Lake Superior Lighthouses: 12 Best to See in Michigan’s UP

Last Updated: June 2026

Lake Superior’s lighthouses are built tough — they have to be, standing up to the fierce waves and winds of the largest freshwater lake in the world. Michigan has more lighthouses than any other state, around 130 along its Great Lakes shoreline, and Lake Superior’s coast holds some of the most dramatic and historic of them all. These are the ones I think every lighthouse lover should see, grouped by region so you can plan them into a Lake Superior Circle Tour or an Upper Peninsula road trip.

Many of these lights are well over a century old, and most are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Some you can climb, some you can tour, a couple you can only see from the water or the air — and one you can even spend the night in. Here are the best Lake Superior lighthouses in Michigan, region by region.

Lake Superior Lighthouses in the Eastern UP

Point Iroquois Lighthouse

Point Iroquois Lighthouse marks the division between Whitefish Bay and the western end of the St. Mary’s River. First built in 1855 and standing 65 feet tall, it offers phenomenal views of Lake Superior, the Canadian shore, and the river. The St. Mary’s River is home to the Soo Locks and is the connection between Lake Superior and the rest of the Great Lakes, which made Point Iroquois an important landmark for ships sailing in and out of the lake. You can climb the tower and tour the keeper’s quarters in season.

Whitefish Point Lighthouse

First lit in 1849, Whitefish Point Lighthouse is the oldest active lighthouse on Lake Superior, sharing “first light” honors with Copper Harbor. Its distinctive skeletal iron tower — the current structure dates to 1861 — stands about 80 feet tall and looks nothing like a traditional lighthouse, which is part of what makes it so recognizable.

More vessels have been lost near here than any other part of Lake Superior, including the Edmund Fitzgerald, which earned this stretch the nickname “Graveyard of the Great Lakes.” The point is now home to the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum, which displays the recovered bell of the Fitzgerald. Whitefish Point is both a welcoming beacon for sailors and a sober symbol of how dangerous this lake can be.

Crisp Point Lighthouse

On a deserted shore north of Newberry, Crisp Point Lighthouse is one of the Upper Peninsula’s most remote and lonely mainland lights. Built in 1903 as a Life Saving Station, it was staffed by “Storm Warriors” who launched into Superior’s violence to rescue shipwrecked sailors. Today you reach it by traveling a long gravel road through the Lake Superior State Forest — it’s genuinely off the beaten path, and that solitude is exactly the appeal.

💡 PRO TIP: The last several miles of road to Crisp Point are unpaved and can be rough — drive slowly, watch for soft spots after rain, and don’t rely on cell service. Fill the gas tank in Newberry before you head out, and give yourself plenty of daylight for the round trip.

Lake Superior Lighthouses in the Central UP

Au Sable Point Lighthouse

Within Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Au Sable Point Lighthouse has stood since 1874. The light station includes the tower, a brick oil building, a fog signal building, and the keeper’s house, so there’s plenty to see on the grounds. It’s still in operation, though it now uses a small solar-powered light that shines over Lake Superior automatically. Reaching it is part of the experience — a scenic hike from the Hurricane River Campground along the shore.

Grand Island East Channel Lighthouse

Near Munising, across the bay from Pictured Rocks, the Grand Island East Channel Lighthouse marked Munising as a harbor of refuge. This weathered wooden lighthouse stands alone on the southern end of Grand Island and looks especially atmospheric, even a little eerie, against the water. It’s privately owned and can’t be visited up close, but you can see it from Sand Point within Pictured Rocks, or from the water on a commercial boat tour or your own vessel.

Grand Island Harbor Rear Range Lighthouse

Also known as the Bay Furnace Range Light, this one stands near Christmas, Michigan, just west of Munising in Alger County. At 70 feet tall and first lit in 1914, it’s an easy roadside stop on the way through the central UP.

Marquette Harbor Lighthouse

The striking red Marquette Harbor Lighthouse shares its name and location with the UP’s largest city. Since 1853 it has guided ships to the ore docks of Marquette, where iron and copper mined inland were loaded for the mills of the lower Great Lakes. Now owned by the city, it can be toured through the Marquette Maritime Museum at scheduled times in season.

Presque Isle Harbor Breakwater Light

On the east side of Presque Isle Harbor in Marquette, this light is a relative newcomer — built in 1941 at the end of a breakwater that extends more than 1,200 feet into the harbor. When the weather is clear and the water calm, you’re welcome to walk the breakwater out to the light. Wear sturdy shoes with good grip; the rocky breakwater can be tricky to cross.

💡 PRO TIP: While you’re in Marquette, take time to explore the Black Rocks cliffs at Presque Isle Park. In summer you might catch locals leaping off the cliffs into Lake Superior — and even if you skip the jump, it’s a beautiful spot to take in the lake.

Lake Superior Lighthouses in the Western UP

Copper Harbor Lighthouse

As the name suggests, the Copper Harbor Lighthouse sits on Copper Harbor at the tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula. Built in 1848 to aid the shipment of copper ore mined across the UP, it’s one of the oldest lights on the lake. Ships would gather ore here and head east through Superior to the lower Great Lakes for refining. The original light is no longer in service — it was replaced by range lights installed in the harbor in 1865 — and it’s best viewed today by boat tour from Copper Harbor.

Rock of Ages Lighthouse

One of the tallest and most powerful beacons on the Great Lakes, Rock of Ages Lighthouse stands on a tiny rock outcrop about five miles off the western tip of Isle Royale, warning ships away from the dangerous Rock of Ages reef. Built in 1908 and first lit in 1910, its tower rises 117 feet, with the light 130 feet above the water — making it Michigan’s tallest lighthouse. It originally held a massive second-order Fresnel lens, and its ten levels once housed a crew of up to four keepers on that lonely reef. You can only see it by boat or air, with the best views from the Isle Royale ferry out of Grand Portage, Minnesota.

Eagle Harbor Lighthouse

At the western entrance to Eagle Harbor on the Keweenaw, this lighthouse still operates, guiding ships around the Keweenaw Waterway. Built in 1871, it was one of several lights constructed to manage ore shipping during the UP’s copper boom of the mid-to-late 1800s. Today it’s part of the Keweenaw County Historical Society’s Light Station Museum complex and is open to the public to visit — one of the more rewarding lights to tour in the western UP.

Ontonagon Lighthouse

Unlike most of its neighbors, the Ontonagon Lighthouse doesn’t sit directly on Lake Superior. Instead it stands on the Ontonagon River near its mouth, where it guided ships into the harbor and up into the heart of town. It’s no longer operational but can be toured through the local historical society in season — a quieter, lesser-known stop in the far western UP.

Lake Superior Lighthouses You Can Stay In

A few Lake Superior light stations offer overnight keeper experiences, from rustic to surprisingly comfortable. If sleeping beside the big lake with a historic light overhead sounds like your kind of trip, see our full guide to Michigan lighthouses you can spend the night in for current options, seasons, and how to book.

More Lake Superior Lighthouses Around the Lake

Lake Superior’s shoreline reaches well beyond Michigan. If you’re doing the full Lake Superior Circle Tour, these lights in neighboring states and Canada are worth working into the route:

More Michigan Lake Superior Lights

• Stannard Rock Lighthouse — an engineering marvel about 24 miles offshore from the Keