St. Ignace Fall Bucket List

Are you ready for a fall adventure in St. Ignace? We have put together our fall Kickin' MI Bucket List from St. Ignace. Let's Go!

Step Foot on the North Country Trail

The North Country Trail spans 8 states and 4,800 miles. It actually goes across the Mackinac Bridge and continues through St. Ignace to start its Upper Peninsula section. St. Ignace is a NCTA Trail Town. The trail starts at the welcome center just over the bridge and continues through Straits State Park and into downtown St. Ignace.

Snap Photos of the Mighty Mac

St. Ignace offers many spectacular areas to view the Mackinac Bridge. Some of the best spots are inside of Straits State Park as they have multiple viewing platforms and also views from the shoreline. We always recommend the spot that looks directly down the line of the bridge. It is a great photo opportunity spot!

Mackinaxc bridge photo spots

Find the Brightest Tree

If you are out on a fall adventure, it is always fun to enjoy the fall colors. The trees looked amazing everywhere in the area!

St. Ignace Fall Color

Sample the Local Smoked Fish

St. Ignace has a great amount of options for getting locally caught and smoked fish and it is something you have to try! We went to Massey Fish Company and got lake trout bites and whitefish dip. Both were amazing! A tip here, grab the fish and head to a waterfront location to enjoy the fish and the views.

Spot a Freighter

St. Ignace is a great area for watching freighters. If you can time it correctly, getting to one of the bridge view areas as a freighter passes under makes it extra special. There is also a port near Bevort on Lake Michigan so you can also catch freighters coming into and leaving this area. We were able to see the brand new Mark W. Barker anchored out in Lake Michigan and tug-barge 1,000 foot combo the Presque Isle passing under the bridge.

Mackinac Bridge Freighter

Hike the Cut River Bridge Trail

This roadside park is a must-visit in any season but it is especially special in fall. You can walk over the bridge and then also take the trails under the bridge along the Cut River and out to Lake Michigan.

Cut River Bridge

Photograph the Fall Colors

This is self explanatory. The colors in the area progress a bit later than many areas in the region based on its location by the water so it is a great spot to extend your Upper Peninsula fall color tours!

Bike Silver Mountain Bike Trail

Located west of downtown St. Ignace, this trail weaves through the trees while having a challenging uphill and fun downhill section. It is also groomed in the winter for fat biking so make sure to visit in different seasons to see how it changes. As a bonus, there is also a disc golf course that weaves throughout the trail.

Find a Spot to Unwind

This is a choose your own adventure section of the bucket list. For us, we like to do something like visit a waterfront restaurant or hang out at a beach. There are plenty of options for both of these in the area.

Mackinac Bridge Fall Color

Surround Yourself in Fall Colors

This is simple. Get outside and enjoy the fall. There are trails, parks, lakes, downtown and more where you can have an amazing fall adventure.

Check out our full Fall Kickin' MI Bucket Video here!