A pedestrian bridge crosses the Estero River just east of U.S. 41. On the south bank, mulch and dirt paths run into 62.5 acres that, before 2019, were approved for 530 housing units and 300,000 square feet of commercial space. Somewhere on that property, a pair of bald eagles has nested every year since 2022.
The eagles set the park's calendar. On the Village of Estero's RiverPark page, construction is restricted from October 1 to May 15 to protect the birds. In July, Estero Life Magazine reported that all activity near the nest is limited during that window and that the protections have shaped the project's schedule. The window runs about seven and a half months, from the first cool weeks of fall to the end of season. The second phase of the park is designed for exactly that stretch.
A nesting season that spans the best walking months
Phase 1 was finished earlier in 2026. It includes an entrance off County Road and Highlands Avenue, a parking lot, a restroom building, the pedestrian bridge, boardwalks and trails. The paths are mulch and dirt because the Village chose to save money by not paving them. By the count on Engage Estero's RiverPark page, Phase 1 covers less than 6 acres of the property. That page also places the eagle nest in the southwestern part of the site, near the corner where Corkscrew Road meets U.S. 41.
That location explains Phase 2. The plan calls for more paths south of the river, fencing around the property south of the river and a path along the north side of Corkscrew Road. Engage Estero describes what those paths are for.
"These paths will allow people to walk through the area during the eagle's nesting season."
Phase 2 gives visitors a way through the property during the seven and a half months when the area around the nest is restricted, and those months are October through mid-May, Estero's best season for walking outside.
What the September contract pays for
On September 9, 2026, the Estero Village Council approved a $244,075 contract with Honc Industries to build the Phase 2 paths, plus a $24,000 contingency. The contract documents cover clearing, grading and fill for the trails, with gopher tortoise coordination if needed. They also set the pace: the contractor starts within three weeks after the notice to proceed and finishes within 11 weeks after it. A separate $163,100 Lee County Tourist Development Council grant was awarded for more trails south of the river.
The work has already changed the weekend schedule. The Village closed the park on two Fridays, October 23 and October 30, for Phase II construction. The park is open only three days a week, so each closed Friday takes away a third of a week's access. Before driving over on a Friday, check the RiverPark page, where the Village posted those closures.
The $268,075 total is small next to what came first. The Village bought the land in January 2019 for $24.5 million, which the Village says was about three times its annual revenue at the time. It then amended its Comprehensive Plan to set aside about 35 acres as open space and permanent natural preserve. The Phase 2 contract is about 1% of that purchase price, and it is the part that makes the preserve walkable for most of the year.
Getting in this season
The parking lot is on the north side of the river, so a first visit can be confusing. Engage Estero gives these directions:
- Turn east onto County Road just north of Estero River Outfitters, where the fire station is.
- Follow County Road to the end and turn right into the parking lot. A small sign points the way, and a few spaces are shaded.
- Cross the Estero River on the pedestrian bridge to reach the park.
The park opens Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, and from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. during daylight saving time. It is closed Monday through Thursday. Engage Estero calls this a soft opening, with the Estero Forever Foundation running the park's activities and operations for now.
The Foundation's role connects to the oldest part of the property. The historic Happehatchee Center was donated to the Village in December 2019 and became part of RiverPark. It was founded by Ellen Peterson, an environmental advocate who worked to protect the Imperial River and Fisheating Creek and who turned her property into an eco-spiritual center. According to Estero Life, parts of the Happehatchee property hold mature trees, wetlands and gopher tortoise habitat. According to the Village's recap of the September 9 council meeting, a resident spoke in support of the Foundation's work at the Happehatchee Center and RiverPark and of carrying on Peterson's legacy.
The same river, by boat
On the four days RiverPark is closed, the river is still open. Estero River Outfitters, at 20991 S. Tamiami Trail on the north bank right off U.S. 41, is open seven days a week and takes walk-ins. It rents kayaks, canoes and paddleboards from its dock. Rentals launch from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., boats are due back by 5 p.m., and people with their own boats can launch free during business hours. The outfitter also offers lessons and tours with American Canoe Association-certified instructors. Its guided eco-tours follow the river from freshwater bends lined with oaks and bamboo out to mangroves, with guides pointing out wading birds, turtles and tarpon and covering the history of the Koreshan settlers and the Calusa people.
From the water, RiverPark and Koreshan State Park are two stops on one river. Koreshan, at 3800 Corkscrew Road, lets visitors launch their own canoe or kayak on the Estero River but does not rent boats. From the park, the river runs about three miles to Estero Bay. The park is open from 8 a.m. to sunset, and the historic settlement is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $5 per vehicle for two to eight people, $4 for a car with one person and $2 for walkers and cyclists.
The Village treats the two parks as one corridor. In June 2026, the Council accepted an Eco-Historic Planning Study, funded by a $450,000 CDBG-DR grant, that covers about 1,000 acres including the Estero River and Koreshan State Park and is framed as a 20-year plan.
Koreshan's calendar runs on the same months
The busy months at Koreshan line up almost exactly with the eagles' nesting window. The Friends of Koreshan events calendar lists these:
- History of Koreshan Music, Friday, November 13, 2026, at 10 a.m.
- First Day Hikes, Friday, January 1, 2027, at 10 a.m.
- Americana Concert Night, Saturday, January 9, 2027, at 7 p.m.
- Inside the Earth: A Koreshan Evening, Saturday, February 20, 2027, at 6:30 p.m.
- Swamp Blues Band, Saturday, March 6, 2027, at 7 p.m.
From January through March, the calendar also lists talks and classes on Koreshan history, the Tamiami Trail, Estero history, local nature, crafts and gardening. Guided tours of the settlement cost $10 per person, children under 13 go free, and park admission is separate.
On a Saturday, a winter morning can include both parks. You can walk RiverPark when it opens at 7, then head east on Corkscrew Road to Koreshan for a 10 a.m. program. Every one of those dates falls inside the October 1 to May 15 window, which is why the Phase 2 paths are designed for nesting-season access.
The longer line on the map
RiverPark's planning also looks past this winter. The Bonita Estero Rail Trail, known as BERT, would follow the Seminole Gulf Railway corridor that forms the park's eastern edge. Estero's segment runs about 4.1 miles from Estero Parkway south to the Bonita Springs line, at a stated purchase price of $19,792,209. In September 2026, the Village Council approved extending the purchase agreement's inspection period and closing date to allow more due diligence. South of the line, the News-Press reported that Bonita Springs voters approved a bond referendum for the trail on August 18, 2026, with 68.23% voting yes, 8,968 votes to 4,175.
A Village solicitation for a 32-acre site north of the river describes an east-west boardwalk that would link that land to the BERT corridor. The Village labels those site uses preliminary.
At Haven Group, we follow the projects that change how a Saturday morning in Estero works, from the next RiverPark trail to where the rail trail goes. If you want to talk about life along the Estero River corridor, contact us for a private consultation.