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Arch Rock, Mackinac Island, MI

Photo: WMrapids, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

SightseeingOutdoor AdventureFree

Arch Rock

Arch Rock Rd, east side of Mackinac Island State Park · Mackinac Island, MI

Why you should go…

Arch Rock is a natural limestone arch on the east side of Mackinac Island, standing about 145 feet above Lake Huron. You can reach the overlook by climbing 207 steps from Lakeshore Drive, or by walking or biking Arch Rock Road from the island's interior. Waves hollowed it out during the high-water Nipissing period, and the plaza's Milliken Nature Center has exhibits on how it formed.

  • #natural arch
  • #scenic overlook
  • #mackinac island
  • #state park
  • #hiking

Good to know

General sightseeing guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • The forecast is part of the ticket

    Haze, low cloud, and rain flatten a view. Clear-day visits are worth rearranging your plans for.

  • Golden hour sells out first

    Sunset slots at observation decks and cruises are the first to go, so book those further ahead.

  • Dress a layer warmer

    It is always breezier up high and out on the water than it feels at street level.

  • Timed entry is common

    Plenty of landmarks release tickets in windows rather than at the door, so check before you walk over.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Arch Rock, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Sightseeing
    History Buff

    Fort Mackinac

    Under $25

    Explore a hilltop military outpost built during the American Revolution, with costumed interpreters, cannon and rifle firings.

    0.6 mi awayMore like this

  • Stay
    Iconic

    Grand Hotel

    Under $25

    Stroll the 660-foot front porch of this 1887 island resort, tour its gardens, or stay over and arrive by horse-drawn carriage.

    1.0 mi awaySwitch it up: Stay

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    Mackinac Island

    Free

    Ride a ferry to a car-free Lake Huron island of horse-drawn carriages, bicycles, fudge shops and a hilltop fort.

    1.1 mi awayMore like this

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    Mackinac Bridge

    Under $25

    Drive five miles across the Straits of Mackinac on the suspension bridge that links Michigan's two peninsulas.

    6.4 mi awayMore like this

  • Sightseeing
    History Buff

    Colonial Michilimackinac

    Under $25

    A reconstructed 18th-century fort at the Straits of Mackinac where costumed interpreters give live demonstrations.

    7.9 mi awayMore like this

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    Tahquamenon Falls State Park

    Under $25

    Walk a boardwalk to the amber Upper Falls, then rent a rowboat to reach the island at the Lower Falls.

    59 mi awaySwitch it up: Sport & Outdoor