Where to find Horses, Nature Trails & Fudge

Mackinac Island is known for its horse drawn carriages, breathtaking nature trails and delicious fudge. Mackinac Island is the most iconic summer vacation spot in Michigan. This beautiful place offers a relaxing experience and the opportunity to explore nature trails and small unique fudge shops. In addition, Mackinac Island is a place of wonder where you will not encounter any vehicles driving on the roads. The main sources of transportation are bikes and horse-drawn carriages. A beautiful island where horses, nature trails and fudge can be enjoyed all summer long.

Mackinac island is located in Lake Huron between the upper and lower peninsula of Michigan. To experience this place of wonder, visitors must take a ferry or a charter plane to get to the island. If you decide to take the ferry, it is a short ride of approximately 20 minutes. The ferry departs every 30 to 45 minutes depending on the time of the year.

Furthermore, the island is famous for prohibiting chain hotels and chain restaurants, which gives its visitors a unique shopping and diverse dining experience. In addition, Mackinac Island is known for its world renown fudge, that offers a sweet tasty treat while enjoying the scenery that Mackinac Island has to offer.

There is plenty to see and do in Mackinac Island in addition to the famous horses, nature trails & fudge. This unique island is an amazing place to spend a day or even a couple of nights, as there is something to do for everyone.

In addition, to Mackinac Island’s natural beauty and environmental friendliness this famous summer resort island is an extraordinary experience for all groups and ages. Mackinac Island allows the historian to peek into simpler times, the foodie to try the wonderful and diverse cuisines and the adventurer to hike and bike along the abundant trails found throughout the Island. This is a must see experience and should be on everyone’s travel list as you be impressed by the horses, nature trails and fudge.

Nature Trails

Arch Rock

Sainte Anne’s Catholic Church

The church was originally built in 1743. Nearly a 130 years later in 1873 the church was torn down and rebuilt to what it looks like today. Sainte Anne’s is one of the oldest congregations in Michigan that was established by Father Jacques Marquette, a Jesuit missionary in the 1670’s. The church has an abundance of history and beautiful architecture that every visitor should explore. (steanneschurch.org/history.htm, 2020)

Lake Shore Drive

If walking or biking is your kind of thing, then take a day trip around the island. There is an opportunity to bike or walk around the whole island. The main road from downtown Mackinac Island is a pathway that takes you around the entire island. Once you are outside of the town, the road turns into Lake Shore Drive and can be very scenic.

Also, an interesting and important fact that you should be aware of if you are planning to embark on a walk around the island would be the total walking distance. Although, the island may only be about 3.776 square miles, it translates to 8.3 miles around the perimeter. The walk around the island can be quite a distance and therefore, we would recommend bringing a snack and some water as it gets increasingly remote in some parts of the island.

Preparing for a Hike

Some snack suggestions that will help keep you energized, hydrated, and nourished are the following:

Honey Stinger Waffles are a great way to keep you energized throughout the hike. I like the Honey Stinger Organic Vanilla Waffles. These delicious waffles are packed with a thin layer of organic honey, potassium, and other ingredients that will help you with endurance and enhance your hike. The Waffles are also USDA organic, non-GMO making them a great selection for a healthy choice snack to keep your energy up during the hike.

In my opinion GU Energy Gels in Carmel Macchiato flavor are a great option if you would like a little extra pep in your step. These gels are great as they give you much needed energy that will not only increase your endurance but also performance. The Gels have about 40 mg of caffeine for this flavor, but they do offer other flavor options with less caffeine and no caffeine as well. These Gels are not only great performance enhancement but also on the healthier side as they are Vegan and Gluten free and considered a Kosher product. My personal favorite would be the Caramel Macchiato as it tastes like a caramel infused macchiato, and I am a man who enjoys a good cup of caramel favored macchiato. Delicious!

Power Crunch Protein Bars are another great snack to have while you are on your hike as they give you higher levels of protein that will fill you up and reduce hunger. My personal favorite is the Strawberry Crème flavored Power Crunch bars. For one I love strawberries and these bars really know how the bring out the flavor. The power Crunch bars contain 13 grams of protein and only 6 grams of sugar which is the perfect balance as it still tastes good, but it also has a lot of nutrition that your body will use. These bars come in various flavors including key lime pie, lemon, vanilla, peanut butter, and many others. This snack is also easy to transport and a smart choice for a protein rich nutritious snack.

You need to keep hydrated during your hikes and should bring a couple bottles of water. As we discovered when you leave the tourist spots, Mackinac Island despite its size can become increasingly remote. We were very appreciated of the bottled water we had after the sun was beating on us for a couple hours. My personal favorite bottled water is Evian. Evian has a balanced mineral composition and naturally occurring electrolytes which help keep you hydrated for longer periods of time. Evian is naturally filtered through glacial rocks for over 15 years, giving Evian a neutral balanced 7.2 pH for a delicious natural spring water and smooth taste.

Disclaimer: The products listed are of my personal opinion and you should follow your doctor and dietician recommendations, which are based on your own nutritional needs. Some products contain caffeine and other compositions that could affect each individual differently.

Horses

The source of all transportation outside of walking and biking is the horse (Percheron draft horse). These horses haul hotel shuttles, cargo trailers and some island tours. In addition, the Draft horses are the main source of deliveries for the entire island. 

The Grand Hotel, which was featured in the movie “Somewhere in Time” starring Christopher Reeves and Jane Seymour. This prestigious hotel is perfectly situated on a bluff overlooking Lake Huron and all of its glory. It is located a short distance to downtown.

Just another beautiful day on Mackinac Island. The beautiful and iconic Mackinac Island lighthouse also known as the Round island lighthouse is seen in the distance.

Mackinac Island is a special place that will leave you and your loved one with lasting memories. A place where you can enjoy world renown fudge, horses and nature trails. In conclusion, Mackinac Island is known as Michigan’s most iconic and historical island and can be enjoyed by everyone. A beautiful island where horses, nature trails and fudge can be enjoyed all summer long.

Summers in northern Michigan are spectacular for those who have visited you know what I mean. For those who have not, it’s never too late to experience peace and relaxation surrounded by the beauties of nature.

CHRISTOPHER J GRADWOHL

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