Michigan Lighthouses

Seul Choix Point Lighthouse Birdhouse Feature Photo

There are roughly 700 lighthouses in the United States, and Michigan is home to more than 120 (more than any other state). Our love for Michigan travel started in the 1990s as we traveled all over the state with our Dad tracking down Michigan’s Great Lakes beacons. The Michigan Lighthouses list below showcase the lighthouses we have featured at Travel the Mitten, giving you a location (when not obvious), construction year, link to a longer post, tower height, and accessibility. We have included only lighthouses we have visited or viewed ourselves, and have not included ones that we have only seen from a distance far enough to not result in good photographs. At the bottom of this page you will also find a list of the few Michigan lighthouses we still need to visit. To maintain consistency, tower heights reference on this list we used the guide on Seeing the Light/terrypepper.com when available. If you’re looking for some fun and spooky stories you might like our Haunted Lighthouses of Michigan post. Be sure to check out our post about the United States Lighthouse Society’s passport program to get some rewards for the lighthouses you visit!

New Presque Isle Lighthouse Summer Tower

Our Ultimate Michigan Lighthouse Road Trip: Upper Peninsula
and Ultimate Michigan Lighthouse Road Trip: Lower Peninsula
will also be helpful for planning purposes.

Alpena Light

Alpena Light
Lake Huron
1914
34 feet
on LaFarge private property; easily viewed from the pier at Bayview Park

Au Sable Pierhead Light Oscoda Michigan

Au Sable Pierhead Light (Oscoda)
Lake Huron
1912
34 feet
easy to visit on east side of U.S. 23, north of E. River Rd. in Oscoda

Au Sable Lighthouse Pictured Rocks Day Hikes

Au Sable Point Light Station (Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore)
Lake Superior
1874
87 feet
reached after a 1.5 mile hike from the Hurricane River parking area
open as a museum and for tower climbs in the summer

beaver island lighthouse

Beaver Island Head Lighthouse
Lake Michigan
1858
46 feet
on the southern end of the island, grounds open
tower occasionally open in summer months

beaver-head-light

Beaver Island Harbor Light (St. James Harbor Light)
Lake Michigan
1870
41 feet
easily viewed from Beaver Island Ferry, grounds open

Big Bay Point Lighthouse Feature Photo

Big Bay Point Lighthouse (north of Marquette)
Lake Superior
1896
64 feet
grounds open, lighthouse operates as a bed & breakfast

Big Sable Point Lighthouse Feature Photo

Big Sable Point Lighthouse (Ludington)
Lake Michigan
1867
107 feet
reached after a 1.5 mile hike in Ludington State Park
open for tower climbs in summer months

Bois Blanc Island Lighthouse

Bois Blanc Island Lighthouse (Straits of Mackinac)
Lake Huron
1867
44 feet
privately owned; best viewed from Shepler’s Lighthouse Cruise

Charity Island Lighthouse Top Photo Michigan

Charity Island Lighthouse
Lake Huron
1857
45 feet
lighthouse tour and dinner cruise offered out of Au Gres

Charlevoix South Pier Light Feature Photo

Charlevoix South Pierhead Light
Lake Michigan
1948
44 feet
easy to visit from Michigan Beach Park

Cheboygan Crib Light

Cheboygan Crib Light
Lake Huron
1884/moved to current location 1984
25 feet
easy to visit at Gordon Turner Park
tours occasionally available when the Front Range Light is open

Cheboygan Lighthouse Ruins Lake Huron

Cheboygan Lighthouse (ruins)
Lake Huron
1859
33 feet (only foundation remains today)
reached after a 1.5 mile hike in Cheboygan State Park

Cheboygan River Range Light Main Photo

Cheboygan River Front Range Lighthouse
Lake Huron/Cheboygan River
1880
44 feet
grounds open, also open for tours through GLLKA

Copper Harbor Lighthouse Range Light From Water

Copper Harbor Range Lighthouse

Copper Harbor Range Lights
Lake Superior
1869
34 feet (rear) and 21 feet (front)
used as MIDNR worker housing, can be seen from road across from Fort Wilkins

