*Subject to 6% Michigan sales tax, 4% Mackinac Island assessment, 19.5% resort fee, and a $16.00 per person, per stay, baggage-handling charge. Regular children’s rates apply. Extra charges apply for additional adults over double occupancy rates. Dates are subject to availability, 30-day cancellation policy applies.

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Visit Grand Hotel Website >>>>

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Grand Hotel On Facebook

Below are the latest postings from the Grand Hotel Page On Facebook.

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Visit Grand Hotel Website >>>>

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This year marks the 29th running of one of the most scenic trail events in the state.  Join over 2200 participants running and walking the inside trails of Mackinac Island during the last open weekend of the season.

Great Swag!  Great Turtle is known for it’s swag! This year we’re bringing back a favorite in a new color. Our 2025 garment is a dark green quarter zip tech shirt, with lime green overstitch

All who register will receive:

• Our Great Turtle commemorative garment
• Our signature finish medal
• Free digital photos
• Post Race Refreshments
• A great challenging course
• The friendliest volunteers ever!
• Fun, festivities, and sales at Mission Point and Downtown

Come enjoy the beauty of late fall on Mackinac Island, great end-of-season sales and fun Halloween events for adults and kids.

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2025 Mackinac Island Trio Series!

Register for three RunMackinac races (either the Fort2Fort 5 Mile or the Lilac Festival 10K, plus both the Mackinac Eight Mile and the Great Turtle Trail Race) and you will receive a special Mackinac Island Trio Series medal. This will be a separate medal from the other finisher’s medals you will receive at the completion of all three races, and will be awarded following the Great Turtle Half Marathon. To register for the Trio, go to either the Fort2Fort or Lilac 10k races and you will see the registration box.  You can also register individually for all three events and be eligible for the Trio and the medal.

Special Rates at Mission Point Resort for the Race and the Trio Series!

Mission Point is holding rooms for all RunMackinac events at special rates – if you call to reserve rooms for your three Trio races and tell them you are doing the Trio, you will receive a 10% discount.  Call 800-833-7711 to get the 10% Trio discount.

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Visit Mackinac Island Great Turtle Website >>>>

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Mackinac Island Road Races On Facebook

Below are the latest postings from the Mackinac Island Road Races Page On Facebook.

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Visit Mackinac Island Great Turtle Website >>>>

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The trail begins at Greany Grove (corner of Arch Rock Road and Huron Road) with a bonfire and hot chocolate. The trail is groomed, track set, lit by lanterns and approximately two miles long.

This is a free event sponsored by Mackinac State Historic Parks, Mackinac Island Community Foundation and the Mackinac Island Ski Club. #thisismackinac

**Transportation can be difficult to Mackinac Island in the winter months. Please check ferry and plane schedules.**

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Saturday, January 11, 2025 at 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM

Saturday, February 1, 2025 at 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM

Saturday, March 1, 2025 at 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM

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Visit Mackinac Island – Twilight Turtle Trek Website >>>>

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The trail begins at Greany Grove (corner of Arch Rock Road and Huron Road) with a bonfire and hot chocolate. The trail is groomed, track set, lit by lanterns and approximately two miles long.

This is a free event sponsored by Mackinac State Historic Parks, Mackinac Island Community Foundation and the Mackinac Island Ski Club. #thisismackinac

**Transportation can be difficult to Mackinac Island in the winter months. Please check ferry and plane schedules.**

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Saturday, January 11, 2025 at 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM

Saturday, February 1, 2025 at 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM

Saturday, March 1, 2025 at 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM

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Visit Mackinac Island – Twilight Turtle Trek Website >>>>

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The trail begins at Greany Grove (corner of Arch Rock Road and Huron Road) with a bonfire and hot chocolate. The trail is groomed, track set, lit by lanterns and approximately two miles long.

This is a free event sponsored by Mackinac State Historic Parks, Mackinac Island Community Foundation and the Mackinac Island Ski Club. #thisismackinac

**Transportation can be difficult to Mackinac Island in the winter months. Please check ferry and plane schedules.**

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Saturday, January 11, 2025 at 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM

Saturday, February 1, 2025 at 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM

Saturday, March 1, 2025 at 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM

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Visit Mackinac Island – Twilight Turtle Trek Website >>>>

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There will also be a Virtual Race, which can be run or walked anytime at participant’s convenience. All virtual times can be logged by the participant in a separate Virtual Race category (no awards).

The Fort2Fort Five Mile is part of the Mackinac Island Trio Series! Register and complete either the Fort2Fort Five Mile Challenge or the Lilac Festival 10K, plus both the Mackinac Island Eight Mile and Great Turtle Trail Run, and you will receive a special Mackinac Island Trio Series medal. This will be a separate medal from the other finisher’s medal and will be awarded following the Great Turtle Half Marathon. (Note, Virtual events count as participation in the Trio).

STARTING TIME

The start of both the 5 Mile Run and Walk will begin inside Fort Mackinac at 9:00 am with the sound of the musket firing. Runners and walkers will go through the Sally Port gates to the course ahead on Huron Road

Fort doors will be open and rest rooms available inside. Restrooms are also available outside at the Huron Road Pavilion.

LOCATION

The race will finish on the lawn behind and east of Fort Mackinac (next to start line).

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Visit Mackinac Island Fort2Fort Five Mile Challenge Website >>>>

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This is Not a Race!

The Zoo-de-Mackinac is a collection of outdoor enthusiasts (2,500-4,000) who want to enjoy a little physical exercise together in one of the most beautiful areas in the state of Michigan. The bike ride starts Saturday morning at Boyne Highlands Resort and spans 51 miles along Lake Michigan on a paved road with very little automobile traffic. Riders pedal through rolling countryside and trillium covered forests, along sandy beaches, and are surrounded by breathtaking views of Lake Michigan from 400′ high bluffs. We stop approximately half way, at a unique place called the Legs Inn for a leisurely lunch and to swap stories. The ride continues on to Mackinaw City, where Star Line Ferry boats have been chartered for the ride over to Mackinac Island. Once on the magical island, check into your hotel and stroll into town to forget the aches and pains from the day’s ride. As the evening wears on, the island comes alive with The Gatehouse, Pink Pony, and Horns hosting post ride parties with incredible live bands!

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Visit the Zoo-De-Mackinac Website >>>>

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Zoo-De-Mackinac On Facebook

Below are the latest postings from the Zoo-De-Mackinac Page On Facebook.

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Visit the Zoo-De-Mackinac Facebook Page >>>

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Visit the Zoo-De-Mackinac Website >>>>

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Join us on Saturday, June 6, 2026, to kick off the 78th Mackinac Island Lilac Festival with a great morning race to enjoy the early season beauty on the Island. The course will provide you with the tree-covered paved roads through the center of the Island, and tremendous lake views with the Mackinac Bridge on the horizon. This is certainly a race you don’t want to miss!

Lil’ Lilac Kid’s Race!

There will be a special event for young children starting at 11:45, at the school. Children will run on the lawn outside the school (either 150 or 300 yards, depending on age and ability), and receive a medal at the finish. Race registration includes a shirt.

Race Start and Distance!

Location

The Lilac Festival Run & Walk will start in front of Wyndamere Park on Main Street and finish in the Mackinac Island School yard. (The start is 5 Minutes from the school, so please allow enough time).

The Lil’ Lilac Kids Run will begin and end at the Mackinac Island Public School. Children will run either 150 or 300 yards on the lawn outside the school.

Starting Times

10K race start is 9:30 a.m.

Lil’ Lilac Kids Run start is 11:45 a.m.

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Visit Lilac Festival Run & Walk Website >>>>

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The Bayview Mackinac Race – which will begin on Saturday, July 12, 2025 – is recognized as one of the most challenging freshwater boat races in the world. Join the excitement of the Port Huron to Mackinac Race as boat racers sail Michigan’s Great Lakes to reach their final destination, Mackinac Island. It’s all Pure Michigan from start to finish!

Bayview Mackinac Race Quicklinks:

• Online Race Tracking – 2025
• Bayview Yacht Club – Race to Mackinac Facebook Page
• Bayview Yacht Club Website

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In the ten decades that the Bayview Mackinac Race has been sailed, much has happened. Wars, economic depressions, and other significant events have transpired, yet the Race has gone on. In fact, President Franklin D. Roosevelt wired a message to Bayview during World War II when word reached the White House that the Club was considering canceling the race. That message read: “Sail your race.” Even then, it was clear that this race was and is important for sailors and for the State of Michigan. Bayview did sail the Mackinac Race that year, and has done so every single year since the first Bayview Mackinac Race in 1925, making it the longest consecutively run freshwater race in the world. This year’s race starts on July 12, 2025.

In its own way, the Bayview Mackinac race has become a vital part of Great Lakes history, Michigan history, and sailing history.

Celebrate the start of the race in Port Huron. Then follow the course of the Port Huron to Mackinac Race as they head north along the shores of Michigan’s eastern coast. Join the festivities at the finish line on Mackinac Island. Where the hospitality and celebration is always second to none.

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Visit Bayview Yacht Club Website >>>>

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Bayview Mackinac Race On Facebook

Below are the latest postings from the Bayview Mackinac Race Page On Facebook.

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Visit Bayview Mackinac Race on Facebook >>>

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Chippewa Hotel – Bayview Mackinac Race – Photo Gallery (Click on photo for slideshow view)
 
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Visit Bayview Yacht Club Website >>>>

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Sailors from 15 different U.S. states as well as Ontario, Switzerland, and as far off as Hong Kong, are preparing for the race of a lifetime – the 333 mile Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac, presented by Wintrust.

The Mac, as it is affectionately known, kicks off Friday, July 18, 2025 (cruising division) and Saturday, July 19, 2025 (racing division) with 3,000 sailors competing in this world-class sporting event. Although The Mac remains primarily an amateur event, this race has a proven track record of attracting some of the finest sailing talent in the sport.

The Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac is the longest, annual freshwater sailing race in the world. It takes place on Lake Michigan.

Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac Quicklinks: (Look for updates as racetime approaches)

• Race to Mackinac – FAQ – Basic questions (and answers) about the race

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• Online Race Tracking

• Mackinac Bridge Call-Ins Page (Keeps track of boats that have passed the bridge)

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• Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac Facebook Page
• Follow the Race to Mackinac Via Twitter
• Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac Website

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Visit Race To Mackinac Website >>>>

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Chicago Yacht Club – Race to Mackinac On Facebook

Below are the latest postings from the Chicago Yacht Club – Race to Mackinac Page On Facebook.

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Visit Chicago Yacht Club – Race to Mackinac on Facebook >>>

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Chicago Yacht Club Race To Mackinac – Photos via Instagram

Here are the latest photos of Chicago Yacht Club Race To Mackinac via instagram. If you have an instagram photo to share of Chicago Yacht Club Race To Mackinac, tag it with #cycrtm and your photos will appear in the photo stream below.

#cycrtm

From Italy to Chicago, ready to race no matter the waters! #nastrorosatour #captainsboatcare #mypastatruck #cycrtm

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From Italy to Chicago, ready to race no matter the waters! #nastrorosatour #captainsboatcare #mypastatruck #cycrtm ...

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#cycrtm2023 #cycrtm which will finish first!?

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#cycrtm2023 #cycrtm which will finish first!? ...

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Island Time kingstonkitchenmackinac #CYCRTM

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Island Time kingstonkitchenmackinac #CYCRTM ...

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And another Mac in the books. The good ship Main Street got us to the island in good form. And fast. Finished at 5 this morning before the wind went very light. Fun downwind race with a fabulous crew. #mainstreetsailing #cycrtm #sailingwithfamily #pinkpony #timetocelebrate

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And another Mac in the books. The good ship Main Street got us to the island in good form. And fast. Finished at 5 this morning before the wind went very light. Fun downwind race with a fabulous crew. #mainstreetsailing #cycrtm #sailingwithfamily #pinkpony #timetocelebrate ...

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Good times never seemed so good on the island #cycrtm

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Good times never seemed so good on the island #cycrtm ...

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Final stretch down the Straits towards the finish of the #cycrtm

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Final stretch down the Straits towards the finish of the #cycrtm ...

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#svsagamore #cycrtm

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#svsagamore #cycrtm ...

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Another Mac in the books #cycrtm

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Another Mac in the books #cycrtm ...

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It's off to Mackinac Island for more than 285 yachts as they leave Monroe Harbor in Chicago on July 22, 1978. Photo by Michael Budrys. #RacetoMackinac #Mackinacrace #sailing #CYCRTM #americasoffshorechallenge

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It's off to Mackinac Island for more than 285 yachts as they leave Monroe Harbor in Chicago on July 22, 1978. Photo by Michael Budrys. #RacetoMackinac #Mackinacrace #sailing #CYCRTM #americasoffshorechallenge ...

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Post-race partying after six days of race committee duty for racetomackinac, and a tiny view of the minor chaos of docking 100+ boats at the island. Parties included a newly created brunch for first timers - both crew of new boat/skipper combos doing their inaugural race, and individual crew members doing their first Mac. Love the positive reinforcement for newbies. #cycrtm

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Post-race partying after six days of race committee duty for racetomackinac, and a tiny view of the minor chaos of docking 100+ boats at the island. Parties included a newly created brunch for first timers - both crew of new boat/skipper combos doing their inaugural race, and individual crew members doing their first Mac. Love the positive reinforcement for newbies. #cycrtm ...

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Had a blast in the race to Mackinac this year. Our team got line honours in our fleet (a big win for us!) with an elapsed time of 2 days, 8 hrs but unfortunately got corrected over and ended up in 5th place. Would have loved podium but happy with our performance all things considered. We had wonderful weather despite the bit of rain on Saturday and no flies this year! Still on a high... #cycracetomackinac #cycrtm #sailing #sydney41 #lakemichigan #chicago #mackinacisland First photo credit to photographers of the #racetomackinac

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#cycracetomackinac #cycrtm #sailing #sydney41 #lakemichigan #chicago #mackinacisland First photo credit to photographers of the #racetomackinac" data-video="" data-carousel="{"data":[{"type":"image","media":"https:\/\/scontent-lax3-2.cdninstagram.com\/v\/t51.82787-15\/523879570_18519830614049699_8243000519241323147_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=100&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=18de74&efg=eyJlZmdfdGFnIjoiQ0FST1VTRUxfSVRFTS5iZXN0X2ltYWdlX3VybGdlbi5DMyJ9&_nc_ohc=8duxv0e17-AQ7kNvwHNF_JM&_nc_oc=AdrbU-Ve-rqwfgPRodMJgEE4boHdf8ANEinK10H4ImWBbr3YBx8BfkpDM9C9JGAE9Og&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-lax3-2.cdninstagram.com&edm=APCawUEEAAAA&_nc_gid=hlHkadgc-HP3BPkyFSVD9g&oh=00_Af5OAOPazfiajlAAhuLHF8Ac_gZ07dhOpCU8e74uvHSGYw&oe=6A143C6A"},{"type":"image","media":"https:\/\/scontent-lax3-1.cdninstagram.com\/v\/t51.82787-15\/522859584_18519830650049699_3234554005415579769_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=108&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=18de74&efg=eyJlZmdfdGFnIjoiQ0FST1VTRUxfSVRFTS5iZXN0X2ltYWdlX3VybGdlbi5DMyJ9&_nc_ohc=l5BoqJCDOnUQ7kNvwEEwQoU&_nc_oc=Adrcd9JkVdma35qWlVrtIPfAXuskRFzuKpSjEwjtfUQTJu3fGRFmBV_He1evp2x3oFc&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-lax3-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=APCawUEEAAAA&_nc_gid=hlHkadgc-HP3BPkyFSVD9g&oh=00_Af7dhIHFGgoKSjUbC5x-D411oz_tDMjwiTLh7U1AcKTLkw&oe=6A1441AF"},{"type":"image","media":"https:\/\/scontent-lax3-1.cdninstagram.com\/v\/t51.82787-15\/522653562_18519830611049699_6412934759245784658_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=102&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=18de74&efg=eyJlZmdfdGFnIjoiQ0FST1VTRUxfSVRFTS5iZXN0X2ltYWdlX3VybGdlbi5DMyJ9&_nc_ohc=_hgv1pHGuUgQ7kNvwEjplO2&_nc_oc=Adq1NOrVJiXyldlMo2GMIlDxprJyTup0sRKvlVC4GNRIpr2seVgONy8Xcr7axxkwqiI&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-lax3-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=APCawUEEAAAA&_nc_gid=hlHkadgc-HP3BPkyFSVD9g&oh=00_Af6RDhgRG_dHGMKoMJCFMjZ7D6UGXyBRlNJj-bmZJvzWvQ&oe=6A141DFC"},{"type":"image","media":"https:\/\/scontent-lax7-1.cdninstagram.com\/v\/t51.82787-15\/522343941_18519830635049699_7940863305654142519_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=101&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=18de74&efg=eyJlZmdfdGFnIjoiQ0FST1VTRUxfSVRFTS5iZXN0X2ltYWdlX3VybGdlbi5DMyJ9&_nc_ohc=jfxYLgQ4FxQQ7kNvwHXwCYA&_nc_oc=AdqNJw9Gx0xplX4xK5MLex0-eCEgrwmD9tixgcjesg4V7m8R202W_FsgNIaRbKJutuY&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-lax7-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=APCawUEEAAAA&_nc_gid=hlHkadgc-HP3BPkyFSVD9g&oh=00_Af4yJvKQ-ENpJjOa9uMPT4to-vtsD6oT-pJtpL6dHo4P6A&oe=6A1429CF"},{"type":"image","media":"https:\/\/scontent-lax3-2.cdninstagram.com\/v\/t51.82787-15\/522996554_18519830641049699_8706407083978197611_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=106&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=18de74&efg=eyJlZmdfdGFnIjoiQ0FST1VTRUxfSVRFTS5iZXN0X2ltYWdlX3VybGdlbi5DMyJ9&_nc_ohc=SQSuWhwSYLUQ7kNvwG_0GM5&_nc_oc=AdrmqrnkPqVBu_5YSeoZCLd9_dh00lLwAuqBjZMtjiu5iX7SRZLPeZRt6-0ZTksqpVs&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-lax3-2.cdninstagram.com&edm=APCawUEEAAAA&_nc_gid=hlHkadgc-HP3BPkyFSVD9g&oh=00_Af53SykcXm5YZJEHXGpI_NNX25_ggluQ_T4Dp-S-YoVhng&oe=6A14463B"},{"type":"image","media":"https:\/\/scontent-lax3-1.cdninstagram.com\/v\/t51.82787-15\/522394112_18519830638049699_3218593246003208796_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=104&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=18de74&efg=eyJlZmdfdGFnIjoiQ0FST1VTRUxfSVRFTS5iZXN0X2ltYWdlX3VybGdlbi5DMyJ9&_nc_ohc=8FXZyBNFQkEQ7kNvwGXnMQ2&_nc_oc=AdqtQl54vW6M-nseUIYSOhNi1R5ejkhyVwXNZ7xnMIr_NyE8rP9SEeZ7F8b7HfSL-Yo&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-lax3-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=APCawUEEAAAA&_nc_gid=hlHkadgc-HP3BPkyFSVD9g&oh=00_Af5ZrfnHiwGjIbrZaIUkDZWZzkRiRwYeNAXRVD2HjgwMAw&oe=6A14447E"}],"vid_first":false}" data-id="sbi_18085788238763396" data-user="" data-url="https://www.instagram.com/p/DMgnzRHO7K5/" data-avatar="" data-account-type="business"> Link to display lightbox

Instagram post 18085788238763396 #cycracetomackinac #cycrtm #sailing #sydney41 #lakemichigan #chicago #mackinacisland First photo credit to photographers of the #racetomackinac" width="200" height="200">

Had a blast in the race to Mackinac this year. Our team got line honours in our fleet (a big win for us!) with an elapsed time of 2 days, 8 hrs but unfortunately got corrected over and ended up in 5th place. Would have loved podium but happy with our performance all things considered. We had wonderful weather despite the bit of rain on Saturday and no flies this year! Still on a high... #cycracetomackinac #cycrtm #sailing #sydney41 #lakemichigan #chicago #mackinacisland First photo credit to photographers of the #racetomackinac ...

