City Parks & Recreation
Mackinaw City offers a variety of parks to host events or just enjoy with your family. Below are the various village owned parks.
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Our Parks & Marinas
Alexander Henry Park
Located at the northern end of Henry St. this park provides the best view of the Mackinac Bridge and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. This facility is linked to the State Historic Park sites by a gorgeous 1,800-foot waterfront walkway. The Park is filled with interpretive displays, landscaping, picnic accommodations, and restrooms.
Conkling Heritage Park
Located just north of the Straits Harbor, Conkling Heritage Park is the location of the Performance Shell and events area. This park also offers a handicapped accessible picnic table and an observation deck for viewing over the lake. The park hosts our free concert series each summer and many other community events.
Fishing and Observation Pier
This dock juts 1,100 feet into Lake Huron and offers views of the waterfront from all sides. It has recently been renovated with a walking trail, benches, and information markers. The small wind turbines power many of the marina’s facilities. The dock provides views of the Mackinac Bridge, the islands and boat traffic entering and exiting the Village. The park provides excellent photo opportunities.
Heritage Village
The Mackinaw Area Historical Society has gathered or replicated buildings representing the history of this area during the important transitional period from 1880, when the first railroads arrived in Mackinaw, to 1917, when the United States entered the First World War. Heritage Village located on W Central Avenue, across from the Headlands, includes the Mackinaw City Pest House; a one-room schoolhouse from Freedom, Michigan; a church and a log house from Bliss, Michigan; a replicated farm house; a building housing a sawmill from the Sault Locks; a vintage baseball field and Community Gardens. There is also an Anishinaabe presence exhibit that includes a Plank House, a medicine wheel and a Longhouse. Plans are underway to add a barn, general store and a railroad presence on site. Events held at Heritage Village throughout the year include the plowing of the fields in May; the Historic Festival held in August; a Native American Ghost Supper that is held in October; Fright Night in October; Christmas in Mackinaw in December and a Sugar Bush demonstration held in March.
Indian Pathways Park
This park was developed with the cooperation of the Michigan Department of Transportation. The State allowed the Village of Mackinaw City to build on this property, which is immediately adjacent to the Interstate 75 corridor, a landscaped picnicking park. This area was beautified by the Village of Mackinaw City Department of Public Works and the Mackinaw City Garden Club. This park is utilized not only by the Village of Mackinaw City residents, but also by travelers looking for a pleasant place to enjoy an outdoor break and great view of the bridge.
Mackinaw City Municipal Marina
This facility was built and constructed using Federal and State funds. The Marina is a harbor of refuge for transient vessels using the Straits area. Shower and bathroom facilities are available for those docking at the Marina. The Marina lawn provides a gathering place for community events, band concerts, and other such activities. A monument is located on the Marina lawn memorializing Mackinaw City’s war veterans. The facilities feature restrooms and shower facilities, an indoor boater recreation area. This Park is home to three civil war cannons from the USS Hartford, which played an important role in the battle for New Orleans.
Maritime Park
This Park provides waterfront access and is located on North Huron Avenue across from Depeyster Street. A wonderful location to take in the beauty of the Straits of Mackinac, have a family event or to get married with the most beautiful backdrop in the Midwest. Take off your shoes and let your feet soak into the soft sands of the Straits of Mackinac.
McRae Nature Park
McRae Nature Park is an undeveloped park located on Michigan Department of Transportation property bounded by state highways. One of the Village’s newest parks, this facility features a 500-foot wood-chip trail offering views of wetland area and an opportunity to view small wildlife. The trail was developed by volunteers, including a local Girl Scout Troop.
Nancy Dagwell Campbell Park
The Village of Mackinaw City purchased Campbell Park from a private property owner using Michigan Department of Natural Resources grant funding. The park is dedicated to Nancy Campbell, and is located along North Huron Avenue between Sinclair and Depeyster Streets. Stop by to take in the beautiful views of the Straits of Mackinac, Mackinac Bridge and Mackinac Island.
North Central State Trailhead & Trail
The Village has partnered with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources on the construction and maintenance of the Mackinaw City Trailhead and trail system within the Village. The Trailhead serves two Department of Natural Resources multi-use trails and offers recreation opportunities for hiking, biking, snowmobiling, and more. The trail within the Village limits is paved. Gravel trails extend beyond the boundaries of the Village to other locations in northern Michigan as far as Petoskey, Cheboygan, Alpena, Gaylord and all points in between. A portion of these trails are also part of the North Country Trail System. It is expected that these trails will be further developed to other portions of the state.
Old School Park
The Village of Mackinaw City purchased the property on which Old School Park is located from the Mackinaw Public Schools in 1984. The property is the former site of the Mackinaw City Elementary and High Schools. The Village of Mackinaw City purchased the property for the purpose of developing a neighborhood park. The park was developed using Village resources. Over $18,000 was raised for the construction of the playground, which was constructed using volunteer labor and dedicated on September 28, 1996. The park forms a center for community and visitor activities, especially those of children.
Recreation Center
The Mackinaw City Recreation Complex is the Village’s primary community park servicing the needs of participants in organized recreational activities. The Recreation Complex is used by the Village of Mackinaw City School District as a home field for baseball and softball activities. These fields also service the Mackinaw City Little League teams. The Recreation Center is home to an indoor golf range, arcade, pickle ball, roller derby, basketball courts and board game lounge. With over 18,000 square feet of rentable space we can accommodate any event you would like to bring to Northern Michigan The tennis courts are used by the school district for tennis instruction and are also enjoyed by residents and tourists alike.
Village Beaches
Two public beach sites are also operated and maintained by the Village. These beaches are located approximately one-half mile west of the Village of Mackinaw City limits along Cecil Bay on Wilderness Park Drive. Public restroom facilities are available at each site. The beaches are sandy with shallow water. A great place to take the family and enjoy the secluded beauty of Northern Michigan
Wawatam Park
Wawatam Park was also partially constructed with Coastal Zone Management Funds. The Village of Mackinaw City has transformed the water tower and sanitary sewer lift station site into a very appealing waterside park. The park provides views of Mackinac Island, the marina, and the Bridge. The park provides picnic facilities and a playground for children as well as a carving of Chief Wawatam.
