Otsego County

Otsego County is a favorite vacation destination for all seasons.

Located in the heart of the Northern Lower Peninsula, Otsego County is home to the headwaters of five renowned trout streams — the Black, Pigeon, Sturgeon, Manistee and AuSable rivers — drawing fly and spinning anglers for trout season which begins on the last Saturday of April and continues strong well into the fall.

Spring also brings out morels, the prized fungus sought by mushroom lovers across Michigan and border states.

Summer is prime time for golfing the area’s many courses, camping at Otsego Lake County Park and Otsego Lake State Park, swimming at scattered beaches, fishing and boating numerous inland lakes and hiking miles of trails in the Pigeon River Country State Forest or the Groen Nature Preserve near Johannesburg.

Fall is the season for sportsmen and sportswomen. Thousands of acres of state land hold abundant small game, upland birds, turkey and deer, and Otsego County is a central location for Northern Michigan’s herd of 1,000 wild elk, which can sometimes be spotted while cruising back roads.

Winter brings lots of snow and skiers and snowboarders will find plenty of runs and terrain parks at Treetops Resort and Otsego Club & Resort.

Gaylord serves not only as Otsego’s county seat and shopping and entertainment hub, but unique communities Vanderbilt, Elmira, Johannesburg, Waters are within its borders. Nine townships — Otsego Lake, Bagley, Livingston, Hayes, Elmira, Chester, Dover, Charlton and Corwith — also lie within Otsego County.

Through all seasons, there’s plenty of shops, restaurants, accommodations and meeting facilities to fulfill the vacationer or visitor. Visit the county Web site at www.otsegocountymi.gov.