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2023 Race to Mackinac #cycrtm

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2023 Race to Mackinac #cycrtm ...

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Chicago Yacht Club – Race to Mackinac Photo Gallery (Click on photos for slideshow view)
 

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Archive – 2018 Race To Mackinac

Monday Afternoon Live Drone Coverage of the Finish Line of the 2018 Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac

Il Mostro First To Finish in the 2018 Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac

Il Mostro – according to online tracking – is near the Mackinac Bridge and on track to be the first to finish in the Chicago Yacht Club Race To Mackinac… – https://t.co/H2Cy7zbbeN #cycrtm pic.twitter.com/fSKt777y4U

— North Guide (@NorthGuide) July 22, 2018

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Congratulations Il Mostro! #cycrtm pic.twitter.com/6dq2tXiqUw

— North Guide (@NorthGuide) July 22, 2018

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The 2025 Annual Bridge Walk is currently scheduled for Monday, Sept. 1, 2025. Any updates will be posted here as the event approaches.

The Mackinac Bridge will be closed to public traffic from 6:30 a.m. to noon on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025 to accommodate the 2025 Annual Bridge Walk.

No bus transportation across the bridge will be provided as part of the event. Walkers who decide to walk across the entire bridge will need to arrange their own transportation back to the end of the bridge where they started after the bridge reopens to public traffic at noon. There is limited parking space available west of the Mackinac Bridge Authority plaza area.

For those seeking alternative transportation during the event, the local Mackinac Island ferry companies offer transportation between St. Ignace, Mackinaw City, and Mackinac Island, as well as between St. Ignace and Mackinaw City. Local transportation companies also offer shuttle service between various locations.

There is no fee or registration required to participate in the walk. The walk begins at 7 a.m. You may start walking any time after the governor’s party starts the walk at approximately 7 a.m. No one will be permitted to start after 11:30 a.m., so make sure you arrive early.

The walk begins in St. Ignace at the north end of the Mackinac Bridge in the Upper Peninsula, and in Mackinaw City at the south end of the bridge in the Lower Peninsula. To participate in the walk you may:

– Walk form either end of the bridge, turning around at the midpoint and returning to the city you started from, where your transportation is located. The turnaround points will move towards the ends of the bridge beginning at 10 a.m., but walkers can walk at least a portion of the bridge if you start by 11:30 a.m. Walkers must be on the side of the bridge they wish to return to before 10 a.m. or you will be turned back.

– Walk from either end of the bridge and continue across to the other side. This option is most like previous bridge walks. However, since bus transportation across the bridge will not be provided, walkers who choose this option will need to arrange for their own transportation back across after the bridge reopens at noon. Walkers who do not reach the midpoint of the bridge before 10 a.m. will be turned back.

– Walk from either end of the bridge, continuing across to the other side, then walking back to the end of the bridge you started from. This option will mean a 10-mile round trip for participants. If walkers in this option do not reach the midpoint of the bridge on their return trip by 10 a.m. will be turned back.

Walkers will use the left-hand outside paved lane as they walk onto the bridge, regardless of which end of the bridge they start from. Walkers who turn back at the midpoint will turn right, then return using the opposite side outside paved lane. Walkers who choose to cross the entire bridge will stay in the left-hand outside paved lane all the way across.

The Michigan State Police and other official personnel will be available in the event of an emergency.

Please note, there are no restrooms on the bridge and the average length of time to walk the bridge is about two hours. Portable toilets will be available in St. Ignace and Mackinaw City.

Baby strollers and wheelchairs are allowed on the bridge during the walk. Prohibited items include signs, banners, umbrellas, bicycles, roller skates, skateboards, wagons and similar types of devices. With the sole exception of working service dogs, no animals are allowed. Walkers must stay away from bridge railings. The inside lane in both directions will remain open for emergency vehicles.

Except for pre-qualified, registered participants in the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness Run, no running or racing is permitted on the bridge. Playing tag on the bridge is not permitted and no smoking on the bridge, please. For information on the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness Run, please go to www.michiganfitness.org or contact the Governor’s Council at 517-347-7891.

You will receive a numbered bridge walk certificate at the completion of your walk. Certificates will be distributed at both ends of the bridge. Individuals under the age of 18 should have the permission of a parent or guardian to participate in the walk. Any two or more people walking together should make plans for a meeting place in the event that they become separated during the walk.

Disclaimer of liability: Before beginning the walk, all participants should carefully determine that they are physically fit and medically able to participate in the annual walk since the physical strain of the walk could lead to serious health problems. Participants should also understand that walking involves risks of injury from falls due to the surface condition of the bridge, contact with other participants, and the effects of weather including high heat and/or humidity.

THE STATE OF MICHIGAN, MACKINAC BRIDGE AUTHORITY, ST. IGNACE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, MACKINAW CITY CHAMBER OR COMMERCE, AND ALL THEIR RESPECTIVE EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, VOLUNTEERS AND SPONSORS ASSUME NO OBLIGATIONS WITH REGARD TO SUCH RISKS AND SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIM ANY AND ALL LIABILITY ARISING FROM ANY WALKER’S PARTICIPATION IN THE ANNUAL WALK.

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Mackinac Bridge – Photos From Instagram

Tag your Mackinac Bridge Walk instagram photos with #mackinacbridge and they will appear here in our Mackinac Bridge Instagram Photo Stream.

#mackinacbridge

I think I like - X3 ｡ ｡ ｡ ｡ ｡ ｡ #3000gt #mitsubishi #stance #michigan #mackinacbridge

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I think I like - X3 ｡ ｡ ｡ ｡ ｡ ｡ #3000gt #mitsubishi #stance #michigan #mackinacbridge ...

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Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer 10 Fun facts about Mackinac Island’s Grand Hotel 1. No two guest rooms are alike 2. Five U.S. Presidents have visited Grand Hotel 3. Grand Hotel is a family business 4. Grand Hotel has the world’s longest porch at 660ft. 5. Grand Hotel maintains over125,000 flowers. 6. The movie “ Somewhere in Time” was filmed here. 7. Grand Hotel has a pool named for a star. 8. Sadie’s ice cream parlor features Grand Hotel Pecan Ball Ice Cream. 9. More than 6,000 pounds of pecans are used annually. 10. A Grand way to golf, this is the only golf course in the world where players are transported between front and back nine via horse drawn carriage.

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Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer 10 Fun facts about Mackinac Island’s Grand Hotel 1. No two guest rooms are alike 2. Five U.S. Presidents have visited Grand Hotel 3. Grand Hotel is a family business 4. Grand Hotel has the world’s longest porch at 660ft. 5. Grand Hotel maintains over125,000 flowers. 6. The movie “ Somewhere in Time” was filmed here. 7. Grand Hotel has a pool named for a star. 8. Sadie’s ice cream parlor features Grand Hotel Pecan Ball Ice Cream. 9. More than 6,000 pounds of pecans are used annually. 10. A Grand way to golf, this is the only golf course in the world where players are transported between front and back nine via horse drawn carriage. ...

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“ I think nature’s imagination is so much greater than man’s, she is never going to let us relax! “ Richard Phillips Feynman Arch Rock is a geologic formation on Mackinac Island in Michigan. It is a natural limestone arch formed during Nipissing post_glacial period. To this day Arch Rock stands on the Lake Huron shoreline 146 ft ( 45m ) above the water. My inspiration for this post is thurro_alexander. Hope you like it Alex, it’s not as dramatic as yours!

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“ I think nature’s imagination is so much greater than man’s, she is never going to let us relax! “ Richard Phillips Feynman Arch Rock is a geologic formation on Mackinac Island in Michigan. It is a natural limestone arch formed during Nipissing post_glacial period. To this day Arch Rock stands on the Lake Huron shoreline 146 ft ( 45m ) above the water. My inspiration for this post is thurro_alexander. Hope you like it Alex, it’s not as dramatic as yours! ...

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Straits Of Mackinac Blue Ice #mackinawcity #mackinac #mackinacbridge #puremichigan #lakehuron #northernmichigan #sunrise #sunrisephotography #blueice #ice #landscapephotography

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Straits Of Mackinac Blue Ice #mackinawcity #mackinac #mackinacbridge #puremichigan #lakehuron #northernmichigan #sunrise #sunrisephotography #blueice #ice #landscapephotography ...

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. here’s to you mighty mac . . . . . . . . #puremichigan #michiganders #mackinacbridge #wanderfolk #stayandwander #wildernessculture #optoutside #shotzdelight #ourplanetdaily #letsgosomewhere #adventure #exploremoreoutdoors #welivetoexplore #takemoreadventures #moodygrams #folkgood #fatalframes #createcommune #ig_color #liveauthentic #wanderlust #way2ill #theimaged #roam #artofvisuals #agameoftones #aov #onepuremichigan #teamcanon #thegirlxplores

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. here’s to you mighty mac . . . . . . . . #puremichigan #michiganders #mackinacbridge #wanderfolk #stayandwander #wildernessculture #optoutside #shotzdelight #ourplanetdaily #letsgosomewhere #adventure #exploremoreoutdoors #welivetoexplore #takemoreadventures #moodygrams #folkgood #fatalframes #createcommune #ig_color #liveauthentic #wanderlust #way2ill #theimaged #roam #artofvisuals #agameoftones #aov #onepuremichigan #teamcanon #thegirlxplores ...

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“ Oh, the places you’ll go! “ Dr. Seuss. Beautiful stormy morning in Mackinac Island. The Starlight Hydrojet Ferry going under the Mackinac Bridge! Can you see the cars and trucks on the bridge? We had a wonderful time on this beautiful island, thanks to my sister malathikarri and my brother_in_law for planning and arranging this trip! Fun facts about Mackinac Island 1. Mackinac Island is home to the largest Lilac Tree in Michigan. 2. Mackinac Park is the second National Park and Michigan’s first State Park 3. Mackinac Island uses 10 tons of Michigan sugar per week! 4. Mackinac Island is home of the worlds largest porch. 5. Mackinac Island has about 500 full time residents 6. Mackinac Island means place of the Great Turtle. 7. Over 82% of Mackinac Island is state park. 8. Motorized vehicles are banned on Mackinac Island. 9. Mackinac Island has 1400 bikes for rent. 10. Mackinac Island was the center of the fur trade.

