Gaylord Launches Live Webcam for One of Michigan’s Most Iconic Elk Herds

If you’ve ever driven through Gaylord and slowed way down hoping to catch a glimpse of the elk, you’re not alone. For a lot of people, seeing those massive animals is just as much a part of the trip as snowmobiling in winter or golfing in summer.

Now, you don’t even have to be there in person to check in on them.

Gaylord just launched a new live webcam that lets you watch one of Michigan’s most famous elk herds from anywhere, which feels especially perfect this time of year when getting up north isn’t always in the cards.

While Gaylord is well known for its award-winning golf courses and its extensive snowmobile trail network, the elk are a year-round draw. One tourism survey found that about 60 percent of people who visit Gaylord, whether for a vacation or a quick day trip, make time to see the elk.

The new elk webcam streams live footage from Elk View Park and can be viewed directly on the Gaylord tourism bureau’s website. It’s a collaboration between the Gaylord Tourism Bureau, the Otsego County Commission on Aging, and the City of Gaylord.

The camera is positioned near the herd’s feeding area, which means you’re pretty likely to catch some good views, especially during the winter months when the animals tend to gather there. These aren’t small creatures, either. Some of the bull elk weigh more than 800 pounds and stand over six feet tall, which somehow feels even more impressive when you’re watching them casually stroll across the snow.

Elk View Park itself spans more than 100 acres, giving the herd plenty of space to roam. There are about 60 elk currently living there, all cared for by city staff. The herd has an interesting history, too. The penned elk program started in the late 1980s as something of a rescue effort after a local nature center closed. Over time, it grew into what it is today, which now also includes sika and fallow deer alongside the elk.

Still, there’s something kind of perfect about being able to pull up a live stream and watch the elk without having to scrape your windshield or check road conditions. It’s a small reminder of why people fall in love with Northern Michigan in the first place. Even when you’re not there, it has a way of pulling you in.