Michigan Ferries Map: 41 Routes Carry 1,113,795 Passengers

This interactive map shows every passenger ferry route and terminal in Michigan. Across 41 unique routes serving 43 terminals, Michigan ferries carry around 1,113,795 passengers and 554,822 vehicles each year, ranking the state #13 nationally by ferry passenger volume.

State: Trip purpose: Operating only

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The role of ferries in Michigan

Michigan ferries cross the Straits of Mackinac to Mackinac Island, run between the Upper Peninsula and various Lake Michigan islands, and operate small auto ferries on inland river crossings. The S.S. Badger crossing of Lake Michigan from Ludington to Manitowoc, Wisconsin is the only US Lake Michigan car ferry.

Every ferry route in Michigan

The table below lists every passenger ferry route serving Michigan in the latest National Census of Ferry Operators, sorted by annual ridership. Passenger counts combine both directions.

Route	Operator	Length	Trip time	Season	Annual passengers
Sault Ste. Marie Ferry Dock – Sugar Island Ferry Dock	Eastern U. P. Transportation Authority	0.2 mi	5 min	Year-round	407,734
De Tour Ferry Dock – Drummond Island Ferry Dock	Eastern U. P. Transportation Authority	1.0 mi	8 min	Year-round	388,672
Eveline Township Landing – Ironton Landing	Charlevoix County Transportation Authority	0.1 mi	4 min	05/25 – 11/27	112,734
Barbeau Ferry Dock – Neebish Island Ferry Dock	Eastern U. P. Transportation Authority	0.2 mi	5 min	Year-round	41,954
Charlevoix BIBCO Dock – Beaver Island BIBCO Dock	Beaver Island Transportation Authority	32.0 mi	2h 15m	04/10 – 12/20	29,427
Windigo – Hat Point	Grand Portage-Isle Royale Transportation Line, Inc.	22.0 mi	2h 0m	05/01 – 10/15	25,960
Cheboygan – Pointe Aux Pins	Plaunt Transportation Company Inc.	6.0 mi	45 min	04/15 – 11/30	20,000
Waterfront Landing – Rock Harbor	The Isle Royale Line	48.0 mi	3h 30m	05/01 – 10/01	7,100
Windigo – Rock Harbor	Grand Portage-Isle Royale Transportation Line, Inc.	50.0 mi	5h 0m	05/01 – 10/15	6,600
Rock Harbor – Hat Point	Grand Portage-Isle Royale Transportation Line, Inc.	80.0 mi	7h 0m	05/01 – 10/15	6,450
Houghton Mainland – Mott Island	Isle Royale National Park	70.0 mi	5h 0m	04/23 – 10/22	5,079
Mott Island – Rock Harbor	Isle Royale National Park	4.0 mi	1h 0m	05/14 – 09/26	4,135
McCargoe Cove – Rock Harbor	Grand Portage-Isle Royale Transportation Line, Inc.	30.0 mi	3h 0m	05/01 – 10/15	3,300
Belle Isle – Rock Harbor	Grand Portage-Isle Royale Transportation Line, Inc.	15.0 mi	2h 0m	05/01 – 10/15	3,300
Belle Isle – Tobin Harbor	Grand Portage-Isle Royale Transportation Line, Inc.	15.0 mi	2h 0m	05/01 – 10/15	3,300
