Michigan Bucket List: Soo Locks
Jazmin Anderson
| 3 min read
Key Takeaways
- The Soo Locks—two canals and four locks that lower vessels 21 feet between Lake Superior and Lakes Michigan and Huron—attract roughly 500,000 visitors a year.
- Guests can watch the locking process from the free, year‑round Soo Locks Park or visit the Visitor Center, which is open daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., May 1‑Oct. 31.
- Soo Locks Park also features a traditional Japanese archway and a lit fountain that dances along to music in the evening.
The city of Sault Ste. Marie in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is home to the largest waterway system in the world, the Soo Locks. The Locks are made up of two canals and four locks, enabling vessels to safely travel through the 21-foot drop in elevation of the St. Mary’s River between Lake Superior and Lakes Michigan and Huron.
The Soo Locks are a popular destination among tourists, attracting approximately 500,000 visitors annually.
Soo Locks Park
You can watch the locking process from the observation platform at the Soo Locks Park. In the park, you can find educational displays and stroll among flowers and tall maple trees. The complex also features a traditional Japanese archway and a lit fountain that dances along to music in the evening.
It is operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and welcomes visitors year-round, free of cost.
Soo Locks Visitor Center
The Soo Locks Visitor Center is located near the entryway of the Soo Locks Park. Inside, you can access information about the history of the Locks and the Great Lakes region through displays and interactive exhibits.
The center is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week from May 1 to Oct. 31.
1899 U.S. Weather Bureau Building
Left of the park’s main entrance, the 1899 U.S. Weather Bureau Building is the home of the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society. It offers an exhibit open to the public and access to the society’s Great Lakes Images and Paper Collection. You can also shop for souvenirs in the museum store.
Original Soo Locks Boat Tours
If you would prefer to travel down the Locks rather than be a spectator, Original Soo Locks Boat Tours offers transportation for visitors at various prices, depending on the passenger’s age and the type of experience they desire.
The prices for a classic tour ticket are the following:
- Adults: $30
- Children 5 to 17: $10
- Children under 5: free
- Family (two adults and two children): $72
Aside from their traditional tours, the service also offers dinner cruises and firework cruises on July 1 and July 4.
Engineers Day
Engineers Day is June 26. According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, visitors will not be able to cross the locks that day due to construction. Instead, you can stop by Soo Locks Park and partake in various educational programs from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Sault Ste. Marie will also host additional events across town, such as a book fest, an arts and crafts family fun fair and an open house at the Lake Superior State University Center for Freshwater Research and Education.
More to see in the UP
If you would like to make your visit to Soo Locks into a road trip and get in some hiking or paddling, you could explore Tahquamenon Falls State Park and Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.
Photo credit: Getty Images
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