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    Recommended Reviews - Arch Rock

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    On the path that leads to the rock
    Renee N.

    If you are a first timer on Mackinac Island be sure to make a point to climb the 200+ stairwell and take a look at this gorgeous arch. The arch towers above the water and is more than fifty feet wide. It is a good cardio workout to the top, but once you are up there the view s from the top of the island are epic. You can see all the colors in Lake Huron and the island is just immersed in beautiful green foliage everywhere you look during the summer. You can reach the rock by horse drawn carriage, bike or by walking there. It is definitely not to be missed.

    Misty S.

    This has to be the coolest place on the island. This arch is magnificent and when viewed from the top (rather than the road), it frames the lake so beautifully. You cannot come to Mackinac Island and NOT see this arch! ....| \ _ , , , - - , , _ , .../ , ` . - ' ` ' . _ \ - ; ; ; , _ ..| , a - ) ) _ . ; . ( ` - ` - ' - ' ' - - - ' ' ( _ / . _ ) - ' ( _ \ _ ) 2019

    Beautiful water!
    Sue B.

    Pretty area and scenic view of the arch. Be prepared to climb 207 steps if you don't go by horse carriage!

    Arch Rock - September 2021
    Julie N.

    This is a MUST see spot on Mackinac Island. Carriage Rides can get you here as well as a walk/bike ride from town! It's an amazing sight to see of Lake Huron in the Summer/Fall time and the Arch Rock itself is a natural wonder with a folklore backstory that you might hear about on a guided tour. Difficulty - Short set of stairs, but otherwise not an issue for the vista point. Crowds - It's a very popular spot, so be aware you'll be surrounded by people even on offseason (weekdays) In preparation for Mackinac Island: save yourself the trouble and make sure to wear some athletic shoes since a big component of the experience on the island is nature!

    The Arch
    Maronda H.

    It was All A Dream. Before we planned our trip here to Mackinac I had already added Arch Rock to my list of things to see. Absolutely beautiful A Must To See. It was well worth the walk up 204 plus? stairs to see such an amazing scenery. The beautiful greenish/blue water was just so calming and relaxing. I felt like I was in a whole new different world. Amazing view and calming atmosphere. Once you reach the top you can enjoy overlooking and seeing the island in a better view. I'm so happy that I was able to see such a beautiful place.

    Rhonda W.

    Arch Rock, the Grand Hotel, fudge and butterfly house was our itinerary for the island. It was a lovely day .. cooler than usual for July. We debated how to get around ... my husband isn't a fan of bikes. The problem with the carriage tour is from what we read they only give you 5 or 10 minutes at the arch. so we walked. It was a lovely day but the walk seemed longer than we expected ... then when you reach the arch.. you have to climb 207 steps OMG. that was tough for old couch potatoes after that walk. We did it but what would have have paid to get a ride to the top ... ALOT. lol. plus it was crowded because tour groups kept arriving flooding the arch with people wanting that perfect pic and selfie. The reviews we'd read recommend arriving fairly early or much later for ideal colors. Unfortunately we ended arriving at noon. it was still worth the visit.

    Vivian W.

    Very nice walk in the woods to reach the arch rock. It's beside the lake, really beautiful.

    Katie U.

    If you like a good photo op, stop at Arch Rock. Very unique rock in, you guessed it, an arch shape. The beauty is its accessibility: you don't have to climb stairs or walk a long trail to see it, although you can go up a few stairs to get closer to the rock and actually touch it. If you go up those stairs, you get great sweeping views of the shoreline and Lake Huron. The colors of the lake are unparalleled and range from a deep blue to a light teal at the most shallow points. Arch Rock is one of the stops on the Carriage Tours (highly recommend), but it is also accessible via paved roads for bikers, horseback riders, and walkers. You can also see Arch Rock from a different vantage point from the paved sidewalk down below that circles the island, Lake Shore Drive. This landmark might be regarded as a typical tourist stop, but don't pass up the opportunity to see it for yourself.

    Below
    Lauren C.

