Great Lakes - Anyone from the Sault Ste. Marie, Paradise and Whitefish Point area of Michigan?

I will be travelling to the Mackinaw City/St. Ignace area of Michigan in June for vacation. I am going there to do a spring bike ride including the ride across the Mackinac Bridge.

I will also be doing some visiting to the Paradise/Whitefish Point area and the Sault Ste. Marie area as well. I will be doing my own ride from Paradise to Whitefish Point, but would also like to do some riding from Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan United States to Sault Ste. Marie Canada. What I need to know is are bicycles allowed to ride across? Is there a pedestrian crossing that a cyclist can also ride across on? Or do they allow cyclists to ride with the motor vehicle traffic?

Is there anyone from the Mackinaw City/St. Ignace, Parades, Whitefish Point, Sault Ste. Marie area that can help me with this?

Thank you.

You must be doing the Big Mac ride. You will love that area.

I can help you with some rides while you are in Mackinaw. however I am not familuar with the U.P. areas you have mentioned.

I will be travelling to the Mackinaw City/St. Ignace area of Michigan in June for vacation. I am going there to do a spring bike ride including the ride across the Mackinac Bridge.

I will also be doing some visiting to the Paradise/Whitefish Point area and the Sault Ste. Marie area as well. I will be doing my own ride from Paradise to Whitefish Point, but would also like to do some riding from Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan United States to Sault Ste. Marie Canada. What I need to know is are bicycles allowed to ride across? Is there a pedestrian crossing that a cyclist can also ride across on? Or do they allow cyclists to ride with the motor vehicle traffic?

Is there anyone from the Mackinaw City/St. Ignace, Parades, Whitefish Point, Sault Ste. Marie area that can help me with this?

Thank you.

Hi! There is a cycling club in Traverse City, and perhaps if you inquire at their website you can find out. Plus there's the League of Michigan Bicyclists, www.lmb.org. Their site has a link to some Google groups, where you can post questions. I've never been on them, but I think I will do so.

Road Fan

You must be doing the Big Mac ride. You will love that area.

I can help you with some rides while you are in Mackinaw. however I am not familuar with the U.P. areas you have mentioned.


Yes, I will be doing the Big Mac Ride. We already have our reservation for a cabin at Mackinaw Mill Creek Camp Ground. We are going to arrive on June 11 and leave on June 18. According to a book we bought about visiting Michigan there are a lot of good areas to ride in. A ride I am going to do on my own is from Paradise to Whitefish Point. I think I have figured out I will not be able to ride across into Sault Ste. Marie Canada, because it is part of I-75 which turns into a major higway for Ontario. But there looks to be an exit onto the island on St. Mary's River that I can take, then unload the bike, ride across a smaller bridge and into the city then onto a river front bike route/path then east through some park areas then north around the city. I am going to call the Sault Ste. Marie City Hall on Monday to start getting more info. and confirming this as well as some of the local clubs through the Michigan advocacy groups web site.

Granted I have over 6 months, but I like to be prepared ahead of time in case something has to change.

Are you doing the Bic Mac Ride? Would you like to meet up on it and ride together?

I went to college in Sault Ste. Marie and crossed the international bridge countless times. There is not a pedestrian lane, nor a bike lane. I do not recall ever seeing anyone on a bicycle crossing the bridge. There is a bus that crosses regularly so you could get across without a car. You will have to pass through customs, so you may want to contact Department of Homeland Security to ask about what you need to do to cross with your bicycle.

Have fun! It is a beautiful place.

I went to college in Sault Ste. Marie and crossed the international bridge countless times. There is not a pedestrian lane, nor a bike lane. I do not recall ever seeing anyone on a bicycle crossing the bridge. There is a bus that crosses regularly so you could get across without a car. You will have to pass through customs, so you may want to contact Department of Homeland Security to ask about what you need to do to cross with your bicycle.

Have fun! It is a beautiful place.

Do you recall whether or not there is an exit that takes traffic on to St. Marys Island, then a bridge from the island into the city that someone could use other then the main highway? There street is called Canal St. that looks to have a bridge that connects to the city near the train tracks. I am wondering if there is an exit from Hwy 17B to the island.

Here is a google maps link to what I am asking about: http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=sault+ste+marie+canada&ie=UTF8&g=sault+ste+marie+canada&ll=46.514697,-84.352555&spn=0.012315,0.027122&z=15

You may have to zoom in to the crossing to see it.

My wife and I already know we need passports to get into Canada. I will also contact Homeland Security to find out about crossing the border with my bicycle attached to the carrier on the back of my vehicle.

I'd assume if the bike is your property and on your car, there's no problem.

Do you recall whether or not there is an exit that takes traffic on to St. Marys Island, then a bridge from the island into the city that someone could use other then the main highway? There street is called Canal St. that looks to have a bridge that connects to the city near the train tracks. I am wondering if there is an exit from Hwy 17B to the island.

Here is a google maps link to what I am asking about: http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=sault+ste+marie+canada&ie=UTF8&g=sault+ste+marie+canada&ll=46.514697,-84.352555&spn=0.012315,0.027122&z=15

You may have to zoom in to the crossing to see it.

My wife and I already know we need passports to get into Canada. I will also contact Homeland Security to find out about crossing the border with my bicycle attached to the carrier on the back of my vehicle.

In Soo, Canada, 17B is a regular road. Once you pass through customs, you will make a right onto the street in front of you and rather than follow the curve of 17B (Bay St) around, you go straight onto Huron which should take you to Canal St. You should have no problem getting onto the island.

Thank you for all the info. I do have a few more questions and I promise I'll stop asking about this area and call the city hall, chamber of commerce, etc.

How do you prnounce Sault? Is it pronounced salt? Or some other prononciation? I don't want to say it wrong and offend someone by doing so. I know how uptight people can get when you pronounce the name of their city wrong.

In Michiganese, it's pronounced .... soo......Atop Big Mac the winds can be awful.. Love the area. I'm envious..One of my favorite chunks of land on Planet Earth..... Wish I could join in... Is that the only time of year bikes can cross the Mackinac Bridge.. ?... I think the bridge authority usually makes accommodations with some kind of bus service for bikes crossing the bridge...... The only drawback. As I remember the roads with not much of a shoulder.

In Michiganese, it's pronounced .... soo......Atop Big Mac the winds can be awful.. Love the area. I'm envious..One of my favorite chunks of land on Planet Earth..... Wish I could join in... Is that the only time of year bikes can cross the Mackinac Bridge.. ?... I think the bridge authority usually makes accommodations with some kind of bus service for bikes crossing the bridge...... The only drawback. As I remember the roads with not much of a shoulder.

Absolutely correct. It is pronounced soo or sue. Often times abbreviated Soo, especially the Canadian side.

From the Mackinac area north is like a slice of heaven. You will love Whitefish Point and the aptly named Paradise. Beautiful places. If you have time, hike at Tahquamenon falls while in Paradise and visit the Whitefish Point Bird Observatory (http://www.exploringthenorth.com/birds/birds.html).

Enjoy. Feel free to ask as many questions as you want. Will happily answer whatever I can for you.

Absolutely correct. It is pronounced soo or sue. Often times abbreviated Soo, especially the Canadian side.

From the Mackinac area north is like a slice of heaven. You will love Whitefish Point and the aptly named Paradise. Beautiful places. If you have time, hike at Tahquamenon falls while in Paradise and visit the Whitefish Point Bird Observatory (http://www.exploringthenorth.com/birds/birds.html).

Enjoy. Feel free to ask as many questions as you want. Will happily answer whatever I can for you.

What area of Michigan do you live in? Are you in the area we are discussing? Are you going to do the spring ride, including the Big Mac Ride? I'd love to mee up with you, on the ride at least.

I will be there with 3 other people, my wife and her parents, this is a family trip to sort of celebrate my father in law's retirement. Of the 3 others my father in law is the only other who may ride bike with me. I will have to divide my time between riding and spending time with everyone one else. I have a pretty good idea on how I am going to do that.

To answer cyclezealot's question about when you can ride across the bridge. I called the Mackinaw City Chamber of Commerce and was told the only time they allow people to ride across is on this ride, which is twice a year, June and September. Any other time bicycles are prohibited. Mainly because it is part of Interstate 75. Like all other states in the U.S. bicycles are not allowed on interstate roadways, especially if they have a minimum posted speed limit. Also in order to "qualify" to ride across the bridge you have to have done the ride the day before and pay an extra fee to ride on the bridge. The fee covers the expense to close off one lane, the volunteers to go ahead and lay down the mats that cover the joints and pick them up after the riders have gone through, and the ferry boat ride back across. From what I understand about the ride across the bridge is one way only and you can not stop. So I am figuring out a way to take phot's while I am riding across the bridge.

Most of our time will be in and around Mackinaw City/Mackinac Island area. Our tentative itinerary includes:
June 11; arrive
June 12; pick up ride packet from chamber of commerce, Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse, Icebreaker Mackinaw, historic walking tour
June 13; Bike ride
June 14: Bike ride in morning across bridge, Fort Michilimackinac
June 15; Mackinac Island
June 16; St. Ignace, Paradise and Whitefish Point, Shipwreck Museum
June 17; Sault Ste. Marie, Soo Locks
June 18; leave, we have to visit family in Illinois.

