In the early days, the railroad was the lifeblood of St. Tammany Parish. Today, this spur is an extremely popular recreation, transportation and educational corridor. Now called The Tammany Trace, it is Louisiana's first and only rails-to-trails conversion. This multi-purpose public path, created from the Illinois Central Railroad corridor, meanders through loblolly pines, live oaks, and magnolias from Slidell to Covington, Louisiana.