Copper Harbor Lighthouse Michigan Lake Superior

 Copper Harbor Lighthouse
Lake Superior
1866
42 feet
best views from Astor Shipwreck Park across from Fort Wilkins;
there are hopes that Copper Harbor Lighthouse Tours may resume in coming years

Crisp Point Lighthouse Wide

Crisp Point Lighthouse
Lake Superior
1904
58 feet
reached after roughly 18 miles of back road driving from M-123
grounds open, also open for tower climbs in summer months

DeTour Reef Light Lake Huron Michigan

DeTour Reef Light
Lake Huron
1931
78 feet
easy to view from the Drummond Island Ferry or Shepler’s Lighthouse Cruise
tours and stays available through DeTour Reef Light Preservation Society

Detroit River Lighthouse

Detroit River Light
Lake Erie
1885
49 feet
distant views possible from Pointe Mouillee State Game Area

Eagle Harbor Lighthouse Kayak Trip

Eagle Harbor Lighthouse
Lake Superior
1871
44 feet
part of a museum complex operated by the Keweenaw County Historical Society

Eagle River Lighthouse Michigan Vacation Rental

Eagle River Lighthouse
Lake Superior
1857
24 feet
privately owned; available for rentals on Vrbo.com

Escanaba Crib Light Michigan

Escanaba Crib Light
Lake Michigan
1938
40 feet
easy to view from Ludington Park near the Sand Point Lighthouse

Huron Lady Cruises Fort Gratiot Lighthouse Michigan

Fort Gratiot Lighthouse (Port Huron)
Lake Huron
1829 (oldest in Michigan)
85 feet
grounds and tower open through Port Huron Museums

40 Mile Point

40 Mile Point Lighthouse (Rogers City)
Lake Huron
1896
52 feet
grounds and lighthouse open as a museum

Fourteen Foot Shoal Light Birds Lake Huron

Fourteen Foot Shoal Light
Lake Huron
1930
36 feet
distant views from the Cheboygan Crib Light and Cheboygan State Park
best views come from Sheplers Eastbound Lighthouse Cruise

Frankfort North Breakwater Lighthouse Fall

Frankfort North Breakwater Light
Lake Michigan
1912
67 feet
easily visited at Frankfort Public Beach and Playground

Frying Pan Island Light Coast Guard

Frying Pan Island Light (Sault Ste. Marie)
St. Mary’s River
1882 (moved in 1988)
18 feet
can be easily viewed in front of the Coast Guard station
on Water St. in Sault Ste. Marie

Gladstone Michigan Lighthouse Harbor

Gladstone Lighthouse
Lake Michigan
2010
30 feet
easily viewed at Van Cleve Park

Grand Haven MI South Pier Lighthouse

Grand Haven South Pier Lights
Lake Michigan
1905
42 feet (entrance) and 52 feet (inner)
easily visited at Grand Haven State Park

Grand Island East Channel Lighthouse

Grand Island East Channel Lighthouse
Lake Superior
1868
48 feet
distant views from Sand Point Beach in Munising
best views come from Pictured Rocks Boat Cruises or Glass Bottom Shipwreck Tours

Riptide Ride Grand Island North Lighthouse

Grand Island North Lighthouse
Lake Superior
1867
40 feet
privately owned; best viewed from Riptide Ride

Grand Island Christmas Front Range Light

Grand Island Rear Range Lighthouse

Grand Island Range Lights (Christmas)
Lake Superior
1914
24 feet (front) and 60 feet (rear)
easily viewed on M-28 near “Welcome to Christmas” sign

Grand Marais Harbor Lights Outer Light

Grand Marais Harbor Lights Lake Superior

Grand Marais Range Lights
Lake Superior
1895
43 feet (front) and 62 feet (rear)

Grand Traverse Lighthouse

Grand Traverse Lighthouse (Leelanau State Park)
Lake Michigan
1858
41 feet
grounds open, lighthouse open as a museum

