Day 6 - Mackinac Island, MI

Directions from Traverse City to Mackinaw City
Follow M-72 East to US-31 North
Follow US-31 North to Mackinaw City
Estimated travel time - 3 hours

From Mackinaw City to Mackinac Island
Follow signs to ferry docks
Park vehicle in "1 day" parking
No motor vehicles allowed on Mackinac Island
Estimated travel time of ferry from mainland to island - 16 minutes

Schedule of Events

6:00 a.m.
Load van and depart for Mackinaw City.  We will stop for breakfast along the way.
9:30 a.m.
Arrive at ferry dock.  There are a few ferry services to choose from, but in my opinion they are all about the same.  One day parking is free at most ferry docks.  Shepler's ferry service runs every half hour from Mackinaw City (and every 15 minutes during the busy mid-morning hours).  Rates at Shepler's are $16.50 for a round trip ferry ride from Mackinaw City to Mackinaw Island and back.  Click here for ferry schedules.  Load up a day pack (we will be spending the entire day on the island).  Snacks and refreshments are available on the island, as well as lunch and dinner, but prices can be high.  It would be a good idea to pack water and snacks.
10:00 a.m.
Get on ferry and head toward Mackinac Island.
10:30 a.m.
Arrive at Mackinac Island dock and leave the ferry.
10:45 a.m.
Brief meeting regarding what to do while on the island.  Bicycle rental is an option, but we will be here long enough to see a lot of the island on foot.  Bicycle rental runs from $5-10 per hour depending on the type of bike you desire.  A deposit of between $20 and $30 on average is required for bike rental.  You can cover more ground beyond the main tourist area if you have a bike.  Maps are available and tend to be quite handy.  Things you may want to see include:  Arch Rock and Sugar Loaf, as well as amazing views of the Straits of Mackinaw and Lake Huron along with Lake Michigan.  Take advantage of the historical aspects of the island as well as the commercial aspects.  Be sure to indulge in a bit of Mackinac Island fudge.
11:00 a.m.
The group is turned loose and asked to return to the ferry dock by 7:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
Dinner as a group.
8:30 p.m.
Catch ferry back to Mackinaw City.
8:50 p.m.
Load van and head to hotel.  Mackinaw City offers a wide array of lodging possibilities.  (Staying on the island is an option, but it tends to be more expensive.)
9:00 p.m.
Check into hotel.  Take time to compare notes from the day with fellow group members.  Share sketches and ideas about your day on the island.  Relax and get a good night sleep.

Why Visit Mackinac Island?
Mackinac island is one of the most beautiful places to visit in Michigan.  A trip to
Michigan would not be complete without visiting the island.  You'll notice that within this
web site, the spelling of Mackinac changes.  The spelling of Mackinaw City is with a "w",
and the spelling of Mackinac Island is with a "c", but they are pronounced the same.
It is not pronounced mak-in-ak, but mak-in-aw.  Hope that clears things up a little.


 

Carriage rides are quite popular.

Fort Mackinac

American flag over the fort

The streets of Mackinac Island

Mackinac Island is rich with history. Fort Mackinac, built by British soldiers during the American
Revolution (1780), is open to the public.  Demonstrations and tours are scheduled daily.
Historical landmarks can be found all around the island.

Native american legends are also associated with many areas on the island.
It is believed that shortly after the glaciers retreated, Native Americans looked out across the Straits
and noticed the island.  From where they looked, the island resembled a
mish-la-mack-in-naw, or big turtle.  After moving to the island the Native Americans
used the natural limestone caves as burial sites.

Mackinac Island is located about 7 miles northeast of Mackinaw City in Lake Huron.  The
Straits of Mackinaw separate Lake Michigan from Lake Huron so on clear days from high points
on the island you can actually see both of these Great Lakes.  The Mackinaw Bridge pictured below
allows automobiles to travel the 5 mile stretch across the Straits into the Upper Peninsula.

Photo courtesy of Sheplers

Ferries heading across Lake Huron to Mackinac Island
Photo courtesy of mightmac.org

The Mackinaw Bridge connects the lower and upper peninsulas.

The geologic history of Mackinac Island is also quite interesting.  The island is yet another
landform that was left behind after the Pleistocene glaciers retreated.  One of the most fascinating
geologic finds on the island is Arch Rock.  Arch rock is a natural limestone formation which sits
149 feet above the shoreline and stretches 50 wide.  Limestone is a sedimentary rock containing
calcite (as it's main mineral) and dolostone.  Mackinac island was once entirely under
water which explains these vast limestone deposits.  The sediments that make up this limestone
were once carried in solution in the ancient lakes that covered the Mackinac area.  Those sediments
precipitated to form limestone.  As time went by the calcite in the limestone, which is a
relatively soft mineral was worn away by flowing water and other forms of natural erosion.
Various view of Arch Rock from above and below.  The water that can be seen is Lake Huron.

Sugarloaf is another one of the island amazing limestone formation.  At a height of 75 feet it is
a spectacular sight to see.  Some narrow trails have been eroded around the base of Sugarloaf so
you are able to do a little climbing around it if you're wearing sturdy shoes and feeling sure-footed.
The area around Sugarloaf is virtually untouched so the feeling here is very quiet and peaceful.
The formation is surrounded by trees and wildlife.  Other than the occasional cyclist riding by,
or the appearance of one of the thousands of bats that make their home within the
openings in the formation, the Sugarloaf area is quite serene.


People emerge from the shadows for scale.

Another angle

Close up.
Sugarloaf
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