Kivi Park can aptly be described as an outdoor adventure playground aiming to showcase (and preserve) what makes Northern Ontario so special. It’s open year-round, and it aims to remind folks that the fun certainly does not stop after the first snowfall. In fact, quite the opposite.
Kivi Park, located just south of the core of central Sudbury, is all about providing people with a place for adventure in all four seasons–and for the entire family.
I’ve had the pleasure of adventuring around Kivi Park in both the summer and winter months, and I have to say that I’ve seen first hand that this park is a dream to visit year-round.
Bri and I recently had the opportunity to visit the park in winter, and we were able to try our hand at winter fat biking, snowshoeing and winter hiking. It was so interesting to compare the fat biking trails to the same ones I’d gone through during the warmer months, and see how both experiences are actually quite different and unique in their own right.
This means that–snow or no snow–you’re in for a treat no matter when you visit Kivi Park. Keep reading to learn more about how you can make the most out of your time here when you visit Sudbury next.
What to Expect at Kivi Park
Kivi Park is actually set up as a not-for-profit, which is rather unique in the world of Ontario outdoors. Their ultimate goal is to “inspire people of all ages and abilities to engage with nature, get active and come together as a community to sustain and preserve the gift that is Kivi Park.”
Not dissimilar from downhill skiing, Kivi Park is set up with day passes and annual passes (with free admission to kids 10 and under). You can get full details on that here, but for reference’s sake it costs roughly $25 for a Family Day Pass, and $250 for the Annual Family Pass.
The funds collected go towards grooming and maintaining the trails (for hiking, fat biking, mountain biking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, skating and more), offering top notch amenities and services, education and community-building, and to ensuring that this whole operation remains sustainable.
A Brief History of Kivi Park
Before we get into the story, we think it’s worth noting the name itself. “Kivi” means rock in Finnish, and the name pays homage to the fact that the park is situated in the heart of the Canadian Shield.
300 acres of this land that we now know and love was actually donated by Lily Fielding, a humble local philanthropist who called nearby Long Lake home for many years. Even more exceptional, the land was donated in the one hundredth year of her life.
We want to share a brief excerpt from Kivi Park themselves on this story:
“Lily’s vision for the park also reflects her view of the Greater Sudbury community, which is the gateway to Northern Ontario, and the most significant social, cultural and economic hub north of Toronto. Kivi Park clearly plays its part. In the few short years since opening, the Park has played host to numerous local and provincial sporting and cultural events, and has been the chosen location for numerous philanthropic events and activities supporting local charities and organizations. It is also the only Para-Nordic training centre in Ontario and the training ground for countless other athletes.”
Kivi Park aims to honour Lily’s devotion to community by creating a space for all to enjoy. Accessibility, regardless of age, skill, physical ability or another other factor, is paramount to the identity of Kivi Park.
The Highlights of this Greater Sudbury Area Gem
Variety is the name of the game here. I’ll walk you through what you may want to prioritize, but it’s worth knowing that beyond just nature, Kivi Park can simply be thought of as a place to be active. I say that because besides the trails and lake access, there’s also a disc golf course, basketball courts, playgrounds and a soccer field.
It’s as much an “outdoor activity complex” as anything else, and that’s precisely why it’s popular amongst active visitors in and around the Greater Sudbury Area.
Kivi Park Trails
It’s fair to say that the trail network is the big draw at Kivi Park, and that’s because they maintain almost 56 kilometres of trails, whether you’re biking, hiking, skating, or cross-country skiing.
Personally, I took a fat bike out on the trails during my summer visit, and it was a blast because you could kind of go with the flow. I’d plan to do one trail, then spot a small diversion which I could see on my map connected to another trail, and launch down that.
Especially once I was loosely familiar with the park, I felt comfortable not even consulting my trail map, and literally just being as present as possible, especially since I knew the trails were well-marked and maintained.
There are also a few attractions that you should check out at Kivi Park, the most famous being the Wishing Tree. The old saying was to make a wish once you’ve sat on the tree, but it was cordoned off when I visited, likely because it was probably getting damaged over time. So now you can still go to the Wishing Tree, but just make your wish beside it as opposed to upon it.
Other more natural attractions include The Cedars, Kivi Ridge, and the Inukshuk, and they’re marked on the Kivi Park general map.
If you’re looking to crank things up a notch, you can also bring your mountain bike to the Pump & Flow Tracks, essentially a set of mounds and turns where can pick up some speed and air on your bike. I definitely took the fat bike for a spin on this and, admittedly, was definitely shown up by some kids who had some genuine talent for that course.
There are separate maps that you can download for hiking, biking, skiing, and skating. The main thing to note here is that all activities are organized by length and difficulty, so there’s always going to be something for the expert, and something for someone who is just getting started.
