When do you need to leave Sandwich Town to get home on foot? Through this Saturday, October 31, you have until 7 p.m. to start back across the Gordie Howe International Bridge. On Sunday, November 1, that deadline moves to 3 p.m.
The bridge authority publishes two seasonal schedules for the multi-use path. From April 1 through October 31 the path is open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. From November 1 through March 31 it's open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Access ends one hour before closing on both schedules, so travelers can finish the crossing before the gates close. That last-entry rule applies at both ends. A Detroiter who walks to Windsor this winter has to be back at the path entrance on Sandwich Street by 3 p.m. Dinner in Windsor no longer fits the plan, and the trip becomes a late-morning outing that ends with lunch.
Four hours off the clock, and the cut falls in the afternoon
| Through Oct. 31 | Starting Nov. 1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Path opens | 8 a.m. | 8 a.m. |
| Last entry, either side | 7 p.m. | 3 p.m. |
| Path closes | 8 p.m. | 4 p.m. |
The morning stays the same. All four lost hours come out of the afternoon and evening, which is when an unhurried walk across the river was easiest to plan around a workday.
The bridge authority also says hours can change for agency operations, scheduled closures, maintenance, emergencies, or weather such as extreme heat or cold, snow and ice. Closure notices go up on the bridge's homepage and its official social channels. This has already happened once in warm weather. CBC Windsor reported that thunderstorms closed the path on August 10 and it reopened later that morning. With a short winter day, a closure in the middle of the day can take up most of your window.
Working backward from 3 p.m.
The path itself is 1.5 miles long and climbs a 5 percent grade to a deck 150 feet above the Detroit River. Measured from one border inspection booth to the other, the trip is 1.8 miles. The bridge authority estimates 20 minutes by bike and 45 minutes on foot, not counting border processing, which comes on top of that. One cyclist told CTV Windsor on opening day that the ride took about 12 to 13 minutes. Walkers should still plan around the official 45 minutes.
Using those figures, a winter walking day looks like this:
- 8 a.m. The Detroit entrance at 6524 West Jefferson Avenue opens.
- About 8:45 a.m., plus border time. You reach Sandwich Street in Windsor on foot.
- Late morning through early afternoon. You spend your time in Sandwich Town.
- 3 p.m. Last entry onto the path from the Windsor side.
- 4 p.m. The path closes, and you need to be through U.S. inspection by then.
That leaves a walker roughly five and a half to six hours in Windsor at most, and less once you allow for border processing in each direction. A cyclist saves about 25 minutes each way. The window is short, but it lines up well with what's at the Windsor end.
Sandwich Town keeps daytime hours
The path's Windsor exit is at 4389 Sandwich Street. That puts it in Sandwich Town, one of Windsor's oldest districts. The path has changed the neighborhood quickly since it opened. The Windsor Star reported in late September 2026 that the bridge authority had counted about 20,000 pedestrians and cyclists since the path opened August 5. About 3,400 of them crossed on the first day, according to the Detroit Free Press.
Nicole Sekela, a co-owner of Rock Bottom Bar and Grill and Sandwich Brewing Company, described the change to the Windsor Star:
"It just breathes new life into this really sleepy little part of town. All of a sudden, it's vibrant. There are people on the sidewalk, lots of bikes and a lot of Americans who are very happy to be here."
The same article said Old Sandwich Town was having its busiest stretch in three decades. In early September, CBC Windsor reported that Pretty & Co., Jake's Old Town Tavern and Olde Town Bake Shoppe were also seeing bridge visitors. Pretty & Co. owner Katie Wall DiPierdomenico told CBC that American cycling groups were part of the new demand. The Sandwich Town business association's directory also lists Dominion House, Q-Tea, SPQR Roma Cafe and the Olde Towne Bake Shoppe among nearby food options. A bakery counter for the morning and a brewery or tavern for lunch fits easily inside a day that ends at 3 p.m.
