What It’s Like to Live Car-Free on Mackinac Island Through Snowy Winters

If you know anything about winter in Michigan, you know two things: it's going to be cold and there will be snow.

While Michiganders are pretty well equipped to deal with the cold and snow, it takes a different type of person to live on Mackinac Island in the winter.

Don't get me wrong, Mackinac Island is a beautiful place to visit and I'm sure it's very lovely to live there... in the summer. But, living there in the winter is a whole different kind of beast, and we see that first hand from TikToker @mackinacredhead.

Living on Mackinac Island in the Winter

@mackinacredhead lives on Mackinac Island all year long, an island which famously doesn't allow automobiles. On top of that, the island doesn't allow side-by-sides or golf carts.

READ ALSO: Have You Ever Seen Michigan's Mackinac Bridge in the Middle of Winter?

So, if you don't have a car, how do you get around the island? Normally, you might walk, ride a bike or a horse. But in the winter when it's covered in snow? @mackinacredhead shows us that you can use a snowmobile.

When is Snowmobile Season on Mackinac Island?

Right now is literally snowmobile season on Mackinac Island, as residents are allowed to use them from November 15 to April 15.

READ ALSO: Yes, You Can Visit the Top of the Monumental Mackinac Bridge

That doesn’t mean horses aren’t used. Horse-drawn drays (carts, typically without sides, used to deliver heavy loads) deliver items across the island year-round. You can actually see a horse-drawn dray in the video below.