Strange But True: Michigan is North, South, East and West of Canada

Here's an odd fact about Michigan. Depending on where you are currently located in the state, you may find yourself either north of Canada, south of Canada, east of Canada or west of Canada.

At some point in Michigan vast, odd geography, one can head in every cardinal direction and find Canada.

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In fact, there are often several ways to hit the more odd directions thanks to the bends and bows of the Great Lakes and the waterways connecting them. Let's start with the easy ones.

Michigan is South of Canada

This one is obvious, of course. Just look at the map. Michigan lies fully south of Canada. That said, there is only one land route to reach Canada from the south and that's at the northern terminus of I-75 at Sault Ste. Marie.

Michigan is West of Canada

Again, this one is clearly apparent with a quick glance at a map. Cross Lake Huron and it's all Ontario on the other shore. There is an east-west border crossing at Port Huron.

READ MORE: People Are Only Now Just Discovering What Michigan's Upper Peninsula is Shaped Like

Michigan is North of Canada

This is were it starts to get a little odd - particularly to non native Michiganders. Because of the bend of the Detroit River (it's a strait, by the way), Downtown Detroit lies due north of Windsor Ontario. The Windsor Tunnel, Ambassador Bridge and soon-to-open Gordie Howe Bridge all make north/south or at least northeasterly/southwesterly connections between the two counties.

There's at least two other spots where Michigan is north of Canada.

Harsens Island in Michigan lies due north of Walpole Island, Ontario. In the Sault region, The southern tip of Michigan's Sugar Island is north of Canada's St. Joseph Island.

Michigan is East of Canada

Now this one is the most odd of them all. The points are few, but yes, you can find a location where Canada is east of Michigan.

One occurs again in the Sault Ste Marie region at the Soo Locks which like east of Canada and again where Lake Superior narrows into the St Mary's River.

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