Hat Point – McCargoe Cove	Grand Portage-Isle Royale Transportation Line, Inc.	60.0 mi	5h 0m	05/01 – 10/15	3,150
Windigo – McCargoe Cove	Grand Portage-Isle Royale Transportation Line, Inc.	35.0 mi	3h 30m	05/01 – 10/15	3,150
Windigo – Belle Isle	Grand Portage-Isle Royale Transportation Line, Inc.	35.0 mi	4h 0m	05/01 – 10/15	3,150
McCargoe Cove – Belle Isle	Grand Portage-Isle Royale Transportation Line, Inc.	8.0 mi	30 min	05/01 – 10/15	3,150
Chippewa Harbor – Hat Point	Grand Portage-Isle Royale Transportation Line, Inc.	70.0 mi	6h 30m	05/01 – 10/15	3,150
Chippewa Harbor – Windigo	Grand Portage-Isle Royale Transportation Line, Inc.	30.0 mi	3h 30m	05/01 – 10/15	3,150
Malone Bay – Hat Point	Grand Portage-Isle Royale Transportation Line, Inc.	60.0 mi	5h 0m	05/01 – 10/15	3,150
Malone Bay – Windigo	Grand Portage-Isle Royale Transportation Line, Inc.	25.0 mi	2h 30m	05/01 – 10/15	3,150
Rock Harbor – Chippewa Harbor	Grand Portage-Isle Royale Transportation Line, Inc.	15.0 mi	1h 0m	05/01 – 10/15	2,850
Rock Harbor – Malone Bay	Grand Portage-Isle Royale Transportation Line, Inc.	20.0 mi	2h 0m	05/01 – 10/15	2,850
Daisy Farm – Chippewa Harbor	Grand Portage-Isle Royale Transportation Line, Inc.	10.0 mi	1h 0m	05/01 – 10/15	2,850
Daisy Farm – Malone Bay	Grand Portage-Isle Royale Transportation Line, Inc.	20.0 mi	2h 0m	01/05 – 10/15	2,850
Chippewa Harbor – Malone Bay	Grand Portage-Isle Royale Transportation Line, Inc.	10.0 mi	1h 0m	05/01 – 10/15	2,850
Rock Harbor – Daisy Farm	Grand Portage-Isle Royale Transportation Line, Inc.	5.0 mi	30 min	05/01 – 10/15	2,550
Daisy Farm – Windigo	Grand Portage-Isle Royale Transportation Line, Inc.	45.0 mi	4h 30m	05/01 – 10/15	2,550
Hat Point – Belle Isle	Grand Portage-Isle Royale Transportation Line, Inc.	65.0 mi	5h 30m	05/01 – 10/15	1,050
Tobin Harbor – Rock Harbor	Grand Portage-Isle Royale Transportation Line, Inc.	5.0 mi	30 min	05/01 – 10/15	1,050
Hat Point – Tobin Harbor	Grand Portage-Isle Royale Transportation Line, Inc.	75.0 mi	6h 30m	05/01 – 10/15	450
Windigo – Tobin Harbor	Grand Portage-Isle Royale Transportation Line, Inc.	45.0 mi	4h 30m	05/01 – 10/15	450
McCargoe Cove – Tobin Harbor	Grand Portage-Isle Royale Transportation Line, Inc.	25.0 mi	2h 0m	05/01 – 10/15	450
Houghton Mainland – Windigo	Isle Royale National Park	61.7 mi	5h 0m	Year-round	50
Fishtown Dock – South Manitou Island	Manitou Island Transit, Inc	14.1 mi	1h 15m	05/01 – 10/31	0
Fishtown Dock – North Manitou Island	Manitou Island Transit, Inc	10.7 mi	1h 0m	05/01 – 11/15	0
Ludington – Manitowoc	Lake Michigan Car Ferry	60.0 mi	4h 0m	05/10 – 10/11	0
Milwaukee Ferry Dock – Muskegon Ferry Dock	Lake Express LLC	72.0 mi	2h 30m	05/01 – 10/31	0
Grand Island Williams Landing – Munising Grand Island Landing	Grand Island Ferry Service	0.2 mi	7 min	05/22 – 10/12	0

