[ghaff]

>Others have mentioned that the US is not into backpacking.

I assume "backpacking" in this context tends to mean riding trains around Europe, staying in hostels/couchsurfing/etc.

The US has a fair bit of backpacking and camping in National Parks/Forests/long-distance trails although it's not necessarily a fully mainstream activity. But much less of the "European-style" backpacking.

I think it's partly a difference of scale and ability to get around without a car once you get out of a handful of (mostly expensive) cities.