Ferry service to Mackinac Island stopped the first week of February and after one week of only being able to fly to Mackinac Island, the ice bridge from St. Ignace to Mackinac Island formed. For most islanders, this is a favorite time of year - to be able to freely leave the island and head to the main land within 20 minutes. The ice bridge is 3.5 miles in length and is lined with Christmas trees so islanders can follow the path.
Some winters an ice bridge is not formed if the weather is too mild, and other winters, the ice bridge can last up to two months long. Doud’s Market uses the ice bridge to haul the groceries from St. Ignace to the island!
The ice bridge is one of the most amazing experiences, yet it can be very dangerous too. Islanders have been crossing for years and even horses use to take the hike across the ice as well!
The pictures here are from crossing the ice bridge last week! The sun was shining, blue skies...it could not have been a prettier February day. This year, the ice bridge was not the best, very bumpy which made traveling the bridge much slower. But nonetheless, spectacular. We took in the views, took in all the sunshine and headed to Mackinac Island!
The short-lived winter weekend was packed with snowmobile rides, ice skating, visiting Doud’s Market. The ice skating rink is located near Fort Mackinac. I think this is one of the cutest rinks we've seen! Mackinac State Parks has done a fabulous job keeping the rink groomed, offering skating accessories and a happy environment for residents to enjoy.