Notable Michigan ferry routes

Busiest route: Sault Ste. Marie Ferry Dock – Sugar Island Ferry Dock (Eastern U. P. Transportation Authority) carries about 407,734 passengers a year.
Longest route: Rock Harbor – Hat Point is 80.0 miles (Grand Portage-Isle Royale Transportation Line, Inc.).
Season mix: 4 routes operate year-round, 37 are seasonal.
Intermodal terminals: 9 of 43 terminals connect to local bus, rail, or bike share.

Ferry terminals in Michigan

The list below covers every ferry terminal recorded in Michigan, including the operator, ownership, and what intermodal connections (bus, rail, bike share, parking) are available at the terminal.

Terminal	City	Operator	Ownership	Connections	In operation
Barbeau Ferry Dock	Barbeau	Eastern Upper Peninsula Transportation Authority	Public	parking	Yes
Beaver Island BIBCO Dock	Beaver Island	—	Private	local bus	Yes
Belle Isle	Isle Royale National	NPS	Public	—	Yes
Charlevoix BIBCO Dock	Charlevoix	—	Public	local bus	Yes
Cheboygan	Cheboygan	—	Private	parking	Yes
Chippewa Harbor	Isle Royale National	NPS	Public	—	Yes
Daisy Farm	Isle Royale National	NPS	Public	—	Yes
De Tour Ferry Dock	De Tour Village	Eastern Upper Peninsula Transportation Authority	Public	local bus, parking	Yes
Drummond Island Ferry Dock	Drummond Island	Eastern Upper Peninsula Transportation Authority	Public	local bus, parking	Yes
Eveline Township Landing	Eveline Township	Charlevoix Co. Transportation Authority	Public	bike share, local bus, parking	Yes
Fishtown Dock	Leland	—	Private	parking	Yes
Grand Island Williams Landing	Munising	US Forest Service-Hiawatha National Forest	Public	—	Yes
Houghton Mainland	Houghton	National Park Service	Public	parking	Yes
Ironton Landing	Ironton	Charlevoix Co. Transportation Authority	Public	bike share, local bus, parking	Yes
Ludington	Ludington	—	Private	parking	Yes
Malone Bay	Isle Royale National	NPS	Public	—	Yes
McCargoe Cove	Isle Royale National	NPS	Public	—	Yes
Mott Island	Isle Royale National	National Park Service	Public	—	Yes
Munising Grand Island Landing	Munising	US Forest Service-Hiawatha National Forest	Public	parking	Yes
Muskegon Ferry Dock	Muskegon	—	Public	parking	Yes
Neebish Island Ferry Dock	Neebish Island	Eastern Upper Peninsula Transportation Authority	Public	parking	Yes
North Manitou Island	Leland	NATIONAL PARK SERVICE	Public	—	Yes
Pointe Aux Pins	Bois Blanc Island	Bois Blanc Township	Public	parking	Yes
Rock Harbor	Isle Royale National	NPS, National Park Service, National park service	Public	—	Yes
Saugatuck Chain Ferry	Saugatuck	City of Saugatuck	Public	local bus, parking	Yes
Sault Ste. Marie Ferry Dock	Sault Ste. Marie	Eastern Upper Peninsula Transportation Authority	Public	local bus, parking	Yes
South Manitou Island	Leland	NATIONAL PARK SERVICE	Public	—	Yes
Star of Saugatuck	Saugatuck	City of Saugatuck	Public	local bus, parking	Yes
Sugar Island Ferry Dock	Sugar Island	Eastern Upper Peninsula Transportation Authority	Public	parking	Yes
Tobin Harbor	Isle Royale National	NPS	Public	—	Yes
Waterfront Landing	Copper Harbor	—	Private	parking	Yes
Windigo	Washington Harbor	NPS, National Park Service	Public	—	Yes

Biggest ferry operators in Michigan

Eastern U. P. Transportation Authority: 838,360 annual passengers
Charlevoix County Transportation Authority: 112,734 annual passengers
Grand Portage-Isle Royale Transportation Line, Inc.: 96,910 annual passengers

How Michigan compares nationally

Michigan ranks #13 of the 41 US states with ferry service. Just ahead is Connecticut with 1,200,417 annual passengers, and just behind is Kentucky with 1,028,524.

For the full national picture and rankings across all 41 US ferry states, see the complete US ferries map.

Neighbouring ferry maps

Wisconsin ferries, Ohio ferries, Illinois ferries.

Frequently asked questions

How many ferry routes are there in Michigan?

The BTS National Census of Ferry Operators records 41 unique passenger ferry routes serving 43 terminals in Michigan. Including both directional segments, that is 82 numbered route entries in the database (most routes are recorded once for each direction).

Which is the busiest ferry in Michigan?

The Sault Ste. Marie Ferry Dock – Sugar Island Ferry Dock carries about 407,734 passengers each year, making it the busiest ferry route in Michigan according to the latest census.

Are Michigan ferries free?

Some Michigan ferries are operated as part of the state highway system and run free for passengers and vehicles, while privately operated routes charge a fare. Click any route on the map above and refer to the operator’s website for current fares and schedules.

Where does the data on this map come from?

Routes and terminals are pulled live from the National Transportation Atlas Database published by the US Bureau of Transportation Statistics, which compiles every domestic ferry operator’s response to the National Census of Ferry Operators. The map updates automatically whenever BTS refreshes the layer.

Daniel ODonohue

About the Author

I'm Daniel O'Donohue, the voice and creator behind The MapScaping Podcast ( A podcast for the geospatial community ). With a professional background as a geospatial specialist, I've spent years harnessing the power of spatial to unravel the complexities of our world, one layer at a time.