Grays Reef Lighthouse Feature Photo

Grays Reef Light Station
Lake Michigan
1936
77 feet
best viewed from Shepler’s Westbound Lighthouse Cruise

Gull Rock Lighthouse Michigan Reflections

Gull Rock Lighthouse
Lake Superior
1867
42 feet
we visited with Sand Point Charters out of Lac Labelle

Harbor Beach Lighthouse Michigan Feature Photo

Harbor Beach Lighthouse
Lake Huron
1885
50 feet
easily viewed from Lincoln Park, tours also available

Holland Harbor Lighthouse Michigan 1

Holland Harbor Lighthouse (Big Red)
Lake Michigan
1907
42 feet
easily visited at Holland State Park

Lightship Huron Full Side View Port Huron Michigan

HURON Lightship
St. Clair River
1921
97 feet long
easy to visit at Pine Grove Park, open as a museum

Jacobsville Lighthouse Feature Photo Keweenaw Michigan

Jacobsville Lighthouse
Lake Superior
1869
51 feet
privately owned; former bed and breakfast currently for sale

Kalamazoo River Lighthouse Replica Saugatuck MI

Kalamazoo River Lighthouse replica (Douglas)
Kalamazoo River
2002
30 feet
easily viewed from the parking area near the Tower Marine marina

Keweenaw Waterway Lower Entrance Light Vertical Lighthouse

Keweenaw Waterway Lower Entrance Light (Jacobsville)
Lake Superior
1920
62 feet
easy to visit at White City Park in Jacobsville

Keweenaw Waterway Upper Entrance Light Michigan

Keweenaw Waterway Upper Entrance Light (Hancock)
Lake Superior
1950
70 feet
easy to view at F.J. McLain State Park

Lansing Shoal Lighthouse Sheplers Cruise Lake Michigan

Lansing Shoal Lighthouse
Lake Michigan
1928
59 feet
best viewed on a Shepler’s Lighthouse cruise

Silver Lake State Park Little Sable Lighthouse Reflection

Little Sable Light (Mears)
Lake Michigan
1874
107 feet
easy to visit at Silver Lake State Park
tours available in summer months

Ludington North Pierhead SS Badger

Ludington North Pierhead Light
Lake Michigan
1924
55 feet
easy to visit at Stearns Park in Ludington
tower open in summer months through SPLKA

Manistee North Pierhead Lighthouse 2020

Manistee North Pierhead Light
Lake Michigan
1927
39 feet
easy to visit at Fifth Avenue Beach in Manistee

Manistique East Breakwater Lighthouse Michigan Vertical

Manistique East Breakwater Light
Lake Michigan
1916
38 feet
easy to visit at from Manistique Boardwalk parking area off of U.S.-2

Manitou Island Lighthouse Lake Superior

Manitou Island Lighthouse
Lake Superior
1861
78 feet
we visited on a charter fishing trip with Sand Point Charters of Lac LaBelle

Robert Manning MI Lighthouse Feature Photo

Manning Memorial Light (Empire)
Lake Michigan
1990
38 feet
easy to visit at Empire Beach

Marquette Breakwater Light Close Lake Superior

Marquette Breakwater Light
Lake Superior
1985
36 feet
easy to view from many locations in Marquette, can walk out on breakwater
from parking area near Maritime Museum

Marquette Harbor Lighthouse Stairway

Marquette Harbor Lighthouse
Lake Superior
1866
40 feet
can be viewed from many locations in Marquette including McCarty’s Cove
tours available through the Marquette Maritime Museum

McGulpin Point

McGulpin Point Lighthouse (Mackinaw City)
Lake Michigan
1869
38 feet
open for tours as an Emmett County museum

Mendota Lighthouse Bete Grise Feature Photo

Mendota (Bete Grise) Lighthouse
Lake Superior
1895
42 feet
can be viewed from across the Mendota Ship Canal

Menominee North Pier Lighthouse Lake Michigan

Menominee North Pier Lighthouse
Lake Michigan
1927
34 feet
easy to visit at Lighthouse Ann Arbor Park, and occasionally open
to the public in the summer months

Alpena Lighthouse Festival 2015 651

Middle Island Lighthouse
Lake Huron
1905
76 feet
trips and overnight stays used to be offered through the Middle Island
Lightkeepers Association, all websites and pages have been inactive
since 2017 or have disappeared (best bet – private charter)

old mission oct 2018 picnic at Binder park zoo 084

Mission Point Lighthouse
Lake Michigan
1870
36 feet
easy to visit at Lighthouse Park north of Traverse City
the Keeper Program allows guests to stay at the lighthouse while
welcoming visitors, leading tours, and running the gift shop.

