Photo by Historic Mill Creek Discovery Park

Historic Mill Creek Discovery Park Near Mackinaw City

Just outside Mackinaw City is Historic Mill Creek Discovery Park. Overlooking Lake Huron, this is the site of the early 1800’s mill that supplied lumber for much of the area’s buildings. The mill began sawing lumber in the late 1700’s and much of the wood was used on Mackinac Island.

The mill, and a grist mill, were used into the mid 1800’s and was rediscovered in 1972 and archaeologists have uncovered remnants of the dam, two houses, a workshop and several other buildings. A National Registered Historic Site, the park opened to the public as part of the Mackinac State Historic Parks in 1984.

Visitors to the Park will find 625 acres along 3,250 feet of Northern Michigan’s Lake Huron, 3.5 miles of hiking trails, a reconstructed saw mill, mill dam, British workshop, and American millwright’s house. But visitors will also find a variety of family adventure activities including a zipline, forest canopy bridge, and a climbing wall all accompanied by a park naturalist guide.

Daily during the summer months are sawmill and hand saw demonstrations, and natural history presentations plus the adventure tours. During the winter months, snowshoeing through the nature trails offers a different view of the frozen landscape.

Historic Mill Creek Discovery Park is located five miles outside Mackinaw City

Highlights Within the Park

Live Programs and Tours

There are daily historical demonstrations of a reconstructed 18th century sawmill featuring costumed interpreters. feature daily demonstrations . Sawpit demonstrations and historic farming programs reveal what life was like more than 200 years ago. For the nature lovers, there are 3.5 miles of trails with blooming wildflowers and an abundance of wildlife.

Forest Adventure Experience

Experience a high-flying adventure through the treetops and above Mill Creek at the Forest Adventure Exerience. Activities include the Forest Canopy Bridge, the Eagles’ Flight Zip Line, and the Treetop Discovery Tower. Experiences run every half hour during the operating season.

Hands-On Fun

The Forest Friends Play Area has fun activities like the Chickadee Zip Line and making birds sing on the Evergreen Trail’s Sounds of the Forest station. Live programs offer fun for all ages and the view from the top of the Treetop Discovery Tower is spectacular.