SkyBridge Michigan, World's Longest Timber-Towered Suspension Bridge, To Make Its Debut at Boyne Mountain Resort
SkyBridge Michigan is making its debut as the world’s longest timber-towered suspension bridge and opening to the public on Saturday, October 15, 2022. Located at Boyne Mountain Resort, a celebrated destination in Michigan renowned for its outdoor recreation, the new pedestrian bridge offers resort guests and northern Michigan visitors an exhilarating experience year-round.
SkyBridge Michigan is positioned between the peaks of McLouth and Disciples Ridge. The architectural masterpiece stands at approximately 1,200-feet-long. Bridge visitors can expect a thrilling adventure with panoramic views of Boyne Valley. The experience starts with a chairlift ride to the mountain top, followed by an open-air walk across a suspended five-foot-wide walking surface nearly 118 feet above the valley floor. Guests can cross and then make a return trip back across the bridge for ample views and thrill. For an unobstructed glimpse of the valley floor below, a thirty six-foot span of see-though glass flooring is located in the middle of the bridge. Eagle’s Nest, the adjacent mountain peak eatery, offers visitors a unique dining experience. Historical resort memorabilia, continued views of Boyne Valley, a full bar and a menu of hearty sandwiches, soups and burgers await guests at the restaurant.
Since first opening in 1948, a pioneering spirit has been at the core of Boyne Mountain Resort. SkyBridge Michigan is the latest record-breaking attraction in the resort’s rich history of many industry firsts. The resort itself is known for offering guests countless all-season attractions including Avalanche Bay, Michigan’s largest indoor waterpark, the 18,500 square foot Spa at Boyne Mountain, two golf courses, and a myriad of seasonal outdoor activities such as fishing, ziplining, and horseback riding in the summer, and skiing, snowboarding, tubing, and ice skating in the winter. For daytime hikers, SkyBridge Michigan connects to Boyne Mountain’s extensive paved resort trail system. The bridge will be illuminated at night viewable from the resort year-round.
“With four-season appeal, SkyBridge Michigan is a major attraction for Boyne Mountain Resort, as well as the entire northern Michigan region,” notes Erin Ernst, Boyne Mountain Resort’s director of communications. “The bridge brings an offering that’s extremely unique for our area. It’s an exciting must-do when planning a trip to northern Michigan, whether for families, couples, or friends.”
Designed by Experiential Resources (ERi), SkyBridge Michigan is grounded in about one million pounds of concrete. The bridge is anchored by two striking timber towers that stand approximately 52-feet high and nearly 70-feet long, weighing about 40,000 pounds each. SkyBridge Michigan’s timber-frame design is a nod to the logging heritage of northern Michigan, with lumber sourced by long-time partner in resort growth, Matelski Lumber.
“SkyBridge Michigan is unique,” notes Mandy Stewart, CEO & Owner Experiential Resources. “It is both the longest timber-towered suspension bridge in the world and the longest we’ve ever created at Experiential Resources. The design itself took six months to complete and is inspired by the Pure Michigan M, in an elongated form. We hope the bridge brings adventure and fantastic memories to those who visit northern Michigan.”
SkyBridge Michigan will be open daily, from 10:00am – dusk through October 31; Friday-Sunday only starting November 4 through December 4; then open daily for the winter season beginning December 9. Tickets are valid for the day. Fall pricing starts at $25 for adults (ages 11-69), $20 for seniors (ages 70+), $15 juniors (ages 3-10), and free for ages two and under. SkyBridge Michigan is RFID compatible. Guests can reload a Go Card, the same media used for resort lift tickets, for direct-to-bridge access. To purchase tickets and learn more about SkyBridge Michigan, visit boynemountain.com/skybridge-michigan.
About Boyne Mountain Resort
Boyne Mountain Resort has been entertaining legions of recreational guests since first opening in 1948 in Boyne Falls, Michigan. Throughout the resort’s history, a pioneering spirit has been at the core leading to many industry firsts in snowmaking and lift innovation, and an evolution towards diversification that has allowed Boyne Mountain to grow to become one of the most popular and celebrated year-round destinations in Michigan. Boyne Mountain is a member of the Boyne Resorts family of resorts and attractions. To learn more, visit boynemountain.com or call 866.759.1472.