and-true Triple Crowner. Lace up, grab a compass and take to the trails.