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“ Oh, the places you’ll go! “ Dr. Seuss. Beautiful stormy morning in Mackinac Island. The Starlight Hydrojet Ferry going under the Mackinac Bridge! Can you see the cars and trucks on the bridge? We had a wonderful time on this beautiful island, thanks to my sister malathikarri and my brother_in_law for planning and arranging this trip! Fun facts about Mackinac Island 1. Mackinac Island is home to the largest Lilac Tree in Michigan. 2. Mackinac Park is the second National Park and Michigan’s first State Park 3. Mackinac Island uses 10 tons of Michigan sugar per week! 4. Mackinac Island is home of the worlds largest porch. 5. Mackinac Island has about 500 full time residents 6. Mackinac Island means place of the Great Turtle. 7. Over 82% of Mackinac Island is state park. 8. Motorized vehicles are banned on Mackinac Island. 9. Mackinac Island has 1400 bikes for rent. 10. Mackinac Island was the center of the fur trade. ...

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The Mackinac Bridge's annual Labor Day walk, which has been held every year since 1958, is being canceled this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. More at detroitnews.com. (: John L. Russell) #MackinacBridge #Michigan

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: John L. Russell) #MackinacBridge #Michigan" data-video="" data-carousel="" data-id="sbi_17880291625613288" data-user="" data-url="https://www.instagram.com/p/CAKxgzUA9Or/" data-avatar="" data-account-type="business"> Link to display lightbox

Instagram post 17880291625613288 : John L. Russell) #MackinacBridge #Michigan" width="200" height="200">

The Mackinac Bridge's annual Labor Day walk, which has been held every year since 1958, is being canceled this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. More at detroitnews.com. (: John L. Russell) #MackinacBridge #Michigan ...

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You know your from Michigan when.........you get emotional during a Pure Michigan commercial! I love my Michigan * * #puremichigan #puremittigan #puremichiganders #renegade_rural #rsa_rural #country_features #countrylivingmag #gtliving #m22life #michigansun #michiganders #michiganawesome #michiganoverboard #thegreatlakesstate #themittenstate #michiganderthreads #wearemichiganders #puremittenpride #awesomemitten #midwestmoment #theshutteraffair #michiganunsalted #capturingmichigan #enjoymichigan #mynorthmedia #upnorthlive #naturalmichigan #only_in_michigan #raw_bridges #mackinacbridge

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I love my Michigan * * #puremichigan #puremittigan #puremichiganders #renegade_rural #rsa_rural #country_features #countrylivingmag #gtliving #m22life #michigansun #michiganders #michiganawesome #michiganoverboard #thegreatlakesstate #themittenstate #michiganderthreads #wearemichiganders #puremittenpride #awesomemitten #midwestmoment #theshutteraffair #michiganunsalted #capturingmichigan #enjoymichigan #mynorthmedia #upnorthlive #naturalmichigan #only_in_michigan #raw_bridges #mackinacbridge" data-video="" data-carousel="" data-id="sbi_18010442626204203" data-user="" data-url="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bylm3rhA2vq/" data-avatar="" data-account-type="business"> Link to display lightbox

Instagram post 18010442626204203 I love my Michigan * * #puremichigan #puremittigan #puremichiganders #renegade_rural #rsa_rural #country_features #countrylivingmag #gtliving #m22life #michigansun #michiganders #michiganawesome #michiganoverboard #thegreatlakesstate #themittenstate #michiganderthreads #wearemichiganders #puremittenpride #awesomemitten #midwestmoment #theshutteraffair #michiganunsalted #capturingmichigan #enjoymichigan #mynorthmedia #upnorthlive #naturalmichigan #only_in_michigan #raw_bridges #mackinacbridge" width="200" height="200">

You know your from Michigan when.........you get emotional during a Pure Michigan commercial! I love my Michigan * * #puremichigan #puremittigan #puremichiganders #renegade_rural #rsa_rural #country_features #countrylivingmag #gtliving #m22life #michigansun #michiganders #michiganawesome #michiganoverboard #thegreatlakesstate #themittenstate #michiganderthreads #wearemichiganders #puremittenpride #awesomemitten #midwestmoment #theshutteraffair #michiganunsalted #capturingmichigan #enjoymichigan #mynorthmedia #upnorthlive #naturalmichigan #only_in_michigan #raw_bridges #mackinacbridge ...

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Reflections of Mackinac. #puremichigan #mackinacbridge

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Reflections of Mackinac. #puremichigan #mackinacbridge ...

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Moonlight and Mackinac...Michigan magic on Monday. Okay, I’m done now

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" data-video="" data-carousel="" data-id="sbi_17896193725290162" data-user="" data-url="https://www.instagram.com/p/BtMuHc2HmLy/" data-avatar="" data-account-type="business"> Link to display lightbox

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Moonlight and Mackinac...Michigan magic on Monday. Okay, I’m done now ...

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Mackinac Blues - will we get them this winter. Hope so. #mackinacbridge #puremichigan #blueice #mightymac

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Mackinac Blues - will we get them this winter. Hope so. #mackinacbridge #puremichigan #blueice #mightymac ...

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Evening strolls at sunset on Mackinac Island are the best ⁠ .⁠ michiganaddicts

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⁠ .⁠ michiganaddicts" data-video="" data-carousel="" data-id="sbi_17961788143807990" data-user="" data-url="https://www.instagram.com/p/Ch400nNsyi5/" data-avatar="" data-account-type="business"> Link to display lightbox

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Evening strolls at sunset on Mackinac Island are the best ⁠ .⁠ michiganaddicts ...

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It's not Halloween, but it looks straight out of a horror movie: The Mackinac Bridge looked like it disappeared into some scary-looking fog Wednesday afternoon. "Unfortunately, what you're seeing today is not fog surrounding the mackinacbridge but smoke coming from the wildfires and our neighbors to the North," the Mackinac Bridge Authority posted on Wednesday. Check the link in our bio for more. #detroit #michigan #mackinacbridge #wildfires #canada #canadianwildfires #fog

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It's not Halloween, but it looks straight out of a horror movie: The Mackinac Bridge looked like it disappeared into some scary-looking fog Wednesday afternoon. "Unfortunately, what you're seeing today is not fog surrounding the mackinacbridge but smoke coming from the wildfires and our neighbors to the North," the Mackinac Bridge Authority posted on Wednesday. Check the link in our bio for more. #detroit #michigan #mackinacbridge #wildfires #canada #canadianwildfires #fog ...

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's ago... - - - - - - - #photography #photographer #photograph #pics #picture #pictures #instapicture #Michigan #mackinac #mackinacbridge #upperpeninsula #up #nature #summer #colors #getolympus

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's ago... - - - - - - - #photography #photographer #photograph #pics #picture #pictures #instapicture #Michigan #mackinac #mackinacbridge #upperpeninsula #up #nature #summer #colors #getolympus" data-video="" 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Instagram post 17891253799026375 's ago... - - - - - - - #photography #photographer #photograph #pics #picture #pictures #instapicture #Michigan #mackinac #mackinacbridge #upperpeninsula #up #nature #summer #colors #getolympus" width="200" height="200">

's ago... - - - - - - - #photography #photographer #photograph #pics #picture #pictures #instapicture #Michigan #mackinac #mackinacbridge #upperpeninsula #up #nature #summer #colors #getolympus ...

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Five miles of awesome. #mackinacbridge #notadrone #aerial #mightymac #puremichigan #greatlakes #michigan #straitsofmackinac #puremittigan #awesomemitten #roamwherever #blue #i75 #mymittenstate

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Five miles of awesome. #mackinacbridge #notadrone #aerial #mightymac #puremichigan #greatlakes #michigan #straitsofmackinac #puremittigan #awesomemitten #roamwherever #blue #i75 #mymittenstate ...

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The view from the top of the Mighty Mac really never disappoints . . . . . #water_perfection #igersmidwest #puremittigan #puremittenpride #mittenlove #awesomemitten #awesomemitten #water_shots #pocket_water #upnorthlive #upperpeninsula #upnorth #naturalmichigan #midwestsnaps #sonyalpha #sonyimages #sonya7iii #rsa_water #mittenstatelove #mackinacbridge #straitsofmackinac #straitsstatepark #mightymac

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The view from the top of the Mighty Mac really never disappoints . . . . . #water_perfection #igersmidwest #puremittigan #puremittenpride #mittenlove #awesomemitten #awesomemitten #water_shots #pocket_water #upnorthlive #upperpeninsula #upnorth #naturalmichigan #midwestsnaps #sonyalpha #sonyimages #sonya7iii #rsa_water #mittenstatelove #mackinacbridge #straitsofmackinac #straitsstatepark #mightymac ...

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A Misty sundown at Mackinac Bridge ~ #mackinacbridge #straitsofmackinac #winterinmichigan #mackinawcity #greatlakes #lakemichigan #lakehuron Prints, Canvas, Puzzles, Calendars > https://www.michigannutphotography.com/

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A Misty sundown at Mackinac Bridge ~ #mackinacbridge #straitsofmackinac #winterinmichigan #mackinawcity #greatlakes #lakemichigan #lakehuron Prints, Canvas, Puzzles, Calendars > https://www.michigannutphotography.com/ ...

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Northern Michigan is truly paradise! We can’t get over the views looking out on the Straits of Mackinac! www.iroquoishotel.com

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www.iroquoishotel.com" data-video="" data-carousel="" data-id="sbi_17966928977267837" data-user="" data-url="https://www.instagram.com/p/CsjCQ_0LpFV/" data-avatar="" data-account-type="business"> Link to display lightbox

Instagram post 17966928977267837 www.iroquoishotel.com" width="200" height="200">

Northern Michigan is truly paradise! We can’t get over the views looking out on the Straits of Mackinac! www.iroquoishotel.com ...

