He set out to walk across the U.S. A year later, he reached the East Coast.

Holden Minor Ringer’s family was incredulous when he first pitched the idea of walking across the United States, the 26-year-old recalled. He was determined, but even he was starting to get skeptical of his own plan.

But in March 2023, he packed some of his belongings into a backpack and kicked off his hike from Second Beach near La Push, Wash. The trip was labeled “Walk2Washington,” with a goal of walking all the way to the U.S. capital — and then up north along the East Coast.

After a year...