Social Trails can promote family unity as well as strengthen friendships and neighbor relations. They are places where entire families can recreate together safely and friends and neighbors can gather. With the possibility of many different activities, trails can offer something for everyone. A single, multiple use trail could be suitable for a baby's stroller, a toddler's tricycle, a child's bicycle, a teenager's pair of in-line skates, a disabled person's wheelchair, an adult's horse, and a senior citizen's pair of walking shoes. A family with shared recreational interests, either motorized or non-motorized, can share quality time on a trail.
Trails can also serve as social gathering places for neighbors and visitors to meet.
Civic Trails can improve pride in a community in different ways. A popular and well-managed trail can also serve as a focal point for a community, with special events and routine trail use bringing neighbors together. These activities can lead to greater interaction between residents and improve the cohesion of a community. Recreational Trails provide opportunities for a wide variety of outdoor recreation activities. Some trails can provide opportunities for primitive, backpack camping.