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Driving across the Mackinac Bridge is a treat for some. But it's a terror for others. The 5-mile bridge that connects Michigan's Upper and Lower peninsulas is a scary sight for some drivers. Luckily, there is help for those who fear the trip across. The Mackinac Bridge Authority's Drivers Assistance Program was created specifically to help those drivers. Anyone can simply call a number, and a Mackinac Bridge Authority employee will show up to drive your car across the Mighty Mac.⁠ ⁠ "We have people available 24 hours a day, doing multiple things," said Ned McLennan, maintenance supervisor for the Mackinac Bridge Authority. "One of those things is the Driver's Assistance Program."⁠ ⁠ _____⁠ ⁠ The service is completely free.⁠ McLennan said workers are happy to help. They would rather drive a vehicle across the bridge than have a worried motorist freeze up. "And, yes, some drivers have stopped abruptly in the middle of the bridge. That can create a dangerous situation," McLennan said.⁠ ⁠ "If they are worried or think they will have a problem, it's better to stop and ask," he said.⁠ "It doesn't matter what type of vehicle you drive because these workers can handle anything. They all have commercial driver's licenses, and many have motorcycle endorsements.⁠ "We can drive anything, and we have," McLennan said.⁠ ⁠ _____⁠ ⁠ For more info: link in our bio. ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ #mackinacbridge #bridge #mackinac #michigan #funfacts #allfacts #facts #fact #didyouknowthat #didyouknow

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Driving across the Mackinac Bridge is a treat for some. But it's a terror for others. The 5-mile bridge that connects Michigan's Upper and Lower peninsulas is a scary sight for some drivers. Luckily, there is help for those who fear the trip across. The Mackinac Bridge Authority's Drivers Assistance Program was created specifically to help those drivers. Anyone can simply call a number, and a Mackinac Bridge Authority employee will show up to drive your car across the Mighty Mac.⁠ ⁠ "We have people available 24 hours a day, doing multiple things," said Ned McLennan, maintenance supervisor for the Mackinac Bridge Authority. "One of those things is the Driver's Assistance Program."⁠ ⁠ _____⁠ ⁠ The service is completely free.⁠ McLennan said workers are happy to help. They would rather drive a vehicle across the bridge than have a worried motorist freeze up. "And, yes, some drivers have stopped abruptly in the middle of the bridge. That can create a dangerous situation," McLennan said.⁠ ⁠ "If they are worried or think they will have a problem, it's better to stop and ask," he said.⁠ "It doesn't matter what type of vehicle you drive because these workers can handle anything. They all have commercial driver's licenses, and many have motorcycle endorsements.⁠ "We can drive anything, and we have," McLennan said.⁠ ⁠ _____⁠ ⁠ For more info: link in our bio. ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ #mackinacbridge #bridge #mackinac #michigan #funfacts #allfacts #facts #fact #didyouknowthat #didyouknow" data-video="" data-carousel="" data-id="sbi_18049561634446545" data-user="" data-url="https://www.instagram.com/p/DSgIiYWk3ny/" data-avatar="" data-account-type="business"> Link to display lightbox

Instagram post 18049561634446545 Driving across the Mackinac Bridge is a treat for some. But it's a terror for others. The 5-mile bridge that connects Michigan's Upper and Lower peninsulas is a scary sight for some drivers. Luckily, there is help for those who fear the trip across. The Mackinac Bridge Authority's Drivers Assistance Program was created specifically to help those drivers. Anyone can simply call a number, and a Mackinac Bridge Authority employee will show up to drive your car across the Mighty Mac.⁠ ⁠ "We have people available 24 hours a day, doing multiple things," said Ned McLennan, maintenance supervisor for the Mackinac Bridge Authority. "One of those things is the Driver's Assistance Program."⁠ ⁠ _____⁠ ⁠ The service is completely free.⁠ McLennan said workers are happy to help. They would rather drive a vehicle across the bridge than have a worried motorist freeze up. "And, yes, some drivers have stopped abruptly in the middle of the bridge. That can create a dangerous situation," McLennan said.⁠ ⁠ "If they are worried or think they will have a problem, it's better to stop and ask," he said.⁠ "It doesn't matter what type of vehicle you drive because these workers can handle anything. They all have commercial driver's licenses, and many have motorcycle endorsements.⁠ "We can drive anything, and we have," McLennan said.⁠ ⁠ _____⁠ ⁠ For more info: link in our bio. ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ #mackinacbridge #bridge #mackinac #michigan #funfacts #allfacts #facts #fact #didyouknowthat #didyouknow" width="200" height="200">

Driving across the Mackinac Bridge is a treat for some. But it's a terror for others. The 5-mile bridge that connects Michigan's Upper and Lower peninsulas is a scary sight for some drivers. Luckily, there is help for those who fear the trip across. The Mackinac Bridge Authority's Drivers Assistance Program was created specifically to help those drivers. Anyone can simply call a number, and a Mackinac Bridge Authority employee will show up to drive your car across the Mighty Mac.⁠ ⁠ "We have people available 24 hours a day, doing multiple things," said Ned McLennan, maintenance supervisor for the Mackinac Bridge Authority. "One of those things is the Driver's Assistance Program."⁠ ⁠ _____⁠ ⁠ The service is completely free.⁠ McLennan said workers are happy to help. They would rather drive a vehicle across the bridge than have a worried motorist freeze up. "And, yes, some drivers have stopped abruptly in the middle of the bridge. That can create a dangerous situation," McLennan said.⁠ ⁠ "If they are worried or think they will have a problem, it's better to stop and ask," he said.⁠ "It doesn't matter what type of vehicle you drive because these workers can handle anything. They all have commercial driver's licenses, and many have motorcycle endorsements.⁠ "We can drive anything, and we have," McLennan said.⁠ ⁠ _____⁠ ⁠ For more info: link in our bio. ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ #mackinacbridge #bridge #mackinac #michigan #funfacts #allfacts #facts #fact #didyouknowthat #didyouknow ...

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Mackinac Island is my favorite place in all of Michigan. It’s the only city in the state where cars aren’t allowed, and people instead get around primarily via biking or walking. One of my favorite festivals, the Mackinac Island Lilac Festival happens each spring on the island and dozens of varieties of French lilacs burst into gorgeous color to celebrate the arrival of warmer weather. The island is also filled with thousands of other blooms like tulips, dahlias, zinnias, and many more, making it a paradise for flower lovers (like me!). Have you ever visited mackinacisle?

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Mackinac Island is my favorite place in all of Michigan. It’s the only city in the state where cars aren’t allowed, and people instead get around primarily via biking or walking. One of my favorite festivals, the Mackinac Island Lilac Festival happens each spring on the island and dozens of varieties of French lilacs burst into gorgeous color to celebrate the arrival of warmer weather. The island is also filled with thousands of other blooms like tulips, dahlias, zinnias, and many more, making it a paradise for flower lovers (like me!). Have you ever visited mackinacisle? ...

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Visit Mackinac Bridge Walk Website >>>>

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Race Start Time is 9:30 am on Saturday, September 6!

End your Summer with the Mackinac 8 Mile Road Race

Join us for the 54th anniversary of this exciting, summer-ending event. You will experience Mackinac Island in one of the oldest and most scenic races in Michigan. The Island is a unique destination that can only be reached by ferry. Step back in time to a bygone era where travel is done by foot, bicycle, carriage or horse. With up to 1,600 runners and walkers, this is definitely a race you and your family will never forget!

Great Race Shirt and Medal!

A great long sleeve shirt
Commemorative Mackinac Island Eight Mile finisher medal\
Free race photos

2025 Mackinac Island Trio Series!

Register for three RunMackinac races (either the Fort2Fort 5 Mile or the Lilac Festival 10K, plus both the Mackinac Eight Mile and the Great Turtle Trail Race) and you will receive a special Mackinac Island Trio Series medal. This will be a separate medal from the other finisher’s medals you will receive at the completion of all three races, and will be awarded following the Great Turtle Half Marathon. To register for the Trio, go to either the Fort2Fort or Lilac 10k races and you will see the registration box. You can also register individually for all three events and be eligible for the Trio and the medal.

Special Rates at Mission Point Resort for the 8 Mile Race and the Trio Series!

Mission Point is holding rooms for all RunMackinac events at special rates – if you call to reserve rooms for your three Trio races and tell them you are doing the Trio, you will receive a 10% discount. Call 800-833-7711 to get the 10% Trio discount.

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Visit Run Mackinac Website For More Information >>>>

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Mackinac Island Road Races On Facebook

Below are the latest postings from the Mackinac Island Road Races Page On Facebook.

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Visit Run Mackinac Website For More Information >>>>

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This 5k event is not timed and you can run, walk, or bike your way from the corner of Main Street and Fort Street at 9:30 am to the finish at Mustang Lounge.

The entry fee is in the form of a non-perishable food item that will be donated to the Mackinac County Food Bank.

Also, Star Line Ferry will transport off island folks wishing to participate for a donation of three non-perishable food items. Ferry will be leaving the mainland at 8:30 am and the island at 1:00 pm.

This annual Thanksgiving event is focused on fun and giving! It will be great to see you there!

OPEN HOUSE CANCELED: Due to unforeseen circumstances, the Open House is canceled. Thank you for your understanding. – The Round Island Lighthouse Preservation Society

Come visit us at the Annual Round Island Lighthouse Open House on the second Saturday of July. Transportation from Mackinac Island is available by private fare.

Round Island Lighthouse is located on Round Island, which is part of the Hiawatha National Forest. For more information, visit the United States Forest Service website.

To see a virtual tour video of the inside of the lighthouse, click here.

2016 OPEN HOUSE: The 10th Annual Open House is scheduled for July 9, 2016 from 10AM till 4PM.

ABOUT THE ANNUAL OPEN HOUSE: Since 2007, an annual Open House has been hosted at the lighthouse each summer. This year Round Island Lighthouse Preservation Society and Boy Scout Troop 323 of Freeland, Michigan  greeted over 200 people at the 9th Annual Open House. The scouts gave tours of the grounds, the Oil House and Privy, and of the 121 year old lighthouse. From 10AM to 4PM EST on July 11th, 2015, guests explored the historical lighthouse and learned about the history of the light station and the surrounding area.

