Parks

Visit some of the best nature parks that Michigan has to offer.

Enjoy 100 acres of the best scenery in Northern Michigan at Aspen Park with its nearly two miles of paved trails, used in the summer by bikers and hikers. Or get acquainted with the largest elk population in Michigan within their natural habitat at Elk Park. Looking for a great picnic spot? Take the family and kids to Doumas or Feel Park. Friday nights are better spent in Claude Shannon Park, enjoying one of the free Downtown Gaylord Summer Concert Series weekly concerts.

Aspen Park

Aspen Park is a year-round park featuring 100 acres of woods, with plentiful wildlife, paved and unpaved trails, tennis courts, and some of the best scenery in Northern Michigan.

Aspen Park, with its nearly two miles of paved trails, is used in the summer by bikers, hikers, and skaters enjoying the natural wonders of this gently rolling wooded terrain. In the winter, expertly groomed cross-country ski trails that range in degree of difficulty from beginner to intermediate provide the cross-country ski enthusiast an opportunity to journey through both hilly and wooded areas with two miles of trails lighted for night skiing.

The Northern Michigan Chapter of the Michigan Mountain Bike Association constructed the Aspen Park Mountain Bike Trail, which consists of over 6.0 miles of beginner to intermediate level singletrack, within Aspen Park. The singletrack winds through stands of pine, hemlock, and maple and is a fast trail with hill climbs and switchbacks.

Hours: Open 6:00 am — 11:00 pm, everyday (including weekends and holidays)
Location: Commerce Blvd, Gaylord, MI 49735
Amenities: Paved parking is available at the park entrance. Other amenities include picnic tables and benches.

On the Trail: Aspen Park; no hunting and a chance to see elk

Looking for a new place to hike and mountain bike safely during firearms deer hunting season? In past columns I’ve listed several areas around the Grand Traverse region......

City to start paving western portion of Aspen Park trail

“It really makes it much easier to visit and we really wanted to access the Scott Pond area as well. We feel that’s a cool feature with the water down there,” Duff said about…...

How to spend a Michigan’s Best Day in Gaylord

We love the variety of restaurants, vibrant business community, lively nightlife (yes, there is a nightlife), local breweries and long list of activities to experience "all outdoors"!...

Elk Park

Home to the largest elk population in Michigan this very spacious, fenced refuge allows you to view these beautiful creatures within their natural habitat.

With multiple viewing areas, you can get up close and personal or enjoy the view at a distance from the comfort of your car. During mating season you can see some antler play by the young bucks and hear the bellowing of huge male Elk looking to mate.

Fallow and Sika Deer also call Elk Park home.

Hours: Open 24 hours
Location: 116 Grandview Blvd, Gaylord, MI 49735
Amenities: Free Parking available

Downtown Gaylord Farmer’s Market

Vegetables, herbs, meats, fruit, breads, eggs, honey, syrup, baked goods, crafts and more! Come on out! We are located under the Pavilion on Court in Downtown Gaylord Saturday's, May through November 18th 2017. Wednesdays July through October....

Gaylord farmers market set to open May 23

Due to COVID-19, the market is taking all precautions deemed necessary by national and state guidelines to ensure the safety of both customers and vendors. Because of the guidelines, this market season will be a different one, but the ability to purchase quality food products from familiar producers remains unchanged....

Northern Express Calendar Events

Each week we serve the region with investigative features, news, food, drink and restaurant coverage, opinion, and the region’s most comprehensive entertainment calendar....

Pavilion On Court is an area dedicated to special events targeted to draw additional visitors to the downtown area.

Pavilion On Court is an area dedicated to special events targeted to draw additional visitors to the downtown area. The DDA Friday Night Concert Series, the DDA sponsored Blocktoberfest, the Gaylord Downtown Farmers Market, the Antiques & Collectibles Show, and Alpenfest are just a few examples of events that utilize the Pavilion On Court.

We encourage all entities planning community events to consider the Pavilion On Court as its primary meeting place. Though Pavilion On Court is a community gathering place, it is not intended for private family get-togethers or picnics.

POC Reservation Application

POC Information Packet

POC Deposit Agreement

Pavilion Market LLC

Ramp Park

For skateboarders, inline skaters and BMX bicyclists.

While this park is ideal for beginners, a variety of ramps and obstacles challenge all levels of experience, including a seven foot half pipe, a wave, a small table top, and a funbox.

Hours: 8 AM – 10:30 PM, No persons permitted after 11 PM
Location: 1250 Gornick Ave, Gaylord, MI 49735 (At the Otsego County Sportsplex)
Amenities: Free entry. Helmets are required.

Group plans to ‘Save the Skatepark’

“The skate park has been a safe haven, as with anything action-sports related with our group of friends,” said Christopher Gibson, 26, Gaylord resident and one of the spokesmen for the group. “Between the skate park and ski hills, as a youth we found a community that had substance behind...

Public Skate Park Development Guide

Public skateparks all start the same way; community interest in a new place to skate grows until some people do something about it. The skatepark team considers the most viable path to a new skatepark....

Gaylord MI Skateboard Lessons!

Is the fear of falling keeping you from progressing? Understand all of the basic principles of skateboarding fast in a one-week camp. We will teach you the principles of skateboarding such as how to balance, push, turn, proper foot placement, and how to stop....

Doumas Park

A wonderful family-friendly park with a new picnic gazebo, playground equipment, paved parking, rest rooms, picnic tables and benches to relax on.

Hours: Open Daily 6:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Location: 412 E 4th St, Gaylord, MI 49735
Amenities: Parking, Rest Rooms, Picnic Tables and Benches.

Pair of city parks receive upgrades

Familes and children will notice some fall improvements to a pair of Gaylord parks. The City is Gaylord is spending upward of $21,000 to make improvements to the George Doumas Memorial Park, 412 E. Fourth St., and Freel Memorial Park, 323 Huron St....

South Maple creates new after-school pickup option

In early September, parents could be seen waiting on Fifth Street and Maple Avenue to pick up students in a line that extended to Doumas Park and beyond, blocking intersections as some parents showed up an hour before school dismissed....

City of Gaylord, Community Recreation Plan 2016-2020

Year-round recreational opportunities abound in the area. The City of Gaylord is dedicated to create and maintain a vital recreational system. Planning for these resources is vital for the City's future....

Freel Park

Located on Huron Street, between Oak and Hazel Streets, this park features a wonderful playground with room to picnic and relax.

Hours: Open Daily 6:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Location: 323 Huron Street

Joseph N. Hale Park

Located on South Otsego Avenue at Second Street in downtown Gaylord, where you can eat and sit outdoors or under the pavilion.