Discover Gaylord

In Gaylord, possible discoveries range from forest trails and mountain biking trails to a city-maintained elk herd, sports activities and the long-standing Alpenfest. When planning your trip, it’s worth first weighing the experiences you’re looking for: nature and exercise, activities for different interests, or a visit centered around the local festival tradition.

A forest park and trails for different skill levels

Open year-round, Aspen Park covers 100 acres and combines paved and unpaved trails. In summer, nearly two miles of paved trails are used for biking, hiking and skating. There are also more than six miles of singletrack for mountain bikes. Difficulty levels range from beginner to intermediate. This gives the park different types of trails and levels of challenge to consider when choosing your activities.

Another way to get active outdoors is the North Central State Trail. The 73-mile trail has a compacted limestone surface and is used by cyclists, runners and walkers. One section passes through Downtown Gaylord. An extension of the trail also runs through Downtown and along scenic Otsego Lake. These details describe different sections and features of the trail; you can use them to plan your day, depending on whether you’d rather focus on a longer route or a walk through town.

Downtown Gaylord is considered a pedestrian-friendly destination for walkers and shoppers. If you enjoy getting around on foot or want to set aside time for shopping, this offers a different focus from a day on the forest trails or the long-distance trail.

Watch elk and explore the park

Gaylord has public viewing areas for a city-maintained herd of more than 60 elk. These areas include Elk View Park. Aspen Park has also been expanded with the newest elk-viewing area. It has restrooms, a playground and a fully accessible viewing platform. When planning an outing, you can choose whether you’re looking for a viewing area with a playground and accessible platform or would like to visit Elk View Park as one of the public elk-viewing locations.

Sports and recreational activities

The Otsego County Sportsplex in Gaylord has a six-lane, 25-yard accessible swimming pool. It also has an NHL-size ice rink and public skating. If you’d like to include both swimming and skating in your trip plans, the Sportsplex offers different sports activities in one place. The pool’s details also offer a useful point of reference for anyone specifically looking to swim laps.

At Bavarian Falls Park, the main attractions are adventure golf, go-karts and Krazy Kars. The Call of the Wild Museum offers a different focus, with interactive exhibits about animals and history, as well as an interactive Great Lakes exhibit. The wildlife museum also features more than 60 wildlife exhibits, the Wildlife Theater and the Hands-on Learning Center. This means you can choose between rides and golf or exhibits and hands-on activities for your outing, rather than planning all recreational activities the same way.

Alpenfest: a tradition with announced dates

Alpenfest continues the tradition that began with Gaylord’s first Alpine Festival on July 5, 1965. The annual Swiss celebration includes special activities, an arts and crafts exhibition, numerous rides and food offerings. The 62nd edition is scheduled for July 13–17, 2027, in Alpine Village. If you’d like to plan your trip around the festival, these announced dates offer a specific point of reference; the festival activities described also give you an idea of the kind of program planned there.

When choosing a vacation rental in Gaylord, you can start with the experiences you prefer: the forest park and its trails, walks and shopping in Downtown, elk viewing, sports or Alpenfest.

For the broader travel overview: Otsego.