PLEASE NOTE: In the event of bad weather, or waves that are too dangerous to navigate by our volunteers, we will have to cancel the open house, or close it down temporarily until conditions improve.  Sometimes a cancellation comes about abruptly with sudden changes in conditions.  We will do our best to convey a cancellation to the Mackinac Island Visitors Center and to the various ferry lines.

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Visit Round Island Lighthouse Open House Website >>>>

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Round Island Lighthouse – Photos From Instagram

Here are the latest photos of Round Island Lighthouse via instagram. If you have an instagram photo to share of your visit to Round Island Lighthouse, tag it with #roundislandlighthouse and your photos will appear in the photo stream below.

#roundislandlighthouse

For 122 years, Round Island Lighthouse has stood stoic against the wind and weather in the Straits of Mackinac. Completed in 1895, the iconic Great Lakes beacon was originally manned by a crew of three. From 1924 to 1947, a sole light keeper occupied and operated the light station. When an automated beacon was constructed off the shore of Mackinac Island in 1947, the lighthouse was abandoned. The Round Island Lighthouse Preservation Society now maintains the lighthouse and offers an open house once a year to the public. : ryanresatka #PureMichigan #MackinacIsland #LakeHuron #michiganlighthouse #roundislandlighthouse #MyMackinac mackinacisle

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: ryanresatka #PureMichigan #MackinacIsland #LakeHuron #michiganlighthouse #roundislandlighthouse #MyMackinac mackinacisle" data-video="" data-carousel="" data-id="sbi_17947207114169498" data-user="" data-url="https://www.instagram.com/p/BoHS0Ptl8k2/" data-avatar="" data-account-type="business"> Link to display lightbox

Instagram post 17947207114169498 : ryanresatka #PureMichigan #MackinacIsland #LakeHuron #michiganlighthouse #roundislandlighthouse #MyMackinac mackinacisle" width="200" height="200">

For 122 years, Round Island Lighthouse has stood stoic against the wind and weather in the Straits of Mackinac. Completed in 1895, the iconic Great Lakes beacon was originally manned by a crew of three. From 1924 to 1947, a sole light keeper occupied and operated the light station. When an automated beacon was constructed off the shore of Mackinac Island in 1947, the lighthouse was abandoned. The Round Island Lighthouse Preservation Society now maintains the lighthouse and offers an open house once a year to the public. : ryanresatka #PureMichigan #MackinacIsland #LakeHuron #michiganlighthouse #roundislandlighthouse #MyMackinac mackinacisle ...

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Visiting this island was one of my more surreal experiences #2YearsAgo #RoundIsland #RoundIslandLighthouse #StraitsOfMackinac #AcrossTheHarbor #DesertIsland #Red #White #BlueSkies #Sunshine #TookAZodiacAndAPontoonToGetHere #PureMichigan #Michigan #CityOfMackinacIsland #GreatLakes

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Visiting this island was one of my more surreal experiences #2YearsAgo #RoundIsland #RoundIslandLighthouse #StraitsOfMackinac #AcrossTheHarbor #DesertIsland #Red #White #BlueSkies #Sunshine #TookAZodiacAndAPontoonToGetHere #PureMichigan #Michigan #CityOfMackinacIsland #GreatLakes ...

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#rushypoint #tresco #islesofscilly #scillyisles #beach #sandybeach #seagrass #roundisland #roundislandlighthouse #cornwall

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#rushypoint #tresco #islesofscilly #scillyisles #beach #sandybeach #seagrass #roundisland #roundislandlighthouse #cornwall ...

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#roundislandlighthouse #puremichigan #mackinacisland

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#roundislandlighthouse #puremichigan #mackinacisland ...

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Even in chaos there is beauty. . . . #lighthouse #lighthouses #roundislandlighthouse #mackinacisland #michigan #lakelife #nature #naturephotography #landscape #landscapephotography #picoftheday #pictureperfect #beauty

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Even in chaos there is beauty. . . . #lighthouse #lighthouses #roundislandlighthouse #mackinacisland #michigan #lakelife #nature #naturephotography #landscape #landscapephotography #picoftheday #pictureperfect #beauty ...

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#roundisland #roundislandlighthouse #mackinacisland #mackinac #michigan #greatlakes #upnorth #straitsofmackinac #shadesofblue #winter

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#roundisland #roundislandlighthouse #mackinacisland #mackinac #michigan #greatlakes #upnorth #straitsofmackinac #shadesofblue #winter ...

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#roundislandlighthouse #straightsofmackinac

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I may get to see it every day but I will never get tired of Round Island Lighthouse and all it’s beauty • • • • • • • • • • • #mackinacisland #roundislandlighthouse #lighthouse #milighthouse #puremittigan #puremichigan #upperpeninsula #michigan #greatlakes

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I may get to see it every day but I will never get tired of Round Island Lighthouse and all it’s beauty • • • • • • • • • • • #mackinacisland #roundislandlighthouse #lighthouse #milighthouse #puremittigan #puremichigan #upperpeninsula #michigan #greatlakes ...

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One of the first of many lighthouses I hope to encounter while exploring Michigan. #roundislandlighthouse #michigan #upperpeninsulamichigan #upperpeninsula #mackinawcity #mackinacisland #makingmemoriestogether #lighthouse #straitsofmackinac #travelphotographer #wanderlust #gypsies #lifeontheroad #ferry #memories #photoop #summertravel #sightseeing

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One of the first of many lighthouses I hope to encounter while exploring Michigan. #roundislandlighthouse #michigan #upperpeninsulamichigan #upperpeninsula #mackinawcity #mackinacisland #makingmemoriestogether #lighthouse #straitsofmackinac #travelphotographer #wanderlust #gypsies #lifeontheroad #ferry #memories #photoop #summertravel #sightseeing ...

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#RoundIslandLighthouse #1895 #UnitedStatesForestService #HiawathaNationalForest #StraitsofMackinac #lighthouse #michigan #lakehuron #greatlakes

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#RoundIslandLighthouse #1895 #UnitedStatesForestService #HiawathaNationalForest #StraitsofMackinac #lighthouse #michigan #lakehuron #greatlakes ...

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Love & lighthouses. Michigan was the perfect two day adventure! I adore finding the light with you nickakelm #StIgnace #MackinacIsland #MackinacPointLighthouse #WawatamLighthouse #RoundIslandLighthouse

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Love & lighthouses. Michigan was the perfect two day adventure! I adore finding the light with you nickakelm #StIgnace #MackinacIsland #MackinacPointLighthouse #WawatamLighthouse #RoundIslandLighthouse ...

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My favorite lighthouse...#roundislandlighthouse #roundisland #mackinawisland #lighthouse #puremichigan

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My favorite lighthouse...#roundislandlighthouse #roundisland #mackinawisland #lighthouse #puremichigan ...

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#roundislandlighthouse #lighthouse #mackinac

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Round Island Light readies for Spring. . . . . #mackinacisland #mackinac #greatlakes #greatlakesstate #puremichigan #puremittigan #puremittenpride #michigan #northernmichigan #mlive #canonphotography #lighthousesofmichigan #lighthouses #roundislandlighthouse #straitsofmackinac

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Round Island Light readies for Spring. . . . . #mackinacisland #mackinac #greatlakes #greatlakesstate #puremichigan #puremittigan #puremittenpride #michigan #northernmichigan #mlive #canonphotography #lighthousesofmichigan #lighthouses #roundislandlighthouse #straitsofmackinac ...

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Completely in love with the Round Island Lighthouse. So glad I was able to finally set foot on this island. Major bucket list item #roundislandlighthouse

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#roundislandlighthouse" data-video="" data-carousel="" data-id="sbi_17964289807042356" data-user="" data-url="https://www.instagram.com/p/BlvQFl3ACsW/" data-avatar="" data-account-type="business"> Link to display lightbox

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Completely in love with the Round Island Lighthouse. So glad I was able to finally set foot on this island. Major bucket list item #roundislandlighthouse ...

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A beautiful little lighthouse..! #mackinacisland #lighthouse #lakehuron #puremichigan #michiganawesome #greatlakes #travelphotography #travel #instagood #instalike #instanature #stepoutside #outdoors #michigan #roundislandlighthouse #grandhotelmichigan #yooperlife #lakemichigan

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A beautiful little lighthouse..! #mackinacisland #lighthouse #lakehuron #puremichigan #michiganawesome #greatlakes #travelphotography #travel #instagood #instalike #instanature #stepoutside #outdoors #michigan #roundislandlighthouse #grandhotelmichigan #yooperlife #lakemichigan ...

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#roundislandlighthouse

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Lit up lighthouse #roundislandlighthouse #mackinacisland #lakehuron #up #michigan #vacay

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Lit up lighthouse #roundislandlighthouse #mackinacisland #lakehuron #up #michigan #vacay ...

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When Michigan’s unpredictable weather caused our Lake Michigan lighthouse tour to be cancelled, we improvised a last minute trip to Mackinac Island. The weather wasn’t perfect but it sure did make for some great views. #mackinacisland #roundislandlighthouse #fog

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When Michigan’s unpredictable weather caused our Lake Michigan lighthouse tour to be cancelled, we improvised a last minute trip to Mackinac Island. The weather wasn’t perfect but it sure did make for some great views. #mackinacisland #roundislandlighthouse #fog ...

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#roundislandlighthouse #lighthouses #puremichigan #nofilter

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As I linger among the multiple pastels of historic homes and guesthouses, it begins to drizzle.  The gentle plodding of horses’ hooves echoes up and down the hills of Mackinac Island.  The odor of hot fudge fades in the breeze as I work my way up the main street. It is a fall day in 1992 as I ride my bicycle past Fort Mackinac, the historic Indian dormitory, and St. Anne’s Church.  One block up from St. Anne’s I spot the small oval sign decorated with butterflies.  Its pastel paints announce, “Butterfly House.”

The compact, white frame building is cocooned snugly between two other houses.  In the back stands, a large tent-like screen structure.  Out front, a ramp of concrete faced with blocks of limestone beckons me out of the rain. This is my second visit in two years. This time Doug has invited me to write about his dream.

