There’s something about seeing an unfamiliar place that can reinvigorate your connection to things you see every day and give you a new appreciation for the ordinary.

Recently, I went to South Africa for a much-needed vacation after a long year of building trails and structures working as the trail programs director for the Upper Valley Trails Alliance. I wouldn’t call it a “relaxing” vacation exactly, because I was able to bring my 2- and 5-year-old children along for the extended overseas trip.

After two trans-continental red-eyes (the likes of which we will never mention again), we were across the world in a new and exciting place. We elected to rent a van and take a cross-country trip through famous Garden Route, which runs along the southern coast of the continent.

Now, anyone that has had young children can tell you that while they are fun and rewarding, doing much of anything takes several times longer and the options available to you are more limited. This goes double for traveling, as many tourist activities are not feasible or even permitted for small children.

When touring the countryside, we had to bypass certain things like open-top safaris, caving, scuba diving and winery tours. What activities could we do to see the sites that were kid-friendly but also appealing for everyone?

It seemed like a complicated question until the first leg of our road trip was broken up by the dramatic Marloth Nature Reserve, at which point it became obvious — trails!

With two young children and six adults with different tastes, even a sit-down restaurant meal could feel overwhelming, whereas a reasonably well-maintained trail provided an invaluable asset to not only see a place but to really connect with the landscape and environment. Trails became our vector to seeing these new places in a crowd-pleasing and surprisingly cost-effective way.

These experiences are what stood out about the trip and will be memories I cherish for a lifetime.

Winding up the mountains of Marloth to see a waterfall overlooking the savannah below. Watching seals play in the surf among the whimsical succulents of the Robberg Peninsula. Getting splashed by thunderous waves crossing the coastal suspension bridges of Tsitsikamma National Park. All of these experiences were made possible through the same sort of work I do every day: building simple footpaths through the landscape.

Now that I am back working in the United States, I realize traveling with my family didn’t just provide us with incredible memories. It offered a fresh perspective on the role trails play in our lives. Rather than being a simple route used for exercise while I was abroad, they were a vital thread that tied the journey together.

This experience reaffirmed how trails can be a gateway to deeper connection with a place, both the familiar and the foreign. I think about my favorite places near my home: the River Trail in Hanover, Hubbard Park in Montpelier, Wright’s Mountain in Bradford. I know I would never have developed an affinity for these places without the trails that led me to their spectacular vantage points.

Lamentable then is the fact that, by some estimates, less than 10% of people venture more than 100 feet from their vehicle in many of the major national parks in the United States. This is why investing in well-designed and welcoming trails is essential. It encourages people to leave the convenience of a climate-controlled vehicle and discover the true essence of a place.

Each path is a chance for someone to find their own inspiration, whether it’s a toddler seeing an elephant in the distance or a hiker taking a brief lunchtime ramble between business meetings. Building trails isn’t just about moving people through the landscape; it’s about creating a space for people to experience the world more fully regardless of their ability level or background.

Sean Ogle is the trail programs director for the Upper Valley Trails Alliance, a Norwich-based nonprofit organization.