North Country Trail Association

Trail Town: Mackinaw City

The Village of Mackinaw City is a resort community located at the Straits of Mackinac where Lake Michigan and Lake Huron meet. As the southern end of the five-mile-long Mackinac Bridge, it is a gateway for recreation lovers traveling north and south. The Village offers many tourist attractions and historic sites.

The North Country Trail enters town on the southern border following the North Western State Trail, ending at the North Central Trailhead which leads to Cheboygan and beyond. The trailhead has a parking area, picnic tables, bike rack, restrooms, a shelter and information kiosks, but is open only during summer months. A narrow, crushed limestone path leads to a short service driveway. Go left to the downtown area or straight for the Mackinaw Crossings tourist shops.

Being a resort town, Mackinaw City has a full range of shops, restaurants, and motels open morning to late evening from Memorial Day until Labor Day. During early spring and fall, fewer businesses are open, and in winter most businesses are closed. During winter a few tourist shops are open as well as Coffman’s Hardware and the Village Market, a grocery store.

Mackinaw City has many historic sites within the Village. Old Mission Lighthouse is located near the Mackinac Bridge as is Colonial Michilimackinac, a fort built by French traders in 1670, now reconstructed based on 60 years of continuing archaeological work. Past the downtown area and near the marina is the Icebreaker Mackinaw Maritime Museum, which hosts a ship built in 1944 to keep the Straits of Mackinac free of ice during World War II. In the same area, two Mackinaw ferry lines offer rides to Mackinac Island where there are more historic sites and tourist attractions. West of the Village is Heritage Village, offering a glimpse of what life was like in the mid-1800s, and McGulpin Lighthouse. All these sites open during May or June, and close in September or October.

The Harbor Springs Chapter is responsible for the North Country Trail section through Mackinaw City.

Crossing the Mackinac Bridge: From the North Central Trailhead, follow the North Country Trail south to Nicolet Street (short distance). Follow Nicolet Street north about 1.5 blocks, going past the traffic light. Just past the road entry to the Bridge is a booth with a direct phone to the Mackinac Bridge Authority. Utilize that to call for transportation across the bridge, or call 906-643-7600. Currently transportation over the Mackinac Bridge costs $5 per person, and is available 24/7.

 

Resources Open All Year

Resources Open in Summer