One of Michigan's most recognizable Labor Day traditions returns Monday, Sept. 7, when thousands of people are expected to walk across the Mackinac Bridge during the 68th annual Mackinac Bridge Walk.
The 2026 event will again offer participants the option of starting from either end of the five-mile bridge. Walkers in St. Ignace will begin at Bridge View Park, while those starting in Mackinaw City will use the Jamet Street ramp. The two starting points eliminates the need for buses.
"It's one of the most prominent special events we have," said Mackinac Bridge spokesperson James Lake. "It's famous far beyond the borders of Michigan."
Last year, about 33,000 people participated, roughly 3,000 more than in 2024, according to official estimates from the Mackinac Bridge Authority. The numbers were higher during the walk's heyday, Lake said, but it remains one of the state's most popular annual events. Many participants come from outside the state, and even internationally.
The tradition dates to 1958, when the first bridge walk was held just a year after the Mackinac Bridge opened. The event moved to Labor Day the following year and has continued annually except for 2020, when it was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The options for walkers changed in 2017, Lake said. That's when the Michigan State Police recommended to the Mackinac Bridge Authority that traffic be halted during the walk. Before 2017, walkers took up half the bridge, while one lane remained open in each direction for vehicle traffic.
"There were big backups for several years that we had to deal with that were (difficult) for motorists," Lake said. "But you also had vehicles really close to walkers. So, we decided to close the bridge to all traffic."
That vehicle closure is in effect from 6:30 a.m. to the conclusion of the walk. Lake said that walkers should be on the side of the bridge they plan to end at by 10 a.m. Walkers who want to walk both directions, starting and ending in in the same city, should start their walk as close to 7 a.m. as possible. The Mackinac Bridge is about five miles long.
The authority also used to provide shuttle service for walkers before 2017, but that service is no longer available. However, private companies now offer shuttle transportation to the other side of the bridge for walkers after the event, starting just after 12 p.m. Lake also recommends walkers use the restroom just before they start the walk and wear good walking or running shoes.
For motorists, advance travel planning is especially important. But the views on the bridge alone are worth it.
"It's a chance to slow down with friends and family and get views of the (Straits of Mackinac) that you can't get anywhere else," Lake said. "It is the only time all year you actually get to walk the bridge."
Learn more at www.mackinacbridge.org.
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Thousands expected for 68th annual Mackinac Bridge Walk