With a deep stretch, I grip my large travel mug of black coffee, ready for a walk.

You see, I don’t like getting up early, but I love being up early. There’s a big difference, in my mind.

I realize it’s no one else’s responsibility to nudge me, shake me, cajole me, or harass me out from under the covers, but I’m thankful when they do, especially on a clear autumn day. Flattery, gentle urging, sweet talk, and the promise of that first sip of local grounds are helpful, and welcome. I’ll be okay with it, in the end, I promise. I sigh, in contentment. There’s something about getting up before the sun, making your way through the early morning darkness. then stretching and moving your body.

If you’re willing to get up early enough, the Mackinac Bridge – the seventh-longest suspension bridge in the world by total suspended length and the longest suspension bridge in the western hemisphere – will welcome you and 30,000 – 35,000 fellow adventurers as the sun rises on a misty, early fall morning morning. You might see others in jogging shoes, a firefighter’s bunker gear, or a Pokémon costume, but these are entirely optional. You can absolutely walk across the 5 mile bridge in your street clothes. Wear your PJs, if that’s what it takes to get you there in time to witness the sunrise from the bridge.

There’s a warmth on the bridge that comes directly from the support of the community of walkers. One sweatshirt reads: “dear person behind me, the world is a better place with you in it. love, the person in front of you”.

The governor’s party starts the walk at 7 a.m. and visitors are welcome to begin walking after that. Keeping traffic off the bridge is a major undertaking, with the bridge reopening to car traffic at 12 noon. For that reason, no one is permitted to start their walk after 11:30 a.m. As the hours tick on, the walkable area shrinks from the center of the bridge toward both ends, gently pushing pedestrian traffic. Walkers need to set a personal pace that will carry them off the bridge in time, on the same side they started on, having clocked whatever distance they choose, or on the opposite side, with a total of 10 miles completed.

There’s something a little thrilling about seeing a sign that says “Tall Bridge Traffic Only” and knowing that today that means you, on foot. The privilege of walking the bridge comes around once a year. Many folks, like me, have traveled in for the occasion. This means that available hotel rooms are few and far between, without planning, or beyond expensive! To avoid premium prices, and to extend the adventure, we stayed in Gaylord, Michigan. That was just under an hour away and within walking distance of the Call of the Wild Museum, full of interesting taxidermy.

We’ve seen a surprising amount of taxidermy in our travels… some better than others…

Honestly, the timing of our arrival at the bridge, complete with coffee refills, was perfect – we found Waldo! He had a friend with him that wasn’t Carmen Sandiego. (see Becoming Carmen Sandiego Pt. 1). We’ll allow it – they were happy to pose for a photo. Pretty much everyone on the bridge was either all smiles or still waking up. Once the sun was fully up I stopped thinking about how early it was, I promise, and just got to walking. There was still a lot of walking to go and I’m an observant walker, people watching and just taking it all in!

Getting to the center point of the bridge, 2.5 miles out onto the open water, was quietly thrilling. Visually everything seemed calm, controlled, and serene. But I could feel the bridge moving underneath me, with the give and sway that a suspension bridge needs to remain upright. We were a couple of miles in before I realized that this was putting extra physical strain on my body unaccustomed as I am to using the small muscles in my feet, legs, and back to compensate for the slight shifts.

“All suspension bridges are designed to move to accommodate wind, change in temperature, and weight. It is possible that the deck at center span could move as much as 35 feet (east or west) due to high winds. This would only happen under severe wind conditions. The deck would not swing or “sway” but rather move slowly in one direction based on the force and direction of the wind. After the wind subsides, the weight of the vehicles crossing would slowly move it back into center position.” (Mackinac Bridge Walk 2026 website)

The engineering is really fascinating and I’m glad there are city planners, transportation advocates, businesses, and a demand from the public making a project like this possible. The history of getting approval for, and building, the bridge moves in starts and stops and wasn’t without some tragic losses. I put tremendous trust in the engineers that I can move safely across this long bridge, by vehicle or on foot. It brings tremendous connection, commerce, and community!

We walked to just under the center of the bridge, to look up and admire its construction. We then walked just past center (just to say that we did) and pivoted to make the return trip. That made our total walk just over 5 miles, plus the extra to get to and from our parked car.

It truly is each participant’s individual walk, with them making of it what they will. The earliest folks on one end of the bridge were there to run this unique ‘course’. I wasn’t kidding when I mentioned a firefighter wearing his full kit of gear. Now, that’s a challenge. From Waldo to Pokémon, sleepy 20-somethings to energetic 70-somethings, we saw it all. The walk is also available to those with differing physical abilities.

“Regular-sized wheelchairs, mobility scooters and baby strollers are allowed on the bridge during the walk. Prohibited items include signs, banners, umbrellas, bicycles, roller skates, skateboards, wagons and similar types of devices. With the sole exception of working service dogs, no animals are allowed. Walkers must stay away from bridge railings. The inside lane in both directions will remain open for emergency vehicles.” (Mackinac Bridge Walk 2026 website)

We were thrilled to see all of these participants!

I hope you’ll consider walking next Monday, September 7, 2026. Or you can consider joining me on a return trip to Mackinac Bridge in 2027. I’ll see you there, along with 30,000 – 35,000 of my fellow adventurers.

If you’re lucky, you might be recorded by the live ‘Bridge Cam’.

Bridge Cam

“The walk begins in St. Ignace at the north end of the Mackinac Bridge in the Upper Peninsula, and in Mackinaw City at the south end of the bridge in the Lower Peninsula. To participate in the walk you may:

• Walk from either end of the bridge, turning around at the midpoint and returning to the city you started from, where your transportation is located. The turnaround points will move towards the ends of the bridge beginning at 10 a.m., but walkers can walk at least a portion of the bridge if you start by 11:30 a.m. Walkers must be on the side of the bridge they wish to return to before 10 a.m. or you will be turned back.
• Walk from either end of the bridge and continue across to the other side. This option is most like previous bridge walks. However, since bus transportation across the bridge will not be provided, walkers who choose this option will need to arrange for their own transportation back across after the bridge reopens at noon. Walkers who do not reach the midpoint of the bridge before 10 a.m. will be turned back.
• Walk from either end of the bridge, continuing across to the other side, then walking back to the end of the bridge you started from. This option will mean a 10-mile round trip for participants. If walkers in this option do not reach the midpoint of the bridge on their return trip by 10 a.m. will be turned back.” (Mackinac Bridge Walk 2026 website)

Join me on my next adventure,

~ Kat

Related Links:

Mackinac Bridge Walk 2026: https://www.mackinacbridge.org/events/walk/

Mackinac Bridge Authority: https://www.mackinacbridge.org/

Call of the Wild Museum: https://callofthewildgaylord.com/

Becoming Carmen Sandiego (S1 E1): https://carmensandiego.fandom.com/wiki/Becoming_Carmen_Sandiego:_Part_1