    Such a beautiful place to visit! I could have stayed longer here. We took a bike and walked up the stairs from the bottom. There were lots of people coming in and out of the tour "buses". But still a beautiful place to go. RECOMMEND: Don't go on the overcrowded tours that are pulled by horses because everyone gets off at the same time and gets to crowded. Rent a bike and go see it so you can spend more time around the park and don't feel rushed.

    Alexander B.

    Accessible via steps for pedestrians or via horse pathways it's a great thing to see! It also has an observation deck with fantastic views. There's another higher deck around the corner with a trail!

    Hannah M.

    We had a nice little walk through the state park and Arch Rock was very cool to see. It was mostly shaded which was much needed on a very hot day

    View from the top
    Dave C.

    It's a cool rock formation; plenty of pictures here - certainly worth the trip - 3 ways to get there: Carriage Tour, Bike, or walk about 1 mile from the center of town. If you go from either of the latter 2 options, you can take the stairs up to the top. From the Carriage Tour - you are at the top.

    Christopher S.

    Wow what a gorgeous place to visit. I can't imagine coming to Mackinac Island and NOT coming to visit this view. You can get here by bike/walk off the Main Street. You have to walk up stairs, I believe the sign said over 250 stairs. It seemed like more, we were breathing hard! Or, you can take a carriage tour and they drop you off at the top. Either way the water is so green and so clear, the rock formation is a perfect place to snap some memorial pictures. On a side note, they told us you only have roughly 50 years before this formation will naturally fall apart. Do not miss it.

    look at that view!  the arch is large enough to walk across!

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    Pretty cool natural formation that's very much worth checking out! Nice stairway that leads to the top and offers some nice scenery!

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    4 years ago

    Beautiful spot! Don't miss out on seeing this site and view. We stopped here off our carriage tour and it was great!

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    Ask the Community - Arch Rock

    Review Highlights - Arch Rock

    The problem with the carriage tour is from what we read they only give you 5 or 10 minutes at the arch.

    Mentioned in 5 reviews

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    Fort Mackinac - They don't make them like they used to

    Fort Mackinac

    4.4(92 reviews)
    0.3 km

    I was made aware of Fort Mackinac when I heard a loud boom coming from the direction of a hill. I…read morethought something had exploded on the island, but no: it was just Fort Mackinac doing their thang. Apparently, they have rifle and cannon firing demonstrations here, which are scheduled, so if you want to see one while you're visiting the fort, make sure to meet at the allotted time. This is a living history museum, and you'll learn a lot about American and British military history. I mean, you probably will, because you'll read the signs and information that's posted. I mostly looked around and admired the architecture and the view, and took photos of pretty or interesting things that I saw. So from my perspective, Fort Mackinac is a cool and visually interesting place to spend an hour or two. You are basically walking into and out of different houses and structures on what used to be a military outpost. Each building has something new to learn about military life, with exhibits that appeal to all ages. I was surprised by how many interactive and hands-on exhibits there were for kids. Keep in mind that some of the buildings are very airy, so if you visit on a cold day, it might be a little chilly. Plus, you're walking in and out a lot, so if you visit during the fall like I did, you might need a jacket. The gift shop is pretty big, with lots of souvenirs to remember your visit not just of Fort Mackinac, but Mackinac Island, as well.

    Went to Fort Mackinac during our trip to Mackinac Island. Sadly not impressed…read more It was raining and cold, which made it more miserable - but that is not the fort's fault of course. It seemed pretty run down, not a lot of exhibits, minimal information on the exhibits, a lot of meh rooms. Sadly not impressed. Because of the rain there was no riffle/cannon demonstration. Got through it rather quickly. The staff was pleasant. Pricing is ok, around $17.50 I believe. The climb to get to the fort is rough.

    Photos
    Fort Mackinac - Well, looky here

    Well, looky here

    Fort Mackinac - The Kids' Quarters at Fort Mackinac.

    The Kids' Quarters at Fort Mackinac.

    Fort Mackinac - Lunch at the Tea Room has been a memorable part of a Fort Mackinac visit for decades.

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    Lunch at the Tea Room has been a memorable part of a Fort Mackinac visit for decades.

