Barron Park is located at the base of the Caloosahatchee River Bridge in historic downtown LaBelle…read more The land for the park was donated by W. Barney Barron and Lois Barron in the 1960's. Lois's maiden name was Hendry. She is a descendant of Francis A. Hendry who was a Florida cattle rancher, politician, and officer in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. Hendry County is named for him. The town of LaBelle is named for his daughters Laura June and Carrie Belle Hendry. For 54 years the park has been the site of the annual Swamp Cabbage Festival held annually the last full weekend in February. Swamp cabbage is the vegetable heart of palm, which grows in the sabal palm which is the state tree of Florida. Pioneers served it boiled. The event has a parade, rodeo, food, and live music. LaBelle also stages other events like the Easter and Fourth of July celebrations in the park. The river provides a beautiful back drop to the park and makes it a popular fishing destination. Park amenities include river front picnic tables, tennis courts, dedicated benches, a covered pavilion, gazebo, stage with large seated area, restrooms, boat docks and slips. The park anchors the downtown area and provides the town with a place to gather for events. I loved the view of the river and the stately live oak trees dripping in Spanish moss. This charming park is the perfect place for a picnic lunch.

LaBelle is the county seat of Florida's Hendry County. It is located on the south side of the…read moreCaloosahatchee River and owes its existence to the early cattle drivers and trappers in the area as far back as 1889. This park is directly on the river at the foot of the bridge carrying Florida State Road 29. The park is the host of the annual Swamp Cabbage Festival, which apparently I just missed by about two or three weeks. The start and finish line of the 5 k walk/run is here along with some other celebrations, tents and even a beauty pageant. For those who don't know, swamp cabbage is the vegetable heart of palm, which grows in the sabal palm which is the state tree of Florida. The park has a number of benches facing the slow moving river, a gazebo, a structure with restrooms and a playground. There is plentiful parking and lots of shade. Some folks were fishing when I stopped by. [Review 14817 overall, 319 of 2021, number 1306 in Florida.]

Nestled along the scenic Caloosahatchee River, LaBelle Nature Park offers a tranquil escape for…read morenature lovers seeking a peaceful retreat. The well-maintained trails wind through lush greenery, providing a great opportunity for an easy, shaded walk. I stuck to the main path and had no issues, though some offshoots could be better marked. And because I was here in cooler weather, i did not have issues with the insects that others encountered. Remember, never hike alone. There are two-legged and four-legged wildlife so be prepared. But for me, a lovely walk that was a good break driving across Florida today. [Review 413 of 2025 - 2058 in Florida - 23975 overall]

A nice place to go for a afternoon stroll! Trails are clean and fairly easy to walk through no big…read moretrees or brush in the way. Leads the river with some really nice views. You can also hang out at the shelter that offers seating by the river. There are park benches through the trail so if tired you can take a break. You will run into wild life like turtles and rabbits so keep any eye out for holes they make. It did seem like there maybe homeless people camping in the park so just be aware incase you see someone or something walking through the brush you wont confuse for Bigfoot.

This large park is located next to the LaBell elementary school and includes a soccer field, pickle…read moreball courts, basketball courts, a picnic pavilion and a large playground that is in amazing condition. After driving over from Fort Myers, it was nice to take a good walk along the walking track and I also stopped at the restrooms that were in good condition. There is some outdoor fitness equipment (I skipped that). The soccer field looks to be in good shape and the walking trail is really nice. [Review 16784 overall - 1509 in Florida - 297 of 2022.]

If you want to change from beach scenery to more nature theme setting, try Caloosahatchee Regional…read morePark (CRP) in Lee Country along the Caloosahatchee River in Alva. You can set up camp, ride mountain bike and Equestrian trails or hiking in CRP. For mountain bike and equestrian trails, go to Parking Lot #3 known as North Park Entrance. For hiking, go to Parking lot #2 or Main Park Entrance. For camping go to Parking Lot #1 or Campground Entrance! You must register for camping and have a campsite assigned to you or your group! BBQ pits and benches are available. There is a lodge with a kitchen and ice machine that can accommodate up to 80-100 participants. Before you go to CRP, make sure you call and plan out your activity ahead. Some trials may not be available in the raining season. Check your mountain bike to ensure they are in excellent working condition as there is an advanced or more difficult biking trials. No dogs or alcohol are allowed in the park! Caloosahatchee Regional Park is a hidden gem in Lee County! Bring plenty of water and enjoy the nature, hiking or camping!

Beautiful trails. Comfortable lookout areas over the river. A large covered area with several…read moretables. Very well maintained. Clean restrooms.

