Eight years of work and a yearlong push to the finish line culminated Saturday morning when city, county and Florida Trail Association leaders gathered to dedicate a new informational kiosk and celebrate Crestview’s designation as an official Florida Trail Gateway Community.

• The ceremony took place at the Crestview Welcome + Adventure Center at 5131 South Ferdon Blvd., where the kiosk now greets visitors with trail maps, local trail information and details about the 1,500-mile Florida National Scenic Trail that passes through downtown Crestview and across Eglin Air Force Base.

Crestview is one of 16 gateway communities along the trail statewide, according to Florida Trail Association Executive Director Sean Amidon.

Joe Moran, a volunteer with the association’s Choctawhatchee chapter who spearheaded the final push to complete the project, said the designation had been years in the making.

“This moment represents eight years of vision and one full year of effort, persistence and partnerships to officially establish the City of Crestview Trail and Gateway Community,” Moran said. “When I first began this journey, I knew it would take time. I knew it would take coordination, patience and a lot of conversations. But I also knew that Crestview deserves this.”

Moran thanked Mayor JB Whitten, City Manager Jessica Leavins, Okaloosa County Natural Resources Manager Robert Fenwick and Commissioner Paul Mixon for their roles in the project. He also credited Allie Goldstein, the Florida Trail Association’s gateway communities coordinator, for her guidance throughout the process.

• “This kiosk is more than a structure,” Moran said. “It’s a symbol of connection between the trail and our city, between the Florida Trail Association and the communities that support it, and between the people who love the outdoors and the places that make those experiences possible.”

Tom Daniels, a Choctawhatchee chapter volunteer who has spent 25 years building trails on Eglin Air Force Base, said the nearby trailhead is the most active one the chapter maintains along the base. He noted that while Saturday’s event felt like a fresh start, Crestview has been on the list of gateway cities since a 2007 proclamation under then-Mayor Kendall.

“It’s amazing that it’s the most active trailhead we have along Eglin,” Daniels said. “Your people in Crestview and the people of Okaloosa County have discovered the trail already.”

Choctawhatchee chapter Chairman Jim Wilson said the chapter is responsible for more than 100 miles of trail in Okaloosa and Walton counties, including sections on Eglin and along the Choctawhatchee River. He described the gateway designation as more than a label.

“A gateway is an entrance. It’s not just a location, it’s an experience,” Wilson said. “It gives respite, it gives restoration for through-hikers that are coming through, but it also opens to this community the jewel of our natural resources.”

• Wilson also put out a call for volunteers, saying the chapter needs help with both trail maintenance and marketing efforts.

Whitten, who has served as mayor for nine and a half years, said the project’s long timeline was not due to a lack of interest but rather leadership changes, a possible trail relocation and varying levels of local involvement. He credited Moran with pushing the project across the finish line.

“He addressed this issue like a junkyard dog without a leash,” Whitten said.

Whitten said he wants the kiosk to help market the trail to tourists who visit Crestview and may not know what outdoor recreation is available. He pointed to the city’s other amenities, including a skate park, an RC track, a disc golf course, pickleball courts and the Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge zoo.

Commissioner Paul Mixon, an Eagle Scout and avid hiker, said the county has purchased more property for recreational use in recent years than at any other time in its history, funded in part by tourism tax dollars generated after the county expanded its tourism development district. He recognized Fenwick and Land Resources Coordinator Jacob Bolin for their work developing trails and managing those properties across north Okaloosa County.

Mixon said county commissioners have also made a legislative priority of securing funding for a bridge along the trail, an effort he said could gain traction now that former County Commissioner Nathan Boyles is at the state level.

• “If you’re here and you’ve never put a mile in on the Florida Trail, you need to make time,” Mixon said. “Go just south of the Devil Bridges, hike over to the creek, take your shoes off, enjoy the cool water, sit in the campsite for a little while, and then hike your mile back out. It’ll be well worth your time.”

Commissioner Sherri Cox said the kiosk and the gateway designation reflect a broader push by the county to develop ecotourism alongside its beach tourism. She said Okaloosa County began prioritizing ecotourism about 13 or 14 years ago to attract visitors during shoulder seasons and showcase the county’s rivers, forests and trails.

“The trails are infrastructure too,” Cox said. “They connect people not only to places, but to healthier lifestyles, environmental stewardship and a deeper appreciation for the natural treasures that make Okaloosa County such a remarkable place to call home.”

Commissioner Carolyn Ketchel also attended the ceremony.

Amidon, who joined the Florida Trail Association about five months ago, said the partnerships he has encountered across the state have impressed him. He said the association is also in negotiations to add Everglades City as a gateway community.

The Florida Trail runs through Eglin Air Force Base, which covers 464,000 acres across three counties. A permit and background check are required for hikers accessing the base, and portions may close during military testing or training operations.