The short answer
Sue Higgins Park (formerly Southland Park) in SE Calgary is the largest fully fenced off-leash area in the city, about 62 hectares along the Bow River near Southland Drive and Deerfoot Trail SE. It has multiple fenced sections, a smaller separate pen for one-on-one work, four river access points for swimming, plus weave poles, moguls, open fields, and shade. That mix of a full fence, a quiet pen, and river swimming makes it the go-to Calgary park for first-time owners, new rescues, and reactive dogs. The trade-off is that it gets busy, so if your dog is nervous, use the quiet pen and a weekday morning. Free parking, but you almost always drive here.
Quick Facts
| Park | Sue Higgins Park (formerly Southland Park), SE Calgary |
| Size | ~62 hectares along the Bow River |
| Fenced? | Yes, fully. Calgary's largest fenced off-leash area |
| Sections | Multiple fenced areas + a smaller one-on-one pen |
| Location | Southland Dr & Deerfoot Tr SE |
| River access | Yes, 4 Bow River access points for swimming |
| Hours | 5:00 AM - 11:00 PM daily |
| Parking | Free lot (fills on summer weekends) |
| Features | Weave poles, moguls, open fields, shade trees |
| Small-dog section | No dedicated one (use the smaller pen, or Connaught Park) |
| Off-leash bylaw fine | $100 if dog not under control |
Where It Is & Parking
Sue Higgins Park runs along the Bow River in SE Calgary, near the meeting of Southland Drive and Deerfoot Trail SE. If you grew up here you might still call it Southland Park, its old name. It is genuinely a drive-to park for most people, so plan on the car and the free lot rather than walking in.
- Use the park's free parking lot off the Southland Drive access
- The lot fills on summer weekends, so arrive before about 9 AM or after 4 PM for a closer spot
- From the lot, the main fenced field and the smaller pen are a short walk
- Full City details are on the City of Calgary Sue Higgins Park page
There are no entrance fees and no permits beyond the standard Calgary dog licence, which is mandatory for any dog over three months old under the City's Responsible Pet Ownership Bylaw.
What Is Inside the Fence
This is where Sue Higgins earns its reputation. It is not one flat field with a fence around it. It is a large, varied, fully enclosed space with several distinct areas, which is why it works for so many different dogs.
- Multiple fenced sections, so you can move to a quieter part of the park if the main field is busy
- A smaller separate pen for one-on-one work, which is the single most useful feature for a nervous, reactive, or brand-new dog
- Four Bow River access points where dogs can swim and cool off in summer
- Agility-style features including weave poles and moguls to break up a walk
- Wide open fields for running and fetch, plus shade trees that matter in July and August
The one thing it does not have is a signed small-dog-only enclosure. For a small dog you can either use the smaller pen to carve out space, visit off-peak, or go to Connaught Park, which does have a dedicated small-dog section.
Is It Right for Your Dog?
First-time owners & new rescue dogs
The best starter park in Calgary. The full fence removes the biggest first-timer fear, a dog bolting, and the smaller pen lets you keep early visits calm and controlled. Still give a new rescue the 3-3-3 settling period and reliable recall first, then start in the quiet pen on a weekday morning before working up to the main field.
Dogs with unreliable recall
Strong fit. This is the whole reason to come. A young Husky, a scent hound, or any dog still learning recall can run off-leash inside the fence without the consequences of an open park like Nose Hill. Pair the visits with structured recall practice, and use the smaller pen for focused sessions.
Reactive dogs
One of the better Calgary options, used carefully. The separate pen and the multiple sections let you keep distance from other dogs, which a small single-field park cannot. The risk is the crowd in the main field, so work in the quiet pen, go early on a weekday, keep a long line on, and do not push your dog into a packed field before it is ready. A Calgary force-free trainer like Raising Canine or Pup City Pup Academy can help you build a plan for using the park safely.
Water-loving dogs
Excellent. Four Bow River access points mean a Lab, Golden, or Doodle can actually swim, and being fully fenced at the same time is rare. Just respect the current, which is fast in spring runoff. Rinse river water off after, and check paws for cuts on rocky entry points.
Small and senior dogs
Workable with care. There is no dedicated small-dog section, so a small dog shares the main field with big dogs unless you use the smaller pen or visit off-peak. A confident small dog is usually fine outside busy hours; an anxious or fragile one is better at Connaught Park's small-dog enclosure.
Crowds & Staying Safe
Popularity is Sue Higgins' one real downside. On a warm weekend the main field can hold a lot of dogs at once, and like any busy fenced park, Calgary owners do occasionally report scuffles and the odd serious incident there. That is a management problem, not a reason to stay away. The park is big enough and sectioned enough to give you room, if you use it.
How to keep a visit calm:
- Use the smaller pen or a quieter section if your dog is small, nervous, or reactive
- Go on a weekday morning or in poor weather to skip the peak crowds
- Watch your dog, not your phone, so you can step in before a play spat escalates
- Keep moving rather than standing in a cluster, which reduces tension between dogs
- Leave the ball chucker home if your dog guards toys, and leave calmly if the field feels tense
Most conflicts at any Calgary off-leash park come down to crowding and owners not paying attention, not to bad dogs. Reading the field and picking your timing does more for safety than anything else.
Hours & Best Times
- Hours: 5:00 AM to 11:00 PM daily, the same as most City of Calgary parks
- Quietest: weekday mornings, and any day with rough weather
- Busiest: weekend late mornings and warm summer evenings
- Winter: quieter, and the main areas stay navigable, but bring traction and jacket a short-coated dog
- Swimming season: the river is most usable in summer; spring runoff (May to June) runs fast and cold
Rules & Etiquette
- Under control at all times, even inside the fence. The fine for failing this is $100.