Crowley Lake
Crowley Lake is where members can head if they’re keen to get out on the water and take part in some fishing, canoeing, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, or to hike near a lake. It’s worth knowing that, understandably, this experience is up and running from June to October, but not during the winter months.
Although Crowley Lake is not immediately located near the main parking area (where the rentals are, etc.), it’s not far from it.
To access the lake:
- Turn on to McFarlane off of Long Lake Road
- Once you’re on McFarlane, take a right onto Raft Lake Road
- Follow the road through to Kasten Lake Road (also known as Brodill Lake Rd), until you arrive at the gate for Crowley Lake. It’s about an 11-minute drive from here to the access point
Visiting Kivi Park in Winter
If your thoughts on visiting Kivi Park only extend to the warmer months of the year, then you’re missing out on so many fun activities to enjoy in Kivi Park all year round.
Winter makes for an excellent time of year to visit Sudbury in general, and especially Kivi Park. We actually created a whole section on our post about winter in Sudbury on our “Best Things to Do in Sudbury” article, so feel free to check that out if you’re looking for more winter inspiration in the city during your visit.
Here are the best ways to experience winter in Kivi Park:
Get Out on the Trails
Not only is Kivi Park excellent for walking, hiking and biking in the warmer months, but it is a fantastic place to try your hand at winter hiking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and fat biking in the winter.
Because of their variety of trails, they offer just the right terrain for every type of activity. Their cross-country ski trails are well-marked and laid out, and their winding paths provide the perfect range of up- and downhill courses for fat biking. Whether there’s a fresh fall of powdery snow on the ground for a snowshoe, or a nicely packed and maintained trail to take a winter hike, it is ideal for all of these activities.
Not only are the trails perfect for these adventures, but you’ll find yourself completely awestruck at just how beautiful Kivi Park is on a snowy winter’s day. It feels like you’ve arrived at a true winter wonderland, and you’ll find yourself feeling torn about leaving.
Rent Your Equipment with Adventure365
Unlike so many nature parks across the province, a major benefit of visiting Kivi Park from out-of-town is their Adventure365 outpost directly at the main entrance of the park. It makes equipment rentals and demonstrations for new outdoor activities a breeze, since you don’t have to go off site to locate your rentals.
Adventure365 offers showshoe, fat bike and cross country ski rentals throughout the winter months, in addition to all of the safety equipment required, like helmets for bikes.
Bri and I were grateful that we were able to rent whatever equipment we needed to adventure around Kivi Park. It makes travelling a farther distance easier, since you don’t have to bring all your equipment in your car.
Go Skating on Nina’s Way
Nina’s Way is Kivi Park’s winter attraction that keeps people coming from near and far. It’s a 1.3 kilometre skating path that winds through a stunning array of birch trees.
It’s open daily in the winter from 11am – 8pm, and what we love about this experience is that once it’s dark (and we know it gets dark early in winter in Ontario), they turn on LED lights for “twinkling evening skates,” and they even play music along the path.
Talk about a chance to create some new winter memories!
One quick note–they don’t offer skate rentals onsite, so you will need to bring your own skates.
What Else is Worth Noting About Kivi Park?
- If you’re looking for a hot chocolate on a winter’s day or a cold beverage on a summer’s day, you’ll be happy to know about Kivi Cafe (also located near the rentals and parking). They also offer a variety of snacks so that you can refuel and keep doing what you love.
- There’s an Outdoor Lounge, and of course you know that means there’s a Muskoka chair or two, and a fire-pit!
- If you’re planning on spending a full day at Kivi, then it’s worth knowing that there’s a Picnic Area. That means that in the warmer months you can come in the late morning, have lunch there, and then continue on from there. Throw a cooler in your car with a pre-made lunch, and you’re good to go.
- If you’re looking to pay it forward, you can make a donation to help someone get their own pass. Almost 1000 park passes have been funded this way. All funds raised through this program will be matched up to $100,000, which makes this fund one of the most notable in both the province and the country at large.
- If you can imagine using it, there’s likely a way for you to rent it either on-site or near to Kivi Park through their partnerships. You can find out the full details here.
- If you want to stay in the know about the comings and goings of Kivi Park, they have a popular newsletter.
That’s a wrap from our side, but I sincerely hope you have a wonderful time if you’re visiting Kivi Park. It’s a unique place with a unique setup, and everyone I talked to mentioned that they felt they were part of something worth preserving and appreciating, and having visited, we can completely understand why.
We want to humbly thank Discovery Sudbury for hosting us as media. All opinions are completely my own.
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Christopher Mitchell is the Cofounder of Ultimate Ontario. He’s visited over 80 countries, and has lived on 4 continents, but now has his eyes set squarely on exploring this incredible province, and helping others do the same.