Otter Tail County plans first 2.5-mile Glacial Edge Trail segment

A 2.5-mile paved trail segment is set to reshape travel along County State Aid Highway 3 between Isle View Drive and County State Aid Highway 24, bringing the first construction work to Otter Tail County’s planned Glacial Edge Trail connection to Maplewood State Park.

The Maplewood Segment is slated for summer 2026 construction and will be 10 feet wide, paved and separated from the roadway. For people driving, biking or walking the corridor east of Fergus Falls, the project marks a shift from a roadside route to a dedicated multi-use trail designed for safer and more comfortable access.

The county has scheduled the bid opening for 2 p.m. June 2, 2026, in the Lida Lake Room at the Government Services Center in Fergus Falls. Sealed bids will be received by the Otter Tail County Auditor for County Project No. 575-4004, showing the project has moved from planning into formal procurement.

This first segment is only one piece of a much larger buildout. Otter Tail County and the City of Fergus Falls jointly amended the Glacial Edge Trail Master Plan in December 2021 to advance a 14-mile extension connecting the Otter Tail County Garage to Maplewood State Park. County materials say that broader route would run primarily along County Highway 1 and County Road 3 and would function as a paved, year-round multi-use trail.

That wider connection matters because it links Fergus Falls to Maplewood State Park, a destination that gives the trail both recreation and tourism value. County parks-and-trails materials say the program is meant to connect natural areas with urban and suburban areas, and the Glacial Edge project fits that goal by extending a regional trail system beyond city limits.

For nearby residents along CSAH 3, the immediate effect will be construction activity tied to the first 2.5-mile section. For Fergus Falls and the surrounding county, the longer-term question is whether the trail can draw more visitors into the corridor and support local businesses serving park traffic, cyclists and other users moving between the city and Maplewood State Park.

The county’s bidding page also says project plans and proposals are available through its OneOffice system, another sign that the trail is moving into the next phase. If the first segment stays on schedule, it will establish the pattern for the rest of the 14-mile route and determine how quickly Otter Tail County can turn the Glacial Edge Trail from a master plan into a connected corridor.