- Pathways are on-leash. Leash up on the paved connecting paths to and from the lot.
- Pick up every time. Bag it and use the bins.
- Licence your dog. Mandatory for any dog over three months old.
- Ask before your dog approaches another, and respect an owner working a nervous dog at distance or in the pen.
- Watch the river. Do not let a dog swim out into fast current, especially in spring.
Nearby Alternatives
- In the NW instead? The Bowmont fenced field is the closest fenced equivalent on the other side of the city.
- Reliable recall and want a real hike? Nose Hill Park is the big open prairie option (unfenced, so recall matters).
- Small dog wanting a dedicated section? Connaught Park in the inner SW has a fenced small-dog area.
- Reactive dog that needs total separation? A private, bookable off-leash park lets you rent a fenced space one group at a time. See the private-parks list in our best off-leash parks guide.
Just adopted, and not sure which park yet?
Match the park to your dog before you drive out. Our full guide ranks every Calgary off-leash park with a “best for X” matrix, from first-time and reactive dogs to water lovers and big-space runners.
See the full Calgary off-leash guide →Practical First-Visit Tips
- Start in the smaller pen or a quiet section, especially with a new, nervous, or reactive dog
- Go on a weekday morning before 9 AM for the calmest field
- Bring water and a towel; the river gets dogs wet and muddy
- Keep a long line on an under-trained dog until recall is solid, even inside the fence
- Watch the Bow current at the river access points, and keep swimming short in spring
- In winter, wear traction and jacket a short-coated dog
If you have just brought a dog home and want a structured plan for the settling-in weeks before any off-leash park, see our first week with a rescue dog Calgary guide.
Sue Higgins Park FAQ
Is Sue Higgins Park fully fenced?
Yes. Sue Higgins Park has the largest fully fenced off-leash area in Calgary, fenced all the way around, and it is divided into multiple sections. It also has a smaller separate fenced pen you can use for one-on-one work with a dog that needs space away from the main crowd. That combination, full perimeter plus a quiet pen, is exactly why it is the park most Calgary trainers point first-time and reactive-dog owners toward.
Where is Sue Higgins Park and how do I get there?
It is in SE Calgary along the Bow River, near Southland Drive and Deerfoot Trail SE. There is a free parking lot, and realistically you drive here: it is not a walk-from-home park for most people, and the lot fills on summer weekends. Arriving before about 9 AM or after 4 PM gets you a closer spot and a quieter field. The park was formerly called Southland Park, so older maps and locals sometimes still use that name.
Can my dog swim at Sue Higgins Park?
Yes. The park sits on the Bow River and has four separate river access points where dogs can get in and cool off. That makes it one of the few Calgary parks that is both fully fenced and has real swimming, which is unusual. The Bow current is strong, especially during spring runoff in May and June, so keep an eye on a dog that swims out and do not assume a strong swimmer is safe in fast water.
Is Sue Higgins good for a reactive or newly adopted dog?
It is one of the best options in the city, with a plan. The full perimeter fence means a dog that would bolt at Nose Hill cannot get out, and the smaller separate pen lets you work your dog away from the crowd. The catch is that the main field gets busy, and a reactive dog meeting a dozen strangers at once can struggle. Use the quiet pen, go on a weekday morning, keep a long line on at first, and build up slowly. A newly adopted rescue should still finish the roughly three-month 3-3-3 settling period and have reliable recall before its first real off-leash visit.
How busy does Sue Higgins Park get?
Busy. It is one of the most popular off-leash areas in Calgary, and weekend late mornings and warm summer evenings can put a lot of dogs in the field at once. The size and multiple sections spread that out better than a small park would, but if your dog is nervous or still learning, the crowd is real. Weekday mornings and rougher-weather days are much calmer.
Is there a small-dog area at Sue Higgins Park?
There is no signed small-dog-only section, but the smaller separate fenced pen can be used to keep a small or nervous dog away from bigger dogs, which is the next best thing. If you want a park with a dedicated small-dog enclosure, Connaught Park in the inner SW is the standard Calgary pick. For a confident small dog, the main Sue Higgins field is fine outside peak hours.
How big is Sue Higgins Park?
About 62 hectares of river banks and inland marsh, which is large for a fenced off-leash space. Inside you will find wide open fields, several fenced sections, a smaller training pen, agility-style features like weave poles and moguls, shady trees, and the four river access points. There is room for a real walk, not just a quick game of fetch.
Has there been a dog attack at Sue Higgins Park?
Like any busy fenced dog park, Sue Higgins sees the occasional incident, and Calgary owners do report them, including the odd serious scuffle in the main field. That is a reason to manage your visit, not to avoid the park. Watch your dog rather than your phone, use the quieter pen and off-peak times if yours is small, nervous, or reactive, keep moving rather than clustering, and leave calmly if the energy in the field turns tense. Most conflicts trace back to crowding and inattention, not the park itself.
What is the best time to visit Sue Higgins Park?
Weekday mornings are the calmest, and any day with poor weather thins the crowd. Weekend late mornings and warm summer evenings are the busiest. Winter is quieter and the main areas stay navigable, though you will want traction and a jacket for a short-coated dog. For a first visit with a new or nervous dog, aim for a weekday before 9 AM.
What are the off-leash rules at Sue Higgins Park?
Even inside the fence, your dog must stay under verbal or visual control at all times, and Calgary's Responsible Pet Ownership Bylaw carries a $100 fine if your dog approaches another dog, a person, or wildlife without responding to you. Pick up after your dog every time, keep the connecting pathways on-leash, and carry a City licence, which is mandatory for any dog over three months old.