The course follows the perimeter trail of the island counterclockwise up past Murray Bay and Duck Lake.  At three miles the course heads eastward into the Tombolo, up into the island's thumb and then back along Trout Bay where runners can enjoy one of the most spectacular stretches of shoreline anywhere in the Great Lakes. Runners then ascend up the eastern cliffs of the island which treat runners to views of the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. The northern half of the island features 300 ft colored Jacobsville sandstone cliffs and a gentle  remote and exquisitely beautiful North Beach.   The return trail on the islan

Run a beautiful single track route from Cross Village to Mackinaw City in northern Michigan.  The marathon starts at Wycamp Lake and winds up and along the Sturgeon Bay bluffs overlooking Lake Michigan. 50K runners will depart from the course for a 5 mile route up the gorgeous and highly runable Sturgeon Bay Trail.  After this scenic detour they will rejoin the marathon course  and descend into wildflower blanketed lowlands before arriving at Goose Pond.  This is the half way point and the