Mackinac Island – The Path Less Taken

Mackinac Island is our FAVORITE Michigan cruising destination!

Mackinac Island is a very busy tourist destination during the day. So when visiting the island, Jim and I try to focus our daytime activities on walking in less congested areas. Our favorite route starts by walking up the steps leading to the steep bluff just across the road from the marina. Most day-time visitors to the island walk or ride bikes along the path at the bottom perimeter of the island. It’s fairly busy there at the bottom, that’s why we choose to climb to the top of the island. The view from the top is majestic and far-reaching, on clear days you can see the Mackinac Bridge, which spans the Straits of Mackinac.

Not many daytime visitors to Mackinac Island venture up to the woods and bluffs. It probably takes a few trips to the island before you learn to wander beyond the high-traffic areas.

After we spent a few minutes admiring the view in front of the magnificent homes on the bluff we headed off into the woods where many, less traveled, paths await. Today, with a slight mist in the air, the woods were magical and saturated with vibrant greens, oranges, and browns. Don’t think we passed a soul while walking these paths that morning.

When walking on the paths at the top of the island you are very likely to bump into a carriage or two.

There are three cemeteries on top of Mackinac Island, and they always provide something to do, we like to walk around and read the tombstones.

Walking along the top of the island eventually brings us to the bluff on the other side of the Grand Hotel. Magnificent views await along with some fairly impressive “cottages.”

Down from the bluff on the Grand Hotel side of the island is this beautiful path.