The district's history also keeps daytime hours. Mackenzie Hall, the City of Windsor's cultural center at 3277 Sandwich Street, is open Monday through Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. On a winter trip, the path's deadline will end your visit before the Hall closes. The business association's directory also lists the Duff-Baby House, the Sandwich Windmill, the Tecumseh-Brock Monument and Queen's Dock Cultural Pier. Along the river, the city says the bike path at Mill Street Park connects to McKee and Brock parks. The bridge authority also lists connections from the Windsor port to the Windsor Riverfront Trail and, by way of the Broadway Street multi-use path, to the Malden Park trailhead.
The Detroit end starts on West Vernor
Neither port of entry has on-site parking. The bridge authority points path users to Clark Park as a parking option on the Detroit side. The Detroit Greenways Coalition's crossing guide mentions parking near the Clark Park Recreation Center and on Clark and Scotten streets. The guide was written before the path opened, so look over the area before you count on finding a space. The bridge's published trail connections on the U.S. side include the Clark Park trailhead, the Joe Louis Greenway, the Detroit Riverwalk and the Iron Belle Trail. Riders already on the Riverwalk, or coming from the Corktown side of town, can ride to the bridge on existing trail.
The day after the bridge opened to cars and a week before the path opened, MLive reported that Paul's Pizza and Colombo's Coney Island on West Vernor were among the Southwest Detroit businesses hoping the crossing would bring them customers. The Southwest Detroit Business Association was asking for signs to direct travelers to local businesses and attractions. Under winter hours, you'll be back on the Detroit side by 4 p.m., which still leaves time for a late lunch or early dinner on West Vernor.
The Delray approach has also picked up something new. On September 28, the bridge authority unveiled Jordan Sook's sculpture "Make a Joyful Noise," along with eight interpretive signs near the ports about the region's shared history, including the Delray and Southwest Detroit community.
What gets you through the inspection booth
Path users go through their own border inspection facilities, separate from passenger and commercial traffic, and everyone has to be processed before leaving the path, according to the bridge authority's multi-use path rules. Points to know before you go:
- Documents for re-entry to the U.S. U.S. Customs and Border Protection lists a U.S. passport, passport card, Michigan enhanced driver's license or a trusted traveler card such as NEXUS for U.S. citizens crossing by land.
- Documents for Canada. The Canada Border Services Agency recommends a valid U.S. passport and lists a U.S. enhanced driver's license as an alternative. Bring documents for any children traveling with you as well.
- Bikes. Standard bikes, cargo bikes and folding bikes are allowed. E-bikes are allowed only if the motor works by pedal assist, has no throttle and cuts out at 19 mph.
- Not allowed. E-scooters, skateboards, roller skates and pets. Identified service animals are permitted.
- Groups. Groups of 20 or more should email the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority with their planned crossing time.
Document rules come from the agencies that set them, and they can change. This post is general information, not legal advice, so check the CBP and CBSA pages above for your own situation before you go.
After 4 p.m., the bridge is a drive
The path closes for the night, but the bridge stays open. The roadway runs 24 hours a day, every day, connecting I-75 directly to Highway 401. On winter evenings, the trip to Windsor goes back to being a choice between three crossings by car. Here are the posted one-way passenger car fares:
| Crossing | Posted passenger-car fare |
|---|---|
| Gordie Howe International Bridge | $5.75 USD standard, $4.35 USD with a Breakaway account |
| Ambassador Bridge | $10 USD, $5.50 Premier rate, effective Aug. 1, 2026 |
| Detroit-Windsor Tunnel | $9 USD, Detroit to Windsor |
A round trip on the Gordie Howe costs $11.50 at the standard rate or $8.70 with Breakaway. The bridge accepts cash, debit, credit and digital wallets, and card payments are charged in Canadian dollars. The tunnel notes that its tolls can change without notice, so check the posted rate before you leave.
From the first week of November through the end of March, a walk across to Sandwich Town has to fit between an 8 a.m. start and a 3 p.m. return, so it works best on a clear morning that ends with lunch.
If the new bridge has you thinking about where in Detroit you want to live, or about what your current home is worth, Crain Homes can help, and every conversation is confidential. Request a Confidential Valuation and we'll walk you through it.
