Estero RiverPark Keeps Weekend Hours, and the Eagles Set the Pace

The Village of Estero says its newest park runs on a principle it calls government "lite." That phrase explains a lot about Estero RiverPark, the 62.5 acres at the northeast corner of Corkscrew Road and U.S. 41. It explains the mulch paths, the Friday-through-Sunday gate, and the partner foundation that manages Ellen Peterson's old home on the property. The other thing setting the park's pace is a pair of bald eagles. They have nested on the site since 2022, and nesting season began again on Oct. 1.

Put those together and you get a park that will keep changing slowly through the spring. Knowing why makes it easier to plan a walk there this season.

A Preserve Bought Instead of 530 Homes

In January 2019 the Village paid $24.5 million for the land. The Village says that was about three times its annual revenue at the time. The site was already approved for 530 housing units and about 300,000 square feet of commercial space. Council amended the Comprehensive Plan and rezoned about 35 acres as open space and permanent natural preserve. Estero Life Magazine's July 2026 feature says the purchase began with community requests to keep the area's natural character rather than allow development.

A town that has just spent three years' revenue on land has good reason to build carefully, and the first phase shows it.

Phase 1 Was Built to a Budget

Phase 1 was finished earlier in 2026. It includes an entrance off County Road and Highlands Avenue, parking, a restroom building, a pedestrian bridge over the Estero River, boardwalks and trails. The Village says it chose mulch over pavement for the walking paths to save money. Estero Life describes the result as dirt and mulch paths through wetlands, floodplain habitat and riverfront scenery.

The Village hasn't hired a large parks staff for the site either. Its RiverPark page describes a public-private partnership with the Estero Forever Foundation to provide services while sticking to the government-lite goal. You can see that arrangement at the Happehatchee Center, covered further down.

The schedule is lean too. The park is open Friday, Saturday and Sunday and closed Monday through Thursday. Daylight saving time ends Nov. 1, so standard-time hours apply on the next visit after that.

Visits work under the Village's general parks rules. The Village parks ordinance allows dogs on a leash and under control unless an area is posted otherwise, and owners have to clean up after them. Bikes are allowed on paved vehicle roads or on paths designated for bicycles, and fishing, launching boats and flying drones are limited to areas set aside for each. The Village's RiverPark page lists trails, boardwalks and a bridge among the Phase 1 features, so if you're planning anything beyond a walk, check with the Village first.

The Eagles Decide When the Next Trails Go In

The Village's own page sets out the main limit on construction. To protect the federally protected eagles, construction is restricted during nesting season, Oct. 1 to May 15. Estero Life reports that activities are limited near the nest during those months and that these protections have influenced project scheduling.

Phase 2 is now moving through that window. On Sept. 9, 2026, Council approved a contract with Honc Industries to build the Phase 2 paths for $244,075, with a $24,000 contingency. Lee County's Tourist Development Council has awarded the Village a $163,100 grant for more trails on the land south of the river. The park closed on Friday, Oct. 23, and Friday, Oct. 30, for Phase II construction and stayed open on the weekends.

The Village's project page lists what Phase 2 will add:

• More walking paths on both sides of the Estero River
• Fencing along the southern property boundary
• A path along the north side of Corkscrew Road

The Village hasn't published a completion date. Before you head out on a Friday, check the RiverPark page, where the Village posts closure notices.

Clearing Out Invasive Plants Over Five Years

The paths are one part of the September decisions. The same night, Council approved a five-year contract with Earth Balance to treat non-native plants along the RiverPark trails for $90,895, with a $9,000 contingency. The first treatment is due within 45 days of the purchase order. After that, treatments come about every six months for the first two years, then once a year in years three through five.

Over the next five years, non-native growth along the trails will be treated on that schedule. This season, the park's first scheduled public event also focuses on plants.

Nov. 7 Is the Date to Plan Around

On Saturday, Nov. 7, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., the park hosts a native plant giveaway and sale. The Coccoloba and Naples chapters of the Florida Native Plant Society are presenting it with the Florida Wildflower Foundation and the Village of Estero.

Here's how the morning runs:

1. 9:30 a.m. Gates open early for anyone who registered with the Florida Wildflower Foundation, so they can choose and collect a free one-gallon native plant.
2. 10 a.m. The event opens to everyone. The Foundation is giving away a few hundred native plants, including tropical sage, muhly grass and fiddlewood, while supplies last.
3. 10:30 a.m. Sara Burke leads a walk and talk on 20 easy-to-grow wildflowers.
4. Until 1 p.m. The Coccoloba Chapter FNPS runs a native plant sale for anyone who wants more than the free plant.

Nov. 7 is a Saturday, so the event falls on a regular open day. The walk and talk also takes visitors along the trails that Phase 1 opened.

Ellen Peterson's Happehatchee Center

Part of the park has a much longer history than the Village's purchase. The historic Happehatchee Center was founded by environmentalist Ellen Peterson, who lived from 1923 to 2011. It was donated to the Village in December 2019 to become part of Estero RiverPark. Estero Life describes the property as an eco-spiritual retreat and nature education center. It also notes mature trees, wetlands and wildlife habitat on the land, including gopher tortoises.

The partnership described earlier operates here. The Estero Forever Foundation says it began managing the Village-owned center on Nov. 26, 2024, and its Happehatchee page invites volunteers to sign up. At the Sept. 9 Council meeting, a resident asked that the record be amended to include the gift of the Happehatchee Center. The resident described it as an approximately four-and-a-half-acre parcel between the two Village properties that was formerly Peterson's home.

The North Side of the River Is Still Being Discussed

The park's future boundaries are still being discussed. In June 2026, Council accepted an Eco-Historic Planning Study prepared by Land Design Inc. and paid for with a $450,000 disaster-recovery block grant. The study covered about 1,000 acres, including the U.S. 41 corridor from Estero Parkway to south of Williams Road, Koreshan State Park and the Village-owned land along the Estero River. The Village calls it a 20-year framework. During public comment, three residents asked Council to postpone accepting the study to allow more input. They also said the property on the north side of the Estero River should be kept as part of the park rather than designated for development. The same June meeting moved funding away from Sandy Lane bike and pedestrian improvements to free up money for the Estero SportsPark, Estero RiverPark and the Bonita Estero Rail Trail.

Getting On the Water Nearby

RiverPark's paths follow the Estero River on foot. If you want to get on the water, Koreshan State Park at 3800 Corkscrew Road has a canoe and kayak launch and lists paddling among its activities. Estero River Outfitters rents kayaks and canoes and offers lessons and guides. One morning can cover both, with a walk across the RiverPark bridge followed by a paddle downriver.

If you'd like a guide who knows which Estero corners have trails, docks or a short walk to the river, Kyle R. Suhr is glad to help. Discover your Gulf Coast lifestyle. Contact Kyle, and maybe say hello at RiverPark on Nov. 7.