Munising Range Lights Tower Feature Photo

Munising Front Range Light
Lake Superior
1908
55 feet
grounds open, lighthouse owned by National Park Service

Munising Range Lights Rear Range Michigan

Munising Rear Range Light
Lake Superior
1908
31 feet
easy to view at the end of Hemlock St., three blocks from the Front Range

Muskegon South Lighthouse Michigan

Muskegon South Breakwater Light South Pierhead Light

Muskegon South Pierhead Light
Muskegon South Breakwater Light
Lake Michigan
1903 (South Pierhead) and 1930 (South Breakwater Light)
48 feet (South Pierhead) and 53 feet (South Breakwater)
South Breakwater Light is easy to reach from Pere Marquette Park
South Pierhead Light can be reached from Pere Marquette Park by
following the path through the Coast Guard Station
both lighthouses open for tours in the summer

Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse Sunshine Fence

Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse
Lake Huron
1892
56 feet
easy to visit at Alexander Henry Park
open for tours as part of Mackinac State Historic Parks

Ontonagon Lighthouse Tour Group

Ontonagon Lighthouse
Lake Superior
1866
45 feet
open for tours through the Ontonagon County Historical Society

Ontonagon W Pierhead

Ontonagon West Breakwater Light
Lake Superior
1900
31 feet
can be seen from Ontonagon Lighthouse Tours or Ontonagon Township Park beach

Peche Island Rear Range Light Feature Photo Marine City

Peche Island Rear Range Light
St. Clair River
1908
60 feet
easy to visit at Lighthouse Park in Marine City

Peninsula Point Lighthouse Best Michigan Birdwatching

Peninsula Point Light
Lake Michigan
1865
38 feet
easy to visit in the Hiawatha National Forest at the end of the Stonington Peninsula

Pentwater Pier Lights

Pentwater Pier Lights
Lake Michigan
1937 (South Pierhead) and 1987 (North Pierhead)
25 feet (South) and 17 feet (North)
easy to visit at Charles Mears State Park in Pentwater

petoskey pierhead light michigan

Petoskey Pierhead Light
Lake Michigan
2009
30 feet
easy to view from Bayfront Park, can walk out on pier from marina

Own a Michigan Lighthouse

Poe Reef Light
Lake Huron
1928
56 feet
can be seen from Cheboygan State Park and Cheboygan Crib Light
best views come from Shepler’s Eastbound Lighthouse Cruise

Point Betsie Lighthouse Lake Michigan View

Point Betsie Lighthouse
Lake Michigan
1859
37 feet
easy to visit at Point Betsie Lighthouse Beach in Empire
tours and rentals also available

Point Iroquois Lighthouse Up Close Lake Superior

Point Iroquois Lighthouse
Lake Superior
1870
62 feet
easy to visit on the Whitefish Bay Scenic Byway
open for tours through the U.S. Forest Service

Pointe Aux Barques Lighthouse Sunset

Pointe Aux Barques Lighthouse
Lake Huron
1857
85 feet
easy to visit at Lighthouse County Park in Port Hope
open for tours as part of a museum complex

Port Austin Reef Lighthouse Michigan

Port Austin Reef Light
Lake Huron
1878
60 feet
distant views available from the breakwater at Veterans Waterfront Park
tours offered through Port Austin Reef Light Association

Port Sanilac Lighthouse Michigan

Port Sanilac Lighthouse
Lake Huron
1886
59 feet
easy to view from the east end of Cherry St. in Port Sanilac, or from the marina
tours are offered in summer through Sanilac County Historic Village & Museum