Doug Beardsley, a grown-up child of the sixties, welcomes me from behind the cluttered counter of his converted greenhouse.  Wearing blue jeans and a t-shirt, he smiles and invites me in. His black hair is slightly balding on top and long in the back.  A full beard and mustache mark his rugged spirit. He radiates a childlike excitement as he prepares to show me his new developments.

Doug’s partner Bill Hill is adjusting a display of mounted butterflies in a glass-covered case.  He is also a middle-aged man.  His sun-highlighted hair stands in contrast to his Florida tan.  He owns “Butterflies in Flight,” a portable butterfly display, and works out of Naples, Florida. In 1988 Doug heard of Bill’s business from a friend and visited him in Florida. They entered joint ownership and opened the Butterfly House on Mackinac Island during the summer of 1989.  Bill laughs as he tells me, “Yeah, here we are, a couple of guys in their forties, still playing with butterflies.” Play is part of the dream.  But for Doug, developing this place is also a matter of survival.

Doug loves this island and has not only survived its tough winter climate, but has learned to live in harmony with the rugged spirit of Mackinaw. The early Indian inhabitants believed it was the place of the great dancing spirits. It has survived skirmishes between Indians and settlers and major battles between the French and English soldiers.

Despite the desolate winters, in the summer it is a place of serenity and beauty. Doug has loved this place since his growing up days in Lansing, Michigan.  In the early seventies he attended Michigan State University, studying crop, turf, and soil sciences.  Like many others of his era he attended to his studies, for seven years, and never earned a degree.  But he did learn enough to begin building his dream.

During his college years he developed his own yard care business. In 1977 he moved to the Island. For eleven years he worked for Sawyer’s Green House, an island fixture since 1905. He also began his own yard care business on the Island, with fourteen employees looking after seventy-five lawns.  Since beginning his Butterfly House he has trimmed that business down to four employees.

After he began working in the greenhouse he told the owner that someday he’d buy the place — and he did. Doug tells me, “I set my goal way out in front of me and I slowly pursue it.”

In 1988 when he purchased the business, the beginnings of his dream began unfolding, as he transformed his greenhouse into a sanctuary for butterflies.  Here he nurtures various species in a controlled habitat and opens it up for visitors like me.  He charges three-dollars for adults and two dollars for children, but always hopes for more generous gifts from kindred-spirited tourists.

He spends most of his days breeding butterflies, re-modeling the buildings, and offering tours.  Doug has plans for converting a cluttered storeroom into a new entryway.  He also plans to build a new ramp up to the building, and has a dozen other projects for down the line. One project will be a display case in the entry area for viewing live butterflies close-up.  The present one is a simple frame with a glass front and back.

Bill takes the 2’x18″ glass off the back so I can get a close-up camera shot without the glare.  Inside are various pupa, chrysalises, and emerging butterflies. A stray black-and-white striped butterfly crawls onto the counter as I talk with Bill.  Showing no surprise, he gently guides the delicate creature onto his finger where it sits for a while, fanning its wings.  Eventually he prods it gently with his finger, guiding it back into the display case.

Doug is scurrying around the office, a small cluttered room with large windows separating it from the main entry area.  He is searching for something, trying hard to sort through the tangle of books and paperwork. Paperwork is a constant struggle for Doug.  Surviving the financial dilemma of beginning a business has been hard, as expenses pile up and the costs of equipment escalate.  Survival is not easy.  Financing this enterprise is a challenge.  The continual need to seek backers is discouraging, but not enough as to make him quit.

Last year when my wife and I visited, Doug smiled and asked me if I was interested in investing in his dream.  Shirley and I had saved our quarters for a year just to spend our annual two nights on the Island. We obviously were not financier material. Even with only a handful of butterfly houses in the United States, any financial backers are a little wary of Doug’s venture.  He finally decided if he were ever going to build a permanent structure, he would have to step out on his own and seek bank financing, which he eventually did.

So far he has survived the hurdles of hard times and succeeded in establishing his business on this island where visitors from across the country stop in to share Doug’s dream of the Butterfly House.

Original Butterfly House – Click on photos to enlarge.

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I walk outside with Doug to where the greenhouse once stood.  The old Sawyer Greenhouse has been torn down to make room for the new structure.  Positioned in the middle of the large courtyard is the Butterfly House. It is a 30’x 40′ black-mesh tent supported by 2″ diameter tubing. The screening is a fine veil, which slightly darkens the view into the tent. Work is already beginning, to replace the tent with a permanent structure…one that can be used all year round,” Doug says.  In 1993 work began on the new structure to replace the tent.  It will contain a controlled temperature environment allowing these keepers of the stock to nurture new life throughout the cold, harsh Mackinac winters.

The tourists, who visit the Island and many of the local residents, usually leave the beauty of Mackinac behind as fall warns of winter’s storms.  In the fall the butterfly’s breed and lay a new batch of eggs, which does Bill transfer to the warmer climate of Naples, Florida.  Nearly 500 plants and the tent are transported by horse-drawn wagon to the Island’s loading docks.  The load is transported by a ferry to a waiting U-haul truck and then loaded onto a plane headed for Florida.

Although the stock is now shipped off the island, when the permanent structure is finished Doug will keep the butterfly house open throughout the winter.  Most visitors and many island residents choose to winter elsewhere.  Last year he traveled to Florida to check out other businesses dealing with Butterflies.  Next winter he plans to take a trip to Costa Rica and check out breeding farms in the rainforests. But most winters Doug chooses to stay put with his family and enjoy the serenity of the silent winter’s nights.

Six years ago Doug met his wife Theresa, when she came to visit the island as a tourist. Together with their two children, they spend the long Upper Peninsula winters reading or cross-country skiing.  Doug works on plans for his business and Theresa works to keep up their home.  Separated from the mainland by a thick layer of ice, Doug has ample time for remodeling, repairs, and reworking his dream for the spring opening.  When the waters of Lake Huron thaw and the first ferries transport Island visitors to his doorstep, Doug is ready to share his new developments.

Ushering me into the Butterfly House, he pulls open the Velcro strip doorway, holding back the gauzy screen as we step inside.  “We call it an aviary because these are winged creatures.   But really, an aviary is for birds.  Since there is no technical term we just call it a Butterfly House.”  I wonder why they didn’t call it a “Lepidopterarium.”  Butterflies are the order called Lepidoptera.  A terrarium is an enclosure for keeping or raising and observing animals or plants indoors.  So, why not, “Lepidopterarium,” or even the more correct term of “Lepidoptery?”  Yet — there is a certain poetry about the term, “Butterfly House.”

Doug shows me quickly around and then lets me just wander and enjoy.  Twenty benches serving as plant stands, manufactured from treated two-by-fours, line the perimeter of the walls.  Several of the benches jut out into the main area.  Each one is built like a set of steps with three levels.  Black plastic pots, interspersed with some clay ones, filled with a plethora of plants, huddle together on the benches.  At first my eyes notice only alisiam, marigolds, and snap dragons.

But as we stroll on the chipped-bark-covered ground, my eyes are drawn to corepsis plants, ferns, and passion vines.  I pull out my camera and begin to search for a butterfly.  Doug smiles and tells me, “You have to develop butterfly eyes.”  He points to a plant near us.  Slowly I see more than fennel.  I perceive an eastern black swallowtail and then another, and another.  Soon, everywhere I look there are butterflies, and butterfly eggs.

There are no predators here in the Butterfly House.  Birds might be flying wistfully over the top.  Wasps might be darting searchingly around the courtyard, and frogs may be squatting to watch from the outside.  The most threatening enemy, man’s uncomprhending destruction of the butterfly’s habitat, is being held at bay by the proprietors of this place. The Butterfly House is a refuge, a place of protection for the butterflies.

My attention is drawn upward by a slight flutter of movement.  Silhouetted against the blue sky are butterflies lightly clinging to the inside of the screen roof, and on the taller plants.  They are motionless except for an occasional flitting from plant to plant. The air feels cool. Doug says butterflies are fairly inactive in temperatures below 70 degrees and predicts warmer temperatures this afternoon.  Then there will be more activity among butterflies and visitors.  With this light rain outside most visitors stay in their guest quarters.  Later the butterflies will become more vigorous, but for now their wings slowly fan open and close as they gather on green stalks of plant life.  Several drift across the heights seeking nectar from new flower. Doug points out clusters of golden monarchs on several branches near us.

I inhale deeply and slowly the scent of flowers and fresh, wet plants. Watching the butterflies dance lightly from green to green gives me a sense of Doug’s dream.  There is life here.  Unlike the poor dried victims on my car grill, these bits of color are floating silently through the shades of green.  I have seen these softly balanced wings portrayed on people’s garages, cut from wood, or molded from metals, pinned on people’s collars.  I have also sat in the lush green of my own back yard as a child and watched a black etched, autumn-orange Monarch balancing quietly on a milkweed pod.  But I had never experienced a colony such as this one, a colony flitting from leaf to flower to leaf.

In this enclosure, Doug is breeding two hundred butterflies from eighteen species.  With the moths the butterfly species number 100,000, one of the largest of the insect family. Most butterflies lay eggs individually, spreading them among the stalks.  Here in the Butterfly House Doug has developed five egg-laying stations.  Each station is simply a grouping of plants, which attract certain species.  Wildlime plant attracts the giant Swallowtail, Fennel the Eastern Black Swallowtail, and Passion Vine the Zebra Longwing and Julia.  There is also Milkweed for the Queens and Monarchs.  Unlike most other butterflies, which scatter their eggs individually, the Pipevine Swallowtail clusters its eggs on the stems of the Sristolochia plant.  From there come the larva, and then the spinning of silk, the hardening of the chrysalis or pupa, and then rebirth.  After that the cycle begins again.

A poster placed near a bench informs visitors that the mating process of the butterflies is called the “dance” attributed to the mating dance, as they communicate their sexual desire vying for each other’s attention. The dance continues time after time, as the bits of golds and yellows flutter through the greens and reds of Doug’s environmental design. Cycle after cycle through the mating dances, each species reproduces, the next generation, which will dance again and again, over and over.

