The Lighthouses of Lake Superior

Pipe Island is privately owned, but in 2005 three cottages and the Victorian keeper's dwelling were made available for overnight stays. ^island ARLHS # USA 602

a.k.a. Lower Nicolet West Range?

This is the first light on the Great Lakes established in 1849. This light was erected in 1861. It's co-located with the Great Lakes Ship Wreck museum which is undergoing massive expansion. ^museum

Located 11 miles north of Paradise MI, it's a long way from anywhere, but worth the trip. ARLHS # USA 887

At the front end of the channel, on the west side.

Just as its keepers once did, visitors today must walk to it, but only 1.5 miles. Take Alger County Road (H-58) at the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, a dirt and gravel access road, for about 12 miles. When you reach the Hurricane River Campground, park near the Hurricane River and take the two track access path to the lighthouse and Lake Superior. ARLHS # USA 022

It sits atop a 165-foot cliff so the best views of it come from the air. Skylane Pictured Rocks & Grand Island Air Tours offer routes that pass over the island. This picture was taken from a GLLKA tour, thus from the water. ^{Grand Island Air Tours}

This light is used in combination with the rear range shown below. It's tucked just below the main highway through Munising. Turn towards the lake at the west edge of town. ARLHS # USA 948

Matching front range is shown below. These lights are off of route 28, just east of Christmas (MI, not December) and even knowing where they are, they are hard to spot.

This was a range light into Grand Island Harbor, but the channel moved, so the light was turned off. ARLHS # USA-329

Established 1853 and still an active Coast Guard station. The Marquette Maritime Museum will lease it from the Coast Guard to make it open to the public. ARLHS # USA 477

Located on Lake Superior's Granite Island.

12.5 miles north of Marquette. (If you look at a map, you'll note that this is 12 miles into Lake Superior, so the only way to get here is by boat or air.) ARLHS # USA 333

This lighthouse is now a bed and breakfast. For most of its working life, the only source of contact with the outside world was by boat. It's now an easy drive up from Marquette. ARLHS # USA 053

The home is a private residence and I suspect the large porch shown here is a recent addition. ARLHS # USA 725

From US 41 North (going towards Houghton), turn east on Portage Entry Road. Keweenaw Excursions used to offer cruises that pass this lighthouse. ARLHS # USA 418

Keweenaw Excursions used to offer a couple of Lighthouse Tours each year that pass by the Gull Rock Lighthouse. How you can get there now is an interesting question. ARLHS # USA 361

Photo courtesy Marinas.com [Marinas.com]

While you can see this light from the shore, the only good way to see it is to take the lighthouse tour boat out to the end of the peninsula. This place is deceptive, it looks like you should be able to drive there. Believe me please, you can't.

Most of the first light (1848) was used for foundations for this building. ARLHS # USA 193

This light is now the residence of the park manager (as shown by the TV antenna) ARLHS # USA 1074

Established 1851, still active, and a museum as well. ARLHS # USA 253

Now inactive and a private residence. ARLHS # USA-257

There is a canal that goes through the Keweenaw Peninsula, starts at Houghton, and migrates NW. At the west (upper) end of the canal is this light. ARLHS # USA-419

The lighthouse is surrounded by a pulp mill and can currently only be visited on escorted visits from the Ontonagon County Historical Society Museum. The museum is located at 422 River Street in Ontonagon not far from the lighthouse. For tour information call (906) 884-6165. ARLHS # USA-569

Photo courtesy Marinas.com [Marinas.com]

Built at the end of very long detached breakwater which creates the sheltered harbor of Ashland ^Ashland

Accessible only by boat. There are views from Bayview Park, off US 2 east of downtown. ARLHS # USA-019

Photo courtesy Luiz Castro [Flickr]

Located at the western end of Long Island, about 2/3 mile west of LaPointe Light. A Coast Guard helicopter moved the tower back from the eroding shoreline in 1987. Accessible only by boat, water taxi service available in season.

Photo courtesy US Coast Guard [uscg]

Located on Long Island (and a sibling of the Coney Island Light in New York), in the mouth of Chequamegon Bay northeast of Washburn. ^{NY 49}

Accessible only by boat. Water taxi service available in season. ^taxi ARLHS # USA-423

Photo courtesy Marinas.com [Marinas.com]

This skeletal tower really stands high above the trees. It's about 100 feet behind the light shown above. ARLHS # USA-494

You really can't get here without a boat. We got this shot from the GLLKA Lake Superior Cruise. The weather was pretty cold (not surprising as the water was 52º.) ARLHS # USA-572

While this point is clearly all rocks, there are clear sandy beaches both east and west of this point. It's from those beaches that the island got its name. ARLHS # USA-722

Heavily over run by trees, we were just able to get a glimpse of this tower as our boat cruised from Superior (WI) to Duluth. ARLHS # USA 499

This light is right next to the bridge, so I took this photo from across the canal. ARLHS # USA 240

Note that this light is a [probably the shortest known] range light. The rear range is in the center of the lantern house. The front range is about a meter in front of it. ARLHS # USA 1024

We first viewed this light from the water, then "up top", then I walked down to the bottom to get the classic shot.