Portage Lake Pierhead Light Onekama Michigan

Portage Lake Pierhead Light (Onekama)
Lake Michigan
1930
32 feet
easy to visit at the MIDNR boat launch site on Lake Park Dr. in Onekama

Presque Isle Harbor Breakwater Light Feature

Presque Isle Harbor Breakwater Light (Marquette)
Lake Superior
1941
55 feet
easy to view and visit from Presque Isle Park in Marquette

Presque Isle Range Light Feature Photo

Presque Isle Front Range Light
Lake Huron
1870
21 feet
easy to visit at a small park on Grand Lake Rd. as you drive to the
Old Presque Isle and New Presque Isle lighthouses

Old Presque Isle Lighthouse Lake Huron

Presque Isle Lighthouse (Old)
Lake Huron
1840
30 feet
open as a museum, grounds open all year

New Presque Isle Lighthouse Winter Michigan

Presque Isle Lighthouse (New)
Lake Huron
1870
113 feet
open as part of a museum complex; grounds open year-round

Minnesota Wisconsin 9 2011 Sue's camera 345

Rock of Ages Light
Lake Superior
1908
130 feet
can be viewed on ferry boat from Grand Portage, MN to Isle Royale NP
may someday be open to the public through the Rock of Ages Lighthouse Preservation Society

Round island Lighthouse Blue Water

Round Island Lighthouse
Lake Huron
1895
53 feet
easy to see from ferry boat trips to Mackinac Island

Mackinac Traverse City Last Part UP Trip with Boys 906

Round Island Passage Light
Lake Huron
1947
71 feet
easy to see from ferry boat trips to Mackinac Island

Soo Locks Boat Tours Round Island Lighthouse Ruins

Round Island Lighthouse (ruins)
St. Mary’s River
1856
30 feet
Soo Locks Boat Tours’ Lighthouse Cruise passes by this site

Saginaw River Range Lighthouse Reflection

Saginaw River Rear Range Lighthouse
Saginaw River/Lake Huron
1876
59 feet
open for tours on rare occasions through Saginaw River Marine Historical Society

Sand Hills Lighthouse Keweenaw

Sand Hills Lighthouse (Ahmeek)
Lake Superior
1919
91 feet
open as a bed and breakfast for many years; currently closed for renovations

Sand Point Lighthouse Feature Photo Baraga MI

Sand Point Lighthouse (Baraga)
Lake Superior
1878
35 feet
grounds open to public at KBIC Ojibwa Recreation Area

Sand Point Lighthouse and Marker

Sand Point Lighthouse (Escanaba)
Lake Michigan
1867
44 feet
open to the public as part of Delta County Historical Society museum

Seul Choix Point Lighthouse

Seul Choix Pointe Lighthouse (Gulliver)
Lake Michigan
1892
77 feet
open as part of a museum complex run by Gulliver Historical Society

Six Mile Point Front Range Light DeTour Michigan

Six Mile Point Front Range Light
St. Mary’s River
1907
20 feet
located on the grounds of the DeTour Passage Historical Museum

Six Mile Point Rear Range Light Cedarville Michigan

Six Mile Point Rear Range Light
St. Mary’s River
1907
45 feet
located on the grounds of the Les Cheneaux Historical Museum in Cedarville

Skilagalee Island Lighthouse

Skilagalee (Ile Aux Galets) Lighthouse
Lake Michigan
1888
48 feet
some Shepler’s tours go by this lighthouse

South Haven Lighthouse 2017 Dedication Ceremony 040

South Haven South Pierhead Light
Lake Michigan
1903
35 feet
easy to visit at South Beach Park in South Haven

south manitou island lighthouse

South Manitou Island Lighthouse
Lake Michigan
1872
99 feet
part of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
reached by Manitou Island Transit boat
open for tours in summer months through the NPS

Spectacle Reef Light Lake Huron MI

Spectacle Reef Light
Lake Huron
1874
80 feet
best viewed from the Shepler’s Eastbound Lighthouse Cruise

Squaw Island Lighthouse 2021 Sheplers

Squaw Island Lighthouse
Lake Michigan
1892
53 feet
best viewed on a Shepler’s Lighthouse Cruise

St. Clair Flats Range Light Harsens Island

St. Clair Flats Canal Range
St. Clair River
1990s?
40 feet
privately owned; can be seen from the river or S. Channel Dr. on Harsens Island

St. Clair Flats Lighthouses

St. Clair Flats Range Lights
St. Clair River
1859
17 feet (front range) and 40 feet (rear range)
distant views possible from the southern end of Harsens Island (S. Channel Dr.)

