WHAT TO EXPECT ON MACKINAC ISLAND DURING WINTER SEASON
Planning your Winter Adventure on Mackinac Island?
Visiting Mackinac Island in the winter is a perfect time to enjoy the quiet beauty of the island – hike, ski, snowshoe, take beautiful pictures and read a good book. Here are the places that will remain open during all or some of the winter season:
PUBLIC RESTROOMS
- Star Line Mackinac Island Ferry Company Ticket Office on the Island at Dock #1 – OPEN AS LONG AS FERRY RUNS, 906-847-3292
DINING
- Kingston Kitchen at the Village Inn– OPEN DAILY, 906-847-3542
- Doud’s Market & Deli – OPEN DAILY, 906-847-3444
- Mustang Lounge – OPEN DAILY, 906-847-991
LODGING
- Above Mackinac Condos – OPEN ALL YEAR, 906-847-3614
- Bicycle Street Inn – OPEN ALL YEAR (except closed in April), 906-847-8005
- Pontiac Lodge – OPEN ALL YEAR, 906-847-3364
- Small Point B&B – WILL OPEN ON WEEKENDS FOR THE WINTER STARTING, 906-847-3758
- Village Inn Suites – OPEN ALL YEAR, 906-847-8077
SHOPPING
- Doud’s Market – OPEN ALL YEAR, 906-847-3444
- Island Hardware – OPEN ALL YEAR, 906-847-6350
- Loon Feather & Balsam Shop – OPEN BY APPOINTMENT, 906-847-3592
- Mackinac Island Ferry Company Ship Store – OPEN AS LONG AS FERRY RUNS, 906-847-3292
- Vintage Glam Salon – OPEN ALL YEAR, 906-847-3290
TRANSPORTATION
- Fresh Air Aviation – RESERVATIONS NEEDED, 231-237-9482
- Star Line Mackinac Island Ferry Company – UNTIL ROUTE FREEZES OVER, 800-638-9892
- Taxi Service – RESERVATIONS NEEDED, 906-847-3323
ACTIVITIES
- Chad’s Wonderful Winter Walking Tour – NOVEMBER 1 – MAY 1, 248-425-1183, call to schedule a tour, 248-425-1183
- Cross Country Ski – Bring your own equipment to explore the island (no guide)
- Fat Tire Biking – Bikes can be transported to the island for a fee on the ferry
- Geocaching – There are typically 120-140 active geocaches on Mackinac Island at any given time
- Hiking – Explore one of 5 easy hiking trails in Mackinac Island or discover kid-friendly routes for your next family trip
- Snowshoeing – Bring your own equipment to explore the island (no guide)
- State Park Trails – OPEN ALL YEAR
EVENTS
- Twilight Turtle Trek – 1/7/23, 2/4/23 & 3/4/23, 5:30 – 7:30 pm, meet at Greeney Grove
Get Winter Service Updates
The winter service schedule is subject to change due to weather and pandemic conditions.
For up-to-the-minute schedule updates, text the word “MACKINACFERRY” to 41411. (Standard data and messaging rates may apply.)
Getting to the Island by Ferry
Please Note: Winter ferry tickets may be purchased at St. Ignace Dock #2.
During winter service, a $5 one-way surcharge will apply to Star Line Mackinac Island Ferry Company Summer Commuter Tickets and Star Line Mackinac Island Ferry Company Season Pass Holders.
A $10 surcharge applies to standard round-trip tickets ($5 each way).
Winter Schedule
Winter Parking
HERE’S A LOOK AT THE TYPICAL WINTER WEATHER ON MACKINAC ISLAND:
- November on Mackinac Island brings average daily high temperatures of 42 degrees, with nighttime lows of 31 degrees
- December on Mackinac Island brings average daily high temperatures of 31 degrees, with nighttime lows of 20 degrees.
- January on Mackinac Island brings average daily high temperatures of 26 degrees, with nighttime lows of 12 degrees.
- February on Mackinac Island brings average daily high temperatures of 27 degrees, with nighttime lows of 11 degrees.
- March on Mackinac Island brings average daily high temperatures of 35 degrees, with nighttime lows of 19 degrees.
- April on Mackinac Island brings average daily high temperatures of 47 degrees, with nighttime lows of 31 degrees.
In addition to cooler temperatures from Halloween through Easter, Mackinac Island also gets a lot of snow. While it is possible for a few flakes to fall in October or May, almost all of the 94 inches of average annual snowfall comes from November through April. No wonder Mackinac Island residents tend to get around on snowmobiles in the winter!
January is the snowiest month of the year. So, if there isn’t already a nice base of snow on the ground by the time of Mackinac Island’s Great Turtle Drop on New Year’s Eve, then there will be soon. That’s why Mackinac Island State Park is a great place for cross-country skiing and fat-tire biking. Mackinac Island’s Great Turtle Twilight Trek, which is a lighted ski path through the woods, is a winter activity that’s worth the trip for visitors.
Winter also tends to be a little windier than summer on Mackinac Island, which is even more reason to spend time exploring the protected woods of Mackinac Island State Park. Because Mackinac Island is far north, the winter days can be pretty short – with December and January only getting about 9 hours of daylight each day.
Although peak season ferry schedules cease at the end of October, you can still catch a ride to the island on a Mackinac Island Ferry Company ferry boat through the winter from Dock 2 in St Ignace – at least until the water freezes. Flying to Mackinac Island is another option.
A few places to stay on Mackinac Island are open all winter, while a few others have availability on weekends and holidays. Doud’s Market is open year-round for groceries and packaged meals.
Please note that restaurants and places to stay can and will change their schedules without giving any notice, so please check and re-check what will be open when you plan to visit Mackinac Island in the winter.