The funny thing about this light is that it really isn't located at Split Rock, this is Stony Point. But the intention was to build it at Split Rock, so thus it is named. ARLHS # USA-783

Just west of Isle Royale, this light is on a ridge of stone, so navigation with your boat is hazardous, but then, you probably are with a commercial boat that knows where it's going. The tower is in poor repair, the rock is eroding so the base is very suspect, it may not last long. All of these July 31, 2004-8/1 lights were part of a GLLKA tour run by Keweenaw Excursions out of Houghton. ^GLLKA ARLHS # USA 698

All of these lights around Isle Royale were built to protect boats trying to get the ore (mostly copper) out. This one is no exception. But you can note that the title ('Rock Harbor') is not poorly chosen.This light has been restored as part of the National Park System and is in excellent shape. ARLHS # USA 696

Not much documentation exists on this light at the end of the breakwater in Thunder Bay. Not to be confused with the similar named light in Lake Huron ^{MI 93} ARLHS # CAN-501

Photo courtesy R Lee [Flickr]

The light above has been replaced with a simple channel marker, not really a lighthouse at all.

This light (it certainly isn't a lighthouse) marks the end of an island that really is pretty dangerous. You can see Passage Island (see below from here, but its still pretty small. The island is now a bird sanctuary. ARLHS # CAN 1086

Once again, a light you can only get to by boat. It's also in Canadian Waters, so we shouldn't have been there. Named for the black volcanic rock it’s perched on, the lighthouse has watched over the entrance to Black Bay since 1873. Only the second Canadian light station established on the great lake, the McKay’s have tended the light for three generations. ARLHS # CAN 584

The original lighthouse building here was replaced by a single-story bungalow in 1959. The original structure was then demolished. The present skeleton tower is located approximately 100 feet north of the keeper's house. The light was automated in 1974, but was staffed until the end of 1985. ARLHS # CAN-521

Located at an elbow of the breakwater at the entrance to Mission River, on the south side of Thunder Bay. ARLHS # CAN 1016

Located at the western end of the island, south of Rossport. The original lighthouse has been replaced by a skeletal tower. Accessible only by boat. ARLHS # CAN-757

The Slate Islands, located about 11 km southeast of Terrace Bay, are included in a provincial park. Lighthouse located on a bluff on the south side of Patterson Island. Accessible only by boat. ^{slate islands} ARLHS # CAN-589

Photo courtesy Marinas.com [Marinas.com]

Located on a small island off the most remote section of the lakeshore. Accessible only by boat; tours by sea kayak available ^kayak ARLHS # CAN-582

Michipicoten Island is a large (200 sq. mi.) wilderness island 15 km south of the north shore of the lake and 65 km southwest of Wawa. The entire island is a provincial park. Tours by sea kayak are available. Lighthouse located at the eastern end of the island. Accessible only by boat. ^kayak ARLHS # CAN-1319

Originally located on the cape, about 20 km northwest of Batchawana Bay. After deactivation, the lighthouse was sold and relocated to a restaurant and campground at Hibbard Bay, about 3 km to the north. These businesses are now closed and are a private residence. The lighthouse still stands beside ON 17 about 100 km north of Sault Sainte Marie and pictures can be taken from the road. ARLHS # CAN-147

Île Parisienne is an uninhabited 2200 acre island in Whitefish Bay southeast of Whitefish Point, Michigan, and northwest of the entrance to the St. Mary's River. The lighthouse is located at the southwest corner of the island. Accessible only by boat. ARLHS # CAN-567

This is an "upbound" (westbound) range guiding ships around a sharp bend in the river above the Soo Locks. Despite its name, the lighthouse is on Pointe Louise, not Pointe aux Pins. Located on the point, at the end of Pointe Louise Road on the west side of Sault Sainte Marie. Soo Locks Boat Tours has a lighthouse cruise that provides a view of this (and several more) lighthouse(s). ARLHS # CAN-889

The Coast Guard Station just upstream of the Pointe aux Pins front range now has a facade that looks like its replica. I'm assuming this is a faux light until I hear otherwise.