BOYNE FALLS — The SkyBridge at Boyne Mountain Resort is billed as the world’s longest timber-towered suspension bridge and a walk across its 1,203-foot suspended surface will be exhilarating and breathtaking.
Opened in 2022, SkyBridge was inspired by the Mackinac Bridge, which connects the state’s two peninsulas, and a similar bridge at a resort in Tennessee, according to Kari Roder, director of marketing at Boyne Mountain Resort.
“This was a dream of Stephen Kircher (CEO of Boyne Mountain). He had done a skybridge at a sister property in Gatlinburg (Tennessee) and the company that designed it (Experiential Resources) had several designs. Stephen thought this could be a great tourist attraction, especially during the off-peak seasons,” said Roder. “(Kircher) wanted to bring something unique to Northern Michigan and Boyne Mountain provided the ideal layout.”
Todd Domeck, the designer from Experiential Resources, saw the Mackinac Bridge “as an inspirational piece in bringing SkyBridge to Michigan.”
“We like to call it Michigan’s second bridge (after Mackinac),” said Roder.
Planning for the project began in 2018, and while the COVID-19 pandemic slowed things down construction started on the project in 2020.
“Experiential Resources wanted to make the bridge out of timber to pay homage to the area’s logging industry. To tie it all together, the shape of the bridge was a nod to the M in the Pure Michigan logo,” Roder said.
Lumber for the bridge was sourced through Matelski Lumber in Boyne Falls. The timber towers, each measuring more than 50-feet high and nearly 70-feet long, anchor both ends of the bridge.
“The actual timbers came from the Pacific Northwest because the trees are much taller there,” said Roder.
Just like skiers, SkyBridge walkers ride a chairlift to the top. Roder said there was a lot of sand under Boyne Mountain and that meant a lot of concrete had to be poured to anchor the timber towers.
Roder can’t divulge what the bridge cost. However, an estimate that tops seven figures would probably be accurate.
“I can say we have got our return on investment,” she said.
Roder also can’t release specific visitor numbers, but said the bridge’s best year was in 2023-24.
“That was a light winter in terms of snow. We had so many people on the bridge with the lights and activities. This past year of we had a lot of snow, so we got more skiers,” she said, noting the busiest time of the year is the fall that showcases the season’s colors.
Walking across the bridge at a leisurely pace takes anywhere from five to about 10 minutes, and count on that for the return trip. In the middle of the bridge is a see-through section of glass panels. Adult tickets (ages 11 to 69) can be purchased online for $25.
More information can be found at boynemountain.com/skybridge-michigan.
— Contact Paul Welitzkin at pwelitzkin@gaylordheraldtimes.com
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Northern Michigan summer fun: SkyBridge in Boyne Falls offers views and thrills
Reporting by Paul Welitzkin, The Petoskey News-Review / The Petoskey News-Review
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