- Michigan’s pedestrian bridges span water and scenic valleys scattered around the state
- Some have quirky signs, others are along hiking routes and some are tourist attractions
- At least three are three-way ‘tridges’
When three bridge spans come together at a central point, they’re sometimes called a “tridge.”
They’re rare, but Michigan has at least three of them: one in Midland, one in Ypsilanti and one in Brighton.
A tridge is just one example of special footbridges that can be found across Michigan. The state offers pedestrian bridges with quirky signs, bridges that allow you to take in views of fall colors and bridges that are part of scenic hikes.
Exploring Michigan on foot is a great way to take in what the state has to offer. But traveling over a pedestrian bridge, well, that takes things up a notch.
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Read on for a look at some of the standout pedestrian bridges our state has to offer.
This is by no means a comprehensive list but it represents some of the variety of special pedestrian bridges spread across our state. If one you love is missing, shoot an email to Lherberg@bridgemi.com and we might feature it in a future Outdoors Life newsletter.
Black Harbor Suspension Bridge
The Black Harbor Suspension Bridge runs across the Black River in the Ottawa National Forest. The 210-foot-long Upper Peninsula bridge is part of the North Country Trail, which stretches across eight states. The bridge also connects park-goers at the Black River Harbor Pavilion to a beach on Lake Superior.
The bridge was built in 1939 by members of the Civilian Conservation Corps, a US work relief program during the Great Depression. It was designed for give and sway to accommodate heavy loads and winds, but its movement can make some bridge crossers apprehensive.
The Blue Bridge
The Blue Bridge crosses the Grand River in downtown Grand Rapids. The “rail-to-trail” bridge was once known as the Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad bridge. It was first built in 1868, then rebuilt in 1874 and finally built again in 1892. After trains stopped running over it in the 1980s, the bridge was converted into a pedestrian bridge, painted its distinctive color and christened the Blue Bridge.
That style of bridge, with its triangular framework, is known as a truss bridge. With a span of more than 100 feet and a structure length of more than 500 feet, the Blue Bridge is one of the longest truss bridges in the state.
Croswell’s Swinging Bridge
In Croswell, on the southern portion of the Thumb, a pedestrian suspension bridge crosses the Black River, connecting a business district to Riverbend Park. Built in 1905, the distance between its towers spans 139 feet.
Entering the bridge on one end, pedestrians pass under a sign that says, “Be good to your mother-in-law.” Legend has it the sign was erected in part to be humorous but also as words of wisdom to couples who liked to stroll across the bridge.
“You can feel it move underneath you as you’re walking across it,” Croswell Treasurer Heather Stull told Bridge Michigan.
In 1915, a cable on the bridge broke and three boys went into the icy river, according to an account in the book, “Looking Back on Croswell.” If you’re worried about the bridge’s stability, know that the boards and fencing were just replaced this month.
A festival to celebrate the Swinging Bridge is held each year on the second weekend in August.
‘Little Mac’ Footbridge
The Manistee River Suspension Bridge is also known as the “Little Mac” Footbridge. The pedestrian bridge — located in Mesick, about an hour south of Traverse City — is part of the Manistee River Trail and crosses the Big Manistee River. The whole bridge, built in 1996, is about 245 feet long, with the part that spans the river about 170 feet long.
The bridge is located between Hodenpyl Dam and a small waterfall denoted as “Sara’s Falls” on Google Maps. If you’re looking for a hiking adventure, the Manistee River Trail can be combined with the North Country Trail to create a hiking loop of about 20 miles.
The bridge recently received several safety upgrades completed in April.
Mouth of the Two Hearted River Bridge
On the North Country Trail, about an hour north of Newberry in the Upper Peninsula, there’s a narrow, squeaky wooden suspension bridge that crosses the Two Hearted River to a sandy beach on Lake Superior.
If you’d like, you can camp in the area, as it’s a part of the Mouth of Two Hearted River State Forest Campground, a first-come, first-served rustic campground for tents and small trailers. There are also picnic tables and a charcoal grill available for day use.
Ernest Hemingway spent time in the area and wrote the short story “The Big Two Hearted River” about it.
Presque Isle Suspension Bridge
The Presque Isle Suspension Bridge is a wooden footbridge located in the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park in the Upper Peninsula. The bridge takes visitors wandering from waterfall to waterfall along a short, scenic loop trail across the Presque Isle River to an “almost island” (literally what the French phrase “presque isle” translates to in English). In that case, it’s a peninsula that’s almost entirely surrounded by water — but not quite.
Reach for the Sky Canopy Walk
If you’re looking for a footbridge that doesn’t tower above or below the trees but right there with them, the Reach for the Sky Canopy Walk is for you.
Located about an hour southwest of Ann Arbor in what’s considered the Irish Hills of Michigan, the canopy walk winds 374 feet, at 65 feet up, through tree branches and over an indent in the ground formed by a glacier. The accessible bridge, completed in 2023, is similar to a canopy walk at Dow Gardens in Midland.
The Reach for the Sky Canopy Walk is located on the grounds of Hidden Lake Gardens, a 755-acre botanical garden run by Michigan State University. The Canopy Walk is open year-round Tuesdays through Sundays, weather permitting, but you need to pay admission to the gardens to access it.
The SkyBridge at Boyne Mountain
At Boyne Mountain Resort about a half-hour south of Petoskey, you can pay to cross the SkyBridge.
The towers on either end are made of wood and the resort likes to brag that it’s the “world’s longest timber-towered suspension bridge.” At 118 feet above ground and overlooking a small valley, walking across the narrow pedestrian suspension bridge is also billed as a great way to take in some fall colors.
To get to the bridge, you can walk or take a chairlift. If you go during fall colors, you’ll find a cute little area across the bridge with things like a fire pit, a giant chess board, cornhole and a food truck that serves booze, plus live music on the weekends. A little restaurant called The Eagle’s Nest is nearby, just around the bend. The bridge is open year-round, weather permitting.
The Tridge in Midland
Officially known as The Tridge, the three-legged, red, wooden footbridge is a major tourist attraction in Midland. The structure consists of three 180-foot-long spans that come together over the confluence of two rivers, the Tittabawassee and the Chippewa. Construction was completed in 1981 and The Tridge underwent major renovations in 2017.
It’s lit up at night and gets special colored lighting on a dozen holidays, including Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day and Halloween. Thursday evenings in the summer, the City of Midland hosts a concert series in front of the iconic structure called Tunes by the Tridge.
The Ypsilanti Tridge
Ypsilanti’s Tridge is less famous than its northern cousin, but it has its own charm. This three-span pedestrian bridge in Ypsilanti crosses the Huron River and connects two green spaces, Frog Island and Riverside Park. The tridge is located partially under the Cross Street vehicle bridge.
A faux marker that included information and a drawing about a flying, furry mythical creature called a “smeet frog” that supposedly frequented the area has been posted on or near the Tridge multiple times between 1999 and the present.
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