Aside from the organized bike ride I am planning on riding from Paradise to Whitefish Point, hopefuly with my father in law. I understand it is a beautiful 11 mile route along the lake. We also want to see the SHipwreck Museum and learn more about the Edmund Fitzgerald. My wife was just 2 days past 4 years old when it sank in 1975. She was born in Grand Rapids, her and her parents moved to Des Moines, Iowa in May of '75. Ever since my learned about the ship she has had a fascination with it. She did not have any family that went down with the ship just an interest in it.

From what we understand Mackinac Island will take a whole day to visit and there are no motor vehicles allowed on the island. I think this is cool and we will probably walk or hire a horse drawn carriage to take us where it is too far to walk.

What can you tell me about the lighthouse, the Icebreaker Mackinaw, Fort Michilimackinac and Mackinac Island?

Biking across the International Bridge (SSM MI -> SSM Ontario) is still allowed, per the Mich Dept of Transportation website (http://www.michigan.gov/mdot/0,1607,7-151-9615_11223-22759--,00.html). When I last rode across (4-5 yrs ago) we rode on the edge of the right traffic lane, just like on any other road. Toll was $0.75 or something. As others have said, cycling across the Mac Bridge is allowed rarely, for large groups (like your tour). On other days, you simply call the Bridge Authority from a phone kiosk located at highway entrance ramps at each end of the bridge. Last time I crossed this way (again, 4-5 yrs ago) a pleasant guy in an official pickup came shortly, we threw our bikes in the back, & got in the truck - cost a buck or two.

From what we understand Mackinac Island will take a whole day to visit and there are no motor vehicles allowed on the island.
Trivia: M-185, the road that encircles Mackinac Island, is the only state highway in the U.S. that doesn't allow cars. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M-185_(Michigan_highway)

Trivia: M-185, the road that encircles Mackinac Island, is the only state highway in the U.S. that doesn't allow cars. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M-185_(Michigan_highway)


Not just that, if the road is pretty clean, it's a real nice ride - about 14 miles, flat. Have fenders and be aware you are sharing the road with horses. You can take your bike across on a ferry, at least the ones from Cheboygan, east of Mack City. Also watch out for sand.

I'm told there's also a really nice climbing ride that crosses the island.

What area of Michigan do you live in? Are you in the area we are discussing? Are you going to do the spring ride, including the Big Mac Ride? I'd love to mee up with you, on the ride at least.

Currently I reside just north of Detroit. Not sure if I could make the trip or not. I will see if my calendar allows me to meet up with you. I have family & friends up there, so a trip up is not out of the question.




From what we understand Mackinac Island will take a whole day to visit and there are no motor vehicles allowed on the island. I think this is cool and we will probably walk or hire a horse drawn carriage to take us where it is too far to walk.


Mackinac Island is definitely at least a whole day visit. There is so much history and shopping and food and scenery that you could explore for days and not get bored. Definitely try to make it up to the Butterfly House. We took a carriage tour of the island a couple of years ago. It was fantastic to hear the history and get a different view of the place that I have visited so many times.


Trivia: M-185, the road that encircles Mackinac Island, is the only state highway in the U.S. that doesn't allow cars. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M-185_(Michigan_highway)

M-185 is a beautiful road to pedal. We always stop at British Landing to explore and play in the water a little bit. There are a lot of great roads to ride that go into the middle of the island, too. Be warned, however, that things on the island can get pretty pricey. It adds up quickly.

I don't know anything about the International Bridge, but here is the info regarding the Mackinac Bridge per MDOT:


Mackinac Bridge

How can my bicycle group get across the Mackinac Bridge?

Answer:
Bicyclists are not allowed to cross the Mackinac Bridge on their own. The Mackinac Bridge Authority will transport your group across the bridge in Mackinac Bridge Authority vehicles. The fee is $2.00 per bicycle.

If you are traveling northbound, there is a phone at the south end of the bridge. Instructions for using the phone are posted in the phone box.

If you are southbound, please go to our service window in the administration building and ask for assistance. The administration building is located on the north end of the Mackinac Bridge on the east side of the toll plaza.

The service is provided on an as needed basis. If you need additional information please call us at 906-643-7600.

MDOT Frequently Asked Questions: Mackinaw Bridge (http://www.michigan.gov/mdot/0,1607,7-151-16940-74107--F,00.html)

If you go to Mackinac Island, be sure to drink some Bell's Oberon outside, next to some fresh road apples. Oh, man its an incedible experience! There is some excellent stuff on the Edmund Fitz at the museum. One of about 800 wrecks around there. Hpoefully gas prices will be sky high thus reducing the chance of death by Winnebego mirrors! Not too mant bike tourists up that way, a few on the shoulder of M28. Be careful and don't keep food in your tent.