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FUN ON LAND

Our multi use trail systems offer recreation opportunities for bikers, hikers, ATV enthusiasts and snowmobiles. Hiawatha Nation Forest even provides horse camping areas for wilderness riding enthusiasts. St. Ignace has several golf courses, a variety of RV and campgrounds. For the outdoor sportsmen we offer a variety of hunting choices, affordable lodgings and excellent restaurants.

St. Ignace Birding Trail

St. Ignace birding locations are an exciting mix of Upper Peninsula bird watching areas, recognized for their contribution to the famous North Huron Birding Trail.
A central hub in the Straits of Mackinac, St. Ignace offers Spring and Fall sightings of waterfowl including Loons, Ducks, Grebes, Sand Hill Cranes and Canada Geese.

Community birding areas include:

  • State Street Historical Boardwalk overlooking Moran Bay
  • Bridge View Park
  • Straits State Park
  • Point La Barbe

Other nearby birding areas include:

  • Hiawatha National Forest, US 2
  • North Country National Scenic Trail, Castle Rock Trail Head

The St. Ignace area is recognized as an important migratory stop over and resting area for 275 bird species. Included in this species list are, LaConte’s Sparrow, Scarlet Tanager, Indigo Bunting and a variety of Warblers and Vireos.

More information on St. Ignace birding locations may be found at https://stignace.com/parks-and-recreation/
A map of the North Huron Birding Trail access points is available at North Huron Birding Trail

St. Ignace Get Back To Nature

Hiking

With thousands of acres of forests and woodlands, hiking is a popular pastime in the in the Upper Peninsula. The Hiawatha National Forest is home to several marked trails including the North Country Trail and the Sand Dunes Trails. Wilderness preserves are found nearby at Horseshoe Bay via Foley Creek Campground. Choose your trail, get your boots on and head out.

Biking

Bicycling is a familiar activity in and around St. Ignace. Bikes are allowed on nearly all road systems except the I-75 freeway. Several designated bike loops have been developed for day trippers ranging in length from ten miles to forty miles.
Biking is the most popular mode of transportation on car-free Mackinac Island. Visitors to the Island can take their own bicycles on the ferry for a fee or they can opt to rent bicycles – including tandems – at any one of the Island’s many rental outlets.

St. Ignace Recreation Biking
St. Ignace ATV Trail Ride

All Terrain Vehicles

The eastern Upper Peninsula has hundreds of miles of trails for ATVs and other off-road seasonal vehicles. Visitors can trailer their equipment to St. Ignace, leave their truck/trailer in the Little Bear East Arena parking lot across the street with the basketball court, and access the nearby trailhead. Certain times of the year that parking lot is not available; check our website – stignace.com for event information limiting parking there.

The Michigan DNR has a website with maps of various trails for you to use.  Click here to access this info!

Golf

On The Links

The Mackinac Straits area features beautiful shorelines, rustic woods and stunning views, where long, warm summer days continue late into the into the evening. Golfing, which often incorporates these stunning features, is a favourite seasonal pastime for visitors and residents alike.

Golf Courses

St. Ignace is home to the St. Ignace Golf and Country Club. Its spectacular views of the Mackinac Bridge make this public course a “must play”. Other golf courses in the area include the Hiawatha Sportsman’s Club Golf Course at Naubinway and the Mackinaw Golf Club at Carp Lake.

St. Ignace Recreation Golf

Hunting

St. Ignace welcomes hunters and sportsmen.  Because of its rich harvesting opportunities during both bow and gun seasons, hunting is a major recreational activity in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.  There are thousands of acres of public lands populated by deer, bear, partridge, turkey, geese, ducks, rabbit, squirrel, and other wild game around St. Ignace. Marshes, coastal flyways, and ponds fill with waterfowl during the seasonal migrations.  St. Ignace knows hunting, and welcomes others who want to create their own hunting experiences with family and friends.  Hunting stories about the big one that got away are second only to the fish tales told by area anglers. Hunters form all over the Midwest gather in the U.P. to celebrate Northern Michigan’s sportsman’s holiday:  the opening day of rifle whitetail deer season.Many local businesses offer advice and supplies to avid and novice hunters. A wide variety of lodging and outfitter options increase the chances of taking home a trophy. St. Ignace is a great home base for a hunting adventure.

Camping

St. Ignace, at the southern-most tip of the Upper Peninsula, is surrounding on three sides by water and connected to the state’s Lower Peninsula by way of the Mackinac Bridge. Five campgrounds, including a state park, are situate within the St. Ignace city limits.
Our campgrounds offer individual serviced and wilderness campsites, as well as group access areas for reunions and special events. Hiawatha National Forest even has a designated area for horse camping.Campers are urged to book their sites early in the year to avoid disappointment.

Castle Rock Mackinac Trail Campark

The Castle Rock Mackinac Trail Campark is on Mackinac Trail, near Castle Rock, which rises nearly 200 feet above the ground and once served as a lookout for the Ojibwa Indians. All its sites are in grassy areas and equipped with fire rings and picnic tables. The sites consist of full hook-ups and spaces with electric and water only. Campers can also pitch tents. The campground has a dump station, a camp store with groceries and RV supplies, laundry facilities, restrooms and showers. Additional features on a campground with 1/2-mile of shoreline on Lake Huron include a sandy swimming beach, a playground and a recreation room with pool tables.

Straits State Park

Situated on Church Street in downtown St. Ignace, Straits State Park has a picnic area and an observation platform for viewing the Mackinac Bridge and the Straits of Mackinac. The Park, which opened in 1924, features the Father Marquette Memorial, a site dedicated to the meeting of the French and Native Americans in the area in the 17th century. The park has three camping areas, including a campground with bathrooms and electrical connections. It also has a group camping area and a more primitive area. Additional features include a picnic area, hiking trail and playground for children.

St. Ignace/Mackinac Island KOA

Located along U.S. Highway 2, the St. Ignace/Mackinac Island KOA provides a free shuttle service to the ferries to Mackinac Island. Campers can stay on full hook-up sites, tents sites or in cabins. Recreational facilities include a swimming pool, a playground and a miniature golf course. A public golf course is few minutes away. For convenience and comfort, the campground has a dump station, showers, restrooms, firewood for sale and a camp store.

Lakeshore RV Park Campground

The Lakeshore RV Park Campground in St. Ignace offers campers the option of rustic tent sites full-service hook-up sites. Lakeshore Park provides a free shuttle to the Kewadin Casino and to the ferries that cross the Straits to Mackinac Island. Located across the road from the campground is an area where campers can picnic along the shores of Lake Michigan. Facilities include showers, picnic tables and fire pits. Other amenities include firewood available for purchase, restrooms and showers.

Tiki RV Park & Campground

In St. Ignace off Business I-75, midway between exits 344A and 348. Over 100 sites for large RV’s and tenters. Full hookups. Walk downtown.

St. Ignace Recreation Camping