Blackwater Heritage State Trail: Formerly the Whiting Naval Railway, this trail was developed as an alternate transportation and recreation trail under the Rails-to-Trails Program. The trail is approximately 8.5 miles long, trailheading in downtown Milton and running 1.5 miles south of U.S. Highway 90 and 7 miles north to the eastern boundary of Whiting Field Naval Air Station. The trail is totally accessible for the disabled. It offers recreational opportunities for walkers, joggers, bicyclists, inline skaters and equestrians. As the trail winds it's way through urban areas of Milton it passes City Hall, the Santa Rosa County Public Library, and is near Carpenter Park. The trail moves into rural areas crossing over a number of branches of the Blackwater River and creeks along the way. Wildlife species that may be seen include the American alligator, Florida pine snake, osprey, southeastern kestrel, northern harrier, red head woodpecker, river otter and bobcat. White-topped pitcher and other wetland plants also exist along the route. The first 7 miles of the trail is on the original bed of the historical Florida and Alabama Railroad F&ARR that was owned and operated by the Bagdad Lumber and Land Company. Built in the early 1900's, the railroad extended from Bagdad, Florida to Whitley, Alabama. The railroad supported the last segment of the timber and lumber industry centered around the sawmill in Bagdad. The mill operated from 1880 until 1939 at which time the rail line was discontinued. With the arrival of WWII, Whiting Field Naval Air Station was established in 1942-43 and required construction of a rail line to build and supply the airfield. Thus a part of the Florida and Alabama railroad was in use again. It appears that the original rails from the F&ARR were removed prior to the government use of the railroad bed. The original railroad was built with 70 pound rails rolled at the Carnegie mill in 1897. A representative section of the rails has been donated to the West Florida Railroad museum in Milton and is on public display there. This historic trail has played a major role in the local economy from the days when schooners sailed the Blackwater River in support of the mercantile trade and the sawmill throughout the wartime expansion until it's current use as a premier recreational corridor.