    City of Mackinac Island

    City of Mackinac Island

    3.8(56 reviews)
    0.0 km

    The city has a total area of 18.84 square miles, 4.35 square miles is land and 14.49 square miles…read moreis water. The island population is about 583. The island has a large craft industry devoted to making fudge in a traditional manner, creating portions on cold marble slabs. Mackinac Island is the destination of both the annual Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac, and the annual Port Huron to Mackinac Boat Race. A unique local ordinance passed in 1895 prohibits the use of any motor vehicles on the island. The only exceptions to this are city emergency vehicles (ambulance, police cars and fire trucks), city service vehicles & snowmobiles in the winter. Today the most common means of travel is by foot, bicycle, horse or horse-drawn carriage. Roller skates and roller blades are also allowed, except in the downtown area.

    "Gazing from my window to the streets below On a freshly…read morefallen silent shroud of snow I am a rock I am an island" (Simon and Garfunkel) Floating in the middle of Lake Huron is a 4.35 square mile resort city known as Mackinac Island. There is no bridge that takes you to there, in fact there are no cars at all on the island (they were banned in 1898), except for an ambulance. You'll have to board a ferry or hop on a small plane to get there. Oh, and if the lake freezes you can roll in on a snowmobile. Now THAT'S what I'd call making an entrance. Being that there are no cars on the island, I guess it was no surprise to see the municipal vehicles assigned to trash collection were horse drawn carts. It's a jam-packed tourist destination, with a swanky (some might say Grand) Hotel, a historic fort, a park, and hundreds of shops and restaurants. If you're a fudge fanatic, it seemed to me that every third store sold fudge. Bicycles are everywhere, and we saw a lot of bikes get offloaded from the ferry boats for their owners to use on the island. Is the island popular? Well in 2022 Travel + Leisure magazine gave it the title of "Best island in the continental U.S. to visit". They draw a million visitors a year. That's pretty persuasive evidence of the island's popularity, don't you think?

    Photos
    City of Mackinac Island - Suitcases carried by ferry onto the island

    Suitcases carried by ferry onto the island

    City of Mackinac Island
    City of Mackinac Island

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    Fort Holmes

    Fort Holmes

    3.7(3 reviews)
    1.0 km

    It's free to walk around Fort Holmes and there's a nice view to the lake from the top of the hill,…read morewhich is the highest point on the island. The house building is opened during the day and there are displays inside containing pictures and information about the fort. ....| \ _ , , , - - , , _ , .../ , ` . - ' ` ' . _ \ - ; ; ; , _ ..| , a - ) ) _ . ; . ( ` - ` - ' - ' ' - - - ' ' ( _ / . _ ) - ' ( _ \ _ ) 2019

    I have been to the island many times and after a while you run out of things to do besides the…read morestandard activities like riding bikes around the island, eating fudge, and shopping. Our last trip we decided to bike into the island rather than go around it and that is how we ended up at Fort Holmes. Local worker at the place we rented bikes also suggested we check this place out. He said going at night is even better to see amazing the stars. The bike ride up is a bit rough and you definitely need a mountain bike rather than a cruising bike. Once you get to Fort Holmes you have to take a lot of stairs - I will emphasize "a lot" again - to actually get to the fort. People were walking down the stairs and before we went up we asked them if the hike up is worth it and they said "yes". So we took all the stairs to the top and I must say it is worth it! Fort Holmes is the highest point of the island and the views are the best. We went during the day but I can only imagine what it looks like at night. We spent about an hour, maybe less here. The reconstructed fort is pretty cool, I wish there was a bit more historical context provided but it was neat to see what the fort used to be like. Benches are provided throughout the land and again the views are the best - at least 180 views of the island, maybe a bit more. Do not pass on visiting this gorgeous place, just be prepared to walk a lot of stairs - but it is worth it! Place is free, so cannot be beat!

    Photos
    Fort Holmes - Fort holmes

    Fort holmes

    Fort Holmes - Fort.

    Fort.

    Fort Holmes - Plaque.

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    Plaque.

    Arch Rock - landmarks - Updated May 2026

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