CHARLEVOIX COUNTY, MI — After undergoing repairs over the winter, the Ironton Ferry is ready for service again starting this Friday. According to a post on the Ironton Ferry Facebook page, the repairs included work on some hull sections and a complete repainting of the ferry, which has been in service since 1925.
Related story: This old Michigan ferry saves you from having to go around a huge lake
The ferry is required to dry dock every five years so that it can be inspected and then repaired as needed. Typically, the ferry runs from early or mid April until the day before Thanksgiving, but that timeline was delayed this year due to the necessary repairs.
The ferry allows for cars to save about 30 minutes of drive time when traveling around Lake Charlevoix. The ferry trip is about five minutes each way as it cuts across the Ironton Narrows, saving people from having to drive around the tip of lake.
Four vehicles can cross on the ferry at a time and approximately 100 trips are made daily. A small numbers of passengers and bicycles are allowed on the ferry too.
The cost for a vehicle is $4 or a book of 20 passes can be purchased for $40. A monthly pass is $75 and an annual pass is $500. Walkers are free and bicycles are $1.
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