Welcome to Utopia, or how the Victorians who decided to gather in a commune in their tropical paradise thought it should be. A collection of preserved buildings marks their village established in Florida’s wilds.
Walk the lushly forested banks of the Estero River between the picnic area and launch of the park to step into a past remembered through interpretation of their community and their beliefs.
Resources
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Overview
Location: Estero
Length: 2.1 miles
Trailhead: 26.43117,-81.814781
Address: 3800 Corkscrew Rd, Estero
Fees: $4-5 per vehicle. Tours $2 per person.
Restroom: Yes, several
Land manager: Florida State Parks
Phone: 239-992-0311
Open 8 AM until sunset daily. Leashed pets welcome. Expect mosquitoes.
Directions
From Interstate 75 exit 123 between Fort Myers and Naples, take CR 850 east towards Estero, merging onto Corkscrew Rd. After 2 miles, cross US 41. The park entrance is on the right within the next 0.2 mile.
About the Park
Koreshan was planned as a “New Jerusalem,” a Utopia where women had equal rights with men and everyone lived by the Golden Rule.
The commune slowly faded away, and the last few members deeded the property to the state in 1961.
The well-preserved village is now a major part of the park, where you can stroll the streets as they looked more than a century ago.
Florida’s Utopia At the Koreshan Unity in Estero, Florida, a group of believers gathered in 1894 to build their paradise. It is now a National Historic Site and a Florida State Park. Restored gardens with tall stands of bamboo line a walk between the community and the recreational side of the park. A nature trail extends nearly a mile from the launch to the gardens.
The 60 site campground includes not just standard sites under the tree canopy but a collection of glamping tents as well.
Launch your kayak (or rent one at the outfitter outside the park gates) for a paddle into Estero Bay to see Mound Key, a man-made island of oyster shells rising 32 feet high and now a separate state park.
This outstanding archaeological site was was the capital city of the Calusa, where King Carlos received the Spanish explorers who came to his shores in the 1500s.
Mound Key Archaeological State Park Launch your kayak from either Koreshan Historic State Park or Lovers Key State Park for a paddle into Estero Bay to see Mound Key, a significant Calusa archaeological site.Trail Map
Explore More!
Slideshow
See our photos of Koreshan State Park
Nearby Adventures
Estero River Scrub Skirting the edge of a tidal marsh alongside Estero Bay, the loop trails at Estero River Scrub are incredibly unique and a challenge to hike. 
Estero Bay Preserve State Park An aquatic preserve, Estero Bay Preserve State Park has mangrove-rimmed flats beloved of flats fisherman and paddlers as well as two upland access points with extensive trails.
CREW Flint Pen Strand Just four miles east of Interstate 75, get your feet wet in one corner of the vast the Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed on the trails of Flint Pen Strand.
CREW Cypress Dome Trails On this 4.4 mile loop, experience an impressive array of habitats in Florida panther habitat - from sandy flatwoods to flooded cypress swamps - in the Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed.
- Hal Scott Yellow Trail - November 3, 2026
- Hal Scott Preserve - October 28, 2026
- Tradewinds Park - October 27, 2026