Some butterflies, such as the Pipevine, are a dying species.  I am implored by another of Doug’s posters, a handwritten white poster board with pictures of the butterfly and the plants, to cultivate Pipevine or Dutchman’s Pipe plants in my own yard to attract this endangered species.  He advises me that this might reverse the extinction of this species.  I know little of butterflies, but Doug is stirring me to preserve this bit of beauty I see before me.

Some preserve the species by pinning the dried bodies to pieces of felt, enshrining them beneath clear sheets of glass, labels announcing their names, their prize carefully dried and then mounted in its place of honor. Children rush through fields of daisies swinging white gauzy nets, capturing one, then another, and another.    For Bill and Doug, “two men in their forties still playing with butterflies,” the game has now become a bit more refined, but their spirit is the same as that of children chasing butterflies. Doug does not search the spring fields for his prizes.  He only has to look in his own back yard.  Within the security of the Butterfly House he can breed new species and enjoy the full life cycle of his treasures.

One of Doug’s many struggles in developing his dream has been from the Mackinac Island city council.   “When I bought the greenhouse and presented my plans for the Butterfly House, that’s when I ran into trouble,” he said.  The council was not convinced the idea was a good one.  Besides, the business was nestled in the middle of a residential district.  Under the grandfather law Doug was allowed to keep the greenhouse going, but not start a new business.  But the greenhouse business was floundering despite Doug’s efforts.  “I was always busy,” he said. “I had about 8,000-10,000 geraniums.  The place was heated with wood and I had to stoke the fire four times a day.”

Despite his high volume, competition with other greenhouses on the island and limited market began driving his business into debt. He still sells potting plants to island residents but, despite his efforts to make it work, the greenhouse idea was failing. That’s when the butterfly dream was born.

The city council didn’t want to allow him to continue his new business in the residential area. Doug had served as a city councilman on Mackinaw Island for nine years, three three-year terms.  Since his business was creating a conflict with his work as councilman, Doug resigned and continued his crusade to keep his zoning.  Eventually the council agreed to let him give it a shot.  Doug had convinced them of the similarities of the two businesses. One was a commercial greenhouse and the other was a greenhouse for tourists. This allowed him to continue at this location under the grandfather clause.  But they did find one issue.  “They made me add more bicycle racks,” he said.  “Since there are no cars on the Island, the only way to get around other than walking is by horse or bicycle.  We don’t have a parking lot, just bicycle racks.”  Once the council saw that Doug’s business was more than an idealistic dream, they began giving him more support.  He has been included in island advertising and is even leasing a full-sized billboard on highway 27 coming up from southern Michigan. He is anxious to see his business drawing visitors from all parts of the United States and the world.

There is a sense of immediacy about the life of a butterfly.  Once they have found flight, freedom from the pupa, they feed from the golds, pinks, and reds of the flowers Doug provides.  Their eggs are spread choicely among the breeze swayed plants, hatching in anywhere from a few days to months.  The larva or caterpillar lives two weeks or more before it transforms into the pupa stage.  Some larva spin a silk cocoon around themselves.  Others split their exoskeleton and form the chrysalis.  This metamorphosis can continue from a few days to more than a year.  Many spend the winter in the pupa stage and emerge in the spring. It is during this pupa stage that Doug closes the house for the winter, due to the cold climate, and sells many of the eggs and pupa to other organizations. When the permanent glass structure has replaced the mesh tent, Doug will be able to control the climate and leave the butterflies there for the winter. In the spring the butterflies once again begin the mating dance.

Last spring Doug and Bill placed nearly 600 plants inside the Butterfly House, setting the banquet table, which I now see before me.  “Nectaring plants,” plants for food — include Lantana, Pentas, Porter Weed, Corepsis, and Budlea, the Butterfly Bush.  There is also a dessert of annuals such as Alyssum, Ageatum, Marigolds, Snap Dragons, and Dianthus.  Everywhere I look in the Butterfly House swatches of color gently fan their wings, their proboscis (straw-like tongue), seeking the sweetness of the nectar.  Their feast, however, is not tasted through their proboscis.  Butterflies taste through their back feet where taste sensors are located.

Not many insects are pleasing to the eye of man. Some crawl quickly in clusters through garbage heaps.  Others squat in menacing stances waiting for their prey.  But butterflies, the Lepidoptera of Doug’s house, dance colorfully from limb to limb and quietly feed on the fruit of Doug’s plants.  Each one sports six legs, three body parts, a head, a thorax, and an abdomen.  Its four wings are covered with scales.  The desire to cradle a butterfly in one’s hand is strong.  The desire to touch its wings and its apparent softness has caused the early demise of numerous butterflies.  Just slight pressure on the overlapping scales on thin wings causes them to flake off like a colored powder.  Once these scales are damaged the butterflies lose the ability to regulate their body temperature.

Doug conscientiously pulls a small branch forward for my picture, cautiously avoiding any contact, revealing a mature Monarch. And then I see another, and then another.
I see the emergence of new butterflies before me.  Everywhere I look the cycle continues.  Doug tells me that most of these butterflies will only live for a short time.  Once the butterfly emerges from its shell it lives an average of two weeks.  Some, such as the monarchs, may live up to eighteen months and migrate up to two thousand miles.  Few survive to make the complete migration.  Usually the females lay eggs on the way home.  The new generation returns to the original migration point where they carry on the dance. The beauty of survival is evident in these delicate creatures just as it is in Doug’s determination to protect the species.

The beauty that surrounds Doug’s dream has been touched by his own fragility.  He is 39 years old and is still going strong with plans for expansion. But when he was 22 and again at age 26, he was treated for Hodgkin’s disease, which had claimed the life of his younger brother.  Although the disease is in remission he was recently placed back in the hospital.  “At first they suspected it was Hodgkin’s.  It took them three and one-half weeks to figure out what was wrong.  It wasn’t Hodgkin’s; it was a bacterial infection of my heart.”  He had also suffered from a bleeding ulcer and blood clots, possibly as a result of the medications for the infection. After eight weeks he was discharged from the hospital and returned to the dream of building his butterfly house.

As I wander through the Butterfly House I am drawn by the sound of flowing water.  Jutting out from one side stands a small fountain and a waterfall.  Ferns veil chunks of white limestone rocks and wood bark.  Butterflies linger among the ferns.  A half-dozen goldfish are swirling in a shallow pool at the foot of the mini-falls.  An intermittent clicking of a camera interrupts the sound of trickling water.

Other visitors have just strolled in, silently, speaking in whispers, pointing and smiling. Like an excited child, Doug shows them the colorful clusters of eggs.  He enthusiastically directs them toward the gatherings of fluttering wings and lush feeding plants.  Like a child during show-and-tell, I watch him lead the other wide-eyed observers through the reality of his dream.

After they leave I once again say goodbye to Doug, telling him I hope to visit again next year.  He leads me through the courtyard toward the front of the building.  He continues to point out old geranium pots, walls he intends to paint, and new entryways he intends to add.  He flits from one subject to another, from goal to goal, from dream to dream.  In a dance of effervescence he shows me his plans for his continuing cycle of metamorphosis. Despite the struggles, Doug’s survival is colored with vitality. I finally tell him I must leave.

As I take one final look around, a cool breeze reminds me of the lateness of the season.  Autumn is slowly enveloping the Island. Outside the Butterfly House I can hear the dried green leaves rattling in the wind, mingled with the smells of Lake Huron.  In a few months the Island will grow cold, blanketed with a bed of snow and ice.

The Straits will become a frozen highway for snowmobilers.  The Island visitors, like myself, will have taken the last boats back to the mainland of Michigan until spring.  But Doug and Theresa will nuzzle into their home and enjoy their son Woody and daughter Bliss.  Snowmobiling, walks, and good books will fill their days and nights as Doug dreams of next spring, when the Butterfly House once again will emerge as a place of the dance.

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Michael Wetzel teaches Writing classes at Lansing Community College
And has published numerous magazine and news articles
Executive Director/founder of Shepherd’s Purse. www.shepherdspurse.org

The Grand nine was built in 1901 and redesigned in 1987 by prominent golf course architect, Jerry Matthews. He also designed the Woods nine, added in 1994. Transportation between the Grand nine and Woods nine is by specially designed horse-drawn carriage. Clubs are available for rental. Golf carts and pull carts are available. To reserve tee times, please call (906) 847-3331 and ask for the Golf Shop.

Grand Hotel – The Jewel
286 Grand Avenue
Mackinac Island, MI 49757
906-847-3331

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The historic course was designed by Scottish golf pro Alex Smith in 1898 and is one of the few remaining links courses in America.

Named by members of the Island’s Anishinabe or Chippewa Indians, Wawashkamo means “Walk a Crooked Trail.”

The Wawashkamo Clubhouse

The Wawashkamo Clubhouse is open to the public. Our facilities can provide a cool place to relax after a fun round of golf or can be used to host weddings, family outings and corporate events. More information on food service and private functions…

Visit our clubhouse to purchase logoed merchandise and golf essentials such as sweaters, fleeceware, rainsuits, golf balls and more. We also offer a selection of putters and wedges, and lockers for your convenience.

Contact us for private golf lessons.

The club is open from mid-May through October 15.

Quick Links

• History
• Summer Island Tee Time Getaway
• Rates

Wawashkamo Golf Club
British Landing Road
Mackinac Island, MI 49757
906-847-3871

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Wawashkama Golf Club – Additional Links and Resources

• Wawashkamo Red Oak Witnessed Island Battle – Mackinac State Historic Parks
A enormous red oak at the Wawashkamo golf course on Mackinac Island fell after strong winds in July and has proven to have a history that far pre-dates that of the golf course.

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At dusk, the course transforms for Glow Golf with glow-in-the-dark golf balls, golf flag poles and neon glowsticks.

Don’t forget to stop by Bistro on the Greens for a to-go beverage to enjoy during your round!

Open daily; hours vary throughout the season. Please call 906.847.3007 for current hours.

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One Lakeshore Drive
Mackinac Island, MI 49757
906-847-3007

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Visit Mission Point Resort Website >>>>

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