This park is located off of North State Rd 78. I saw a Florida heritage sign for it on the side of…read morethe road and decided to make a detour to investigate. This park is in the middle of nowhere in the heart of cattle country where the cows out number the people 10 to 1. You drive down a dirt road and come to a park. The park has picnic pavilions, a bathroom, and a small playground for kids. The real reason I wanted to visit the park is that it contains several ancient Calusa Indian mounds and canals that were once used as waterways for travel and transportation. The Calusa used wooden and shell tools to create waterways that were 20 feet wide and 3 to 4 feet deep and allowed them to travel from Lake Okeechobee and the Gulf of Mexico. The canals date to 1700 years ago (the same age approximately as the Miami Circle) and the site was first discovered in 1839. The park is named the Larry Luckey Ortona Indian Mound Park for the retired Glades County Property Appraiser who was instrumental in creating the park and preserving the area. He created the park paths and arranged to have the land cleared. He first asked the county commission to consider his plan in 1987 and the park was created in 1989. In addition to the Indian mounds there is a scrub habitat with wading birds, a hammock habitat, a grassy area, and Lake Wobegon. Every year the park is the site of the Ortona Cane Grinding Festival organized by Luckey and his wife Neva. The festival celebrates the early settlers' cultivation and the processing of sugarcane syrup. admission includes a chicken and pork lunch. The proceeds of the event go to the Glades County fire department where the couple is actively involved. I hope to get to the Sugar Cane Festival one day. On the day I visited the park was deserted. There is a kiosk with information on the Calusa Indians but when you try to take the boardwalk to the nature trails it is falling apart. The boardwalk is actually on top of mound. I tried to go further and ended up with several nasty scratched on my arm. It's a shame that the boardwalk has been allowed to fall apart. You can't access the nature trail if you can't cross the boardwalk. Many of the ancient mounds were carted away for road fill and others were lost when the Ortona cemetery was built. That is why it is so important to preserve what is left and it was disappointing to see the park let go this way. I hope the county gets it together and treats this park like the archaeological treasure it is.

A rare gem in the rural cattle & sugar fields of Glades County! This is a County Park managed as a…read morenatural area, full of Palms, Oaks & Pine with a scrub habitat beyond the central pavilion area. It also commemorates the ancient Ortona Native Americans who first inhabited this area 3,000 years ago and built extensive canals by-hand to connect with the Calhoosahatchee River several miles away, possibly even the Gulf Coast. Archaeological interpretive kiosk along path to the right of the cane grinder after entering. A great place for quiet serenity and viewing native upland plants under the trees. The County keeps this park natural and does not interfere with native vegetation. Rustic sheds adjacent to the entry pavilion area are used for local festivals and family events.

In the 1800's white settlers flooded into Florida and the government became determined to relocate…read moreall Native Americans west of the Mississippi. This forced removal policy sparked the Second Seminole War 1835-1842. As the Seminoles fled south into Florida to evade capture and being sent out west, they moved into the Everglades in order to hide. In response the army set up forts south of Tampa to the east coast along rivers as they chased after the Seminoles who were much more skilled at surviving in the terrain than the soldiers. Fort Thompson was one of these forts and it was established in 1838 as a military post to store supplies for the Seminole Wars. The fort was named Lt. Colonel Alexander Thompson, who died in the battle of Okeechobee in 1837. I was able to watch a recreation of the Battle of Okeechobee earlier this year and I learned a lot more about the battle. All that remains of the fort is the marker that signifies where it was built. The marker was placed by the LaBelle Heritage Museum. The last remnants of the fort were washed away with the dredging of the Caloosahatchee River. The Confederate army used this land during the Civil War to raise cattle. After the Civil War a community named Thompson built up around the old fort because it was the best place to cross the Caloosahatchee River for miles around. Confederate Captain Francis Asbury Hendry purchased the property in 1879 which he used it for his home and a cattle ranch. Hendry founded the town of LaBelle in the late 1880's along the western edge of the property, named for his daughters Laura Jane and Carrie Belle. Hendry County is named in honor of Captain Hendry. In 1885 steamboat service began between Fort Myers and LaBelle. Fort Thompson was purchased in 1905 by Edgar Everett Goodno who built an ice and electric plant. Goodno built the Fort Thompson Park Hotel on the site which brought many people to the area including Thomas Edison and Henry Ford. Ford purchased part of Goodno´s property in 1924 and it renmained in his name until 1942 when he sold it to one of Captain Hendry´s cousins, Joseph B. Hendry. The old Fort Thompson Park Hotel was torn down in the early 1940's. The historical marker erected on this site is a bit difficult to see and is faded. It is next to the gate of a private home located on SR80 just east of the City of LaBelle, FL. Five stars for the history of this place.

Very nice park! used to go there when i was younger. Has a dog park, two kid parks, a huge field,…read moreskate park and a tennis court. This will forever be one of my favorite courts.

Fields are choppy and will probably get worse considering this was the first game. Vast area with…read moreabout 10 full soccer fields. Pets are not allowed on the fields but there is ample room for them outside the gated fields. WASC plays here and I wish the fields were better. Sigh...

I'm not sure if this small space is operated by LaBelle, Hendry County or even FDOT. There is no…read moredesignated parking and the only feature here are a few very nicely shaded concrete picnic tables. There are no fences or barriers. The park stands at the intersection of Main Street and Cowboy Way, two major roadways of LaBelle. There is a supermarket on one corner and a 7-Eleven on another. Considering there are no trash cans, I was surprised that there was no litter. Only a wayward hubcap missing its three friends. [Review 16786 overall - 1511 in Florida - 299 of 2022.]

Just to the east of the Caloosahatchee River Bridge on the north side of the river, this small park…read moreis completely passive. There is a designated parking area and a sign indicating that this is a preserve for an endangered turtle. A small path (driveable?) goes through the woods to a clearing by the river where you can see the bridge. There are no picnic tables, there is no playground, there are no restrooms. It's nice that this space is set aside but unless you have your own seating, there isn't much you can do here. I would also recommend caution as there could be wildlife who notice that you've brought lunch. [Review 16789 overall - 1514 in Florida - 302 of 2022.]

The best bike park in SW FL!!! Caloosahatchee Regional Park has over 10 miles of great mountain…read morebike trails! with lots of Fast drops, big climbs and lots of beautiful Florida sights. A great way to get some exercises! Make sure to check the web site before heading out. Fl Mudcutters.com Caloosahatchee Regional Park.com