Adventuring Beyond the Tourist Trail on Mackinac Island

10+ ways to see the island through fresh eyes

By Matt Dursum | May 17, 2025

Visitors may know Mackinac Island for its horses, paved bike trails, Grand Hotel, and the Revolutionary War era Fort Mackinac that overlooks the harbor. But beyond the crowded gift shops and popular hotels along Lake Shore Drive is a lesser-known side to the island. We got recommendations from two experts on how to explore Mackinac like a local.

On Land

“If you can get out and start hiking a little bit, to me, those are some of the experiences that you feel like you’re discovering things on your own,” says Dominick Miller, Mackinac State Historic Parks chief of marketing. 

Visitors can access the 1,800-acre island in under an hour by ferry from St. Ignace or Mackinaw City. Once on the island, hikers have over 70 miles of trails to explore.

“One of my favorite hikes is the Tranquil Bluff hike. It’s a legit hiking trail on Mackinac Island,” says Miller. The trail starts north of Arch Rock, one of the island’s most popular destinations, and runs for 6.1 miles along the island’s northern coast, ending at British Landing. “You’re going to have incredible views of the Straits of Mackinac that you can only get by hiking on this trail.”

Once they arrive at British Landing, hikers can visit the British Landing Nature Center. The center features educational panels about native flora and fauna. A naturalist on site can answer questions about Mackinac Island’s unique ecosystem.

Hikers looking for a challenge can scale interior trails that climb over 800 feet to off-the-beaten-path destinations.

“Kind of a hidden gem that I always enjoy is Fort Holmes,” says Steph Castelein, content manager for the Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau.

Fort Holmes was built by the British during the War of 1812. Near the fort are several small caves and breathtaking viewpoints, including Point Lookout.

“We also have caves that are more like rock formations that you can actually go down into. It’s an actual crack in the island,” says Castelein. In addition to the island’s famous geological landmarks, Sugar Loaf, Skull Cave, and Arch Rock are smaller formations only accessible by trails. “A lot of people like to explore those kinds of hidden gems, which is a lot of fun.”

By Water

Mackinac Island is also a destination for water lovers. Great Turtle Kayak Tours offers guided kayaking, snorkeling, and paddleboarding tours. “They’re going to have an outpost out at British Landing for some of their paddleboarding opportunities, so that’ll be fun for folks,” says Castelein. For more adrenaline, Castelein says visitors can also take to the skies above the island’s crystalline waters through Mackinaw Parasailing.

Experienced scuba divers can venture further into the depths surrounding the island. There are dozens of shipwrecks throughout the Straits of Mackinac. Advanced divers can join St. Ignace Scuba to dive the nearby wrecks.

Closer to the island, snorkelers can access underwater rock formations easily from shore, including the Rock Maze in front of Arch Rock. Snorkelers will commonly find underwater formations and schools of fish.

After their aquatic adventures, Castelein says visitors can enjoy the lake at dusk with their favorite drink in hand. “There is Sip n’ Sail Cruises, which is an hour and a half long cruise with live music and a stocked bar that typically goes underneath the Mackinac Bridge.” The company also offers private charters for events.

Through History

History enthusiasts can also break away from the typical destinations and go off the beaten path by visiting historical sights such as the Richard & Jane Manoogian Mackinac Art Museum. 

“It’s an absolute gem that has art inspired by the island. Some of it dates back thousands of years,” says Miller. Inside are original 19th-century photographs, Native American garments, and rare artifacts.

According to Miller, the American Fur Company Store is another lesser-visited attraction worth seeing. Located on the corner of Fort and Market Street, the small building was the site of a medical marvel.

“There’s a famous story where a gunshot rang out in 1822, and a young merchant was shot in the stomach accidentally. Miraculously, the young man survived, but the wound never fully healed,” says Miller. 

The gunshot victim, French Canadian voyageur Alexis St. Martin, was treated by Fort Mackinac surgeon Dr. William Beaumont. “They started experiments with food on a string, done on this guy’s stomach, to see how the stomach actually digested its food. What we know about modern digestion starts with an accidental gunshot on Mackinac Island.” 

After visiting the American Fur Company, visitors can walk or bike to the Biddle House, which is now home to the Mackinac Island Native American Museum.

“We worked with tribal partners to tell the continuing story of the Anishinaabe people of northern Michigan,” says Miller. The museum chronicles the story of the Anishinaabe through the lens of an Odawa woman named Agatha Biddle, who lived in that house in the 1830s. These sites, along with the Benjamin Blacksmith Shop, are included in the Fort Mackinac ticket. 

As the 2025 tourist season begins, both Miller and Castelein encourage people to leave their comfort zones and explore the lesser-known natural and historical wonders on the island. 

“I like to grab a map and see what trails I haven’t explored, so just kind of picking an area and going and exploring that, maybe packing a lunch, or having a plan to stop at one of the restaurants along the way,” says Castelein.

Visitors can find more information about the lesser-visited sites of Mackinac Island at mackinacisland.org.

Storm Recovery Update

Unlike other areas of northern Michigan, Mackinac Island’s landmarks were largely spared from March’s historic ice storm.

“We were very fortunate on Mackinac. I know a lot of our surrounding neighbors on the mainland were hit, and they’re still reeling in the aftermath of the ice storm,” says Castelein.

Damage on the island was minor, and island residents, businesses, and officials were able to clear brush and tree limbs from major trails and carriage routes. “Most of our trails were cleaned up pretty quickly, especially the ones that might be used for carriage tours or main biking paths.”

Castelein adds that volunteers are still working to clear smaller footpaths and mountain bike trails. As more under-the-radar trails are cleared, visitors will be able to explore the interior this summer on foot or by bike.