St. Helena Island Lighthouse

St. Helena Island Lighthouse
Lake Michigan
1873
63 feet
distant views possible from US-2 rest area
best views come from Shepler’s Westbound Lighthouse Cruise
volunteer opportunities available through GLLKA

St. Joseph Pier Lights Lake Michigan

St. Joseph Pier Lights
Lake Michigan
1906
31 feet (Outer) and 53 feet (Inner)
easy to visit from Silver Beach Park or Tiscornia Park in St. Joseph
open for tours in summer months

Sturgeon Point Lighthouse Best Photo

Sturgeon Point Lighthouse
Lake Huron
1869
71 feet
open as a museum at a Michigan State Historic Site in Harrisville

Tawas Point State Park Victorian Lighthouse Michigan

Tawas Point Lighthouse
Lake Huron
1877
67 feet
easy to visit at Tawas Point State Park
open for tours in summer months, volunteer keeper program available

Thunder Bay Island Lighthouse Waves Lake Huron Michigan

Thunder Bay Island Lighthouse
Lake Huron
1832
62 feet
tours may be available through the Thunder Bay Island Lighthouse Preservation Society
Alpena Shipwreck Tours cruises sometimes go out to the island

Milliken State Park Lighthouse Detroit Michigan

Tri-Centennial Light
Detroit River
2003
63 feet
easy to visit at Milliken State Park in Detroit

Waugoshance Lighthouse Lake Michigan

Waugoshance Lighthouse
Lake Michigan
1851
63 feet
distant views possible from Wilderness State Park
best views come from Shepler’s Westbound Lighthouse Cruise

Michigan Photos 2020 Wawatam Lighthouse Sunrise COVER

Wawatam Lighthouse (St. Ignace)
Lake Huron
2006
52 feet
easy to visit at Wawatam Park and the St. Ignace Boardwalk

White River Lighthouse Lake Michigan

White River Lighthouse (Whitehall)
Lake Michigan
1875
38 feet
easy to visit at White Lake pier (public access)
open as a museum through Sable Points Keepers Association

White Shoal Light Lake Michigan

White Shoal Lighthouse
Lake Michigan
1910
124 feet
tours and overnight stays available through WSLHPS
views also available on Shepler’s Westbound Lighthouse Cruise

Whitefish Point

Whitefish Point Light Station (Paradise)
Lake Superior
1861
78 feet
open as part of the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum
grounds open to the public, fee to enter museum buildings

William Livingstone Memorial Lighthouse Feature Photo

William Livingstone Memorial Light (Detroit)
Detroit River
1930
52 feet
reached after a short hike at Belle Isle Park (eastern end)

Windmill Point Light Detroit michigan

Windmill Point Light (Detroit)
Detroit River
1933
42 feet
easy to visit at Mariner Park in Detroit

Lighthouse we still need to visit include Poverty Island Lighthouse,
South Fox Island Lighthouse, St. Martin Island Light, Fourteen Mile Point Lighthouse,
Stannard Rock Light, Rock Harbor Lighthouse, Isle Royale Lighthouse,
Round Island Lighthouse (St. Mary’s River), Neebish Island Light,
Passage Island Lighthouse, Huron Island Lighthouse,
Minneapolis Shoal Light.

We’d love to get closer views of: Detroit River Light, DeTour Reef Light,
Port Austin Reef Light, Martin Reef Light, Gravelly Shoal Light,
Granite Island Lighthouse, North Manitou Light

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