ST. IGNACE, Michigan – The Mackinac Bridge will be closed to traffic during the 66th Mackinac Bridge Walk.

The event, scheduled for Labor Day (Monday, September 2), is expected to attract tens of thousands of pedestrians to this Michigan landmark.

The bridge will be closed to vehicle traffic from 6:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. to accommodate the walking event. Travelers planning to cross the bridge on that day should plan accordingly.

RENTHUSIASTIC: Tens of thousands expected for the 66th Mackinac Bridge Walk

The Mackinac Bridge connects Michigan’s Upper and Lower Peninsulas across the Straits of Mackinac and is the longest suspension bridge in the Western Hemisphere. It is open to pedestrian traffic only once a year.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer will lead the march, starting at 7 a.m., followed by all other participants.

The 5-mile suspension bridge is open to pedestrians from 7 a.m. to noon. Hikers must start from either Mackinaw City or St. Ignace before 11:30 a.m. There is no fee to participate and no registration is required.

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Since hikers begin their journey at one of the two ends, there will be no bus to take participants back to the starting point.

Participants can choose from three hiking options:

• Walk from one end to the middle and turn around. This way you won’t need transport across the bridge after the walk. The turning points will move to both ends of the bridge starting at 10:00 am. Start at 11:30 am to walk at least part of the bridge.
• Walk the entire length of the bridge, starting at either end. You must reach the middle before 10am, otherwise you will be sent back to your starting point. You will need to arrange your own transportation back across the bridge.
• Walk across the bridge twice, starting at either end. To avoid needing transportation after the walk, simply walk back across the bridge – this is a 10-mile loop. You must reach the middle of the bridge before 10am on your return walk or you will be sent back, which will involve the need to find transportation for the return journey.

Participants can be returned to their starting point by local Mackinac Island ferry companies, which provide service between St. Ignace and Mackinaw City, and from both cities to the island. Local shuttle services are also available.

There are no toilets on the bridge and the average walking time is two hours. Portable toilets are available at both ends.

Strollers and wheelchairs are permitted. Signs, banners, umbrellas, bicycles, roller skates, skateboards, handcarts and similar devices are prohibited. No animals are permitted, with the exception of service dogs. Smoking is not permitted.

The annual bridge run was first held in 1958 and has only been cancelled once, in 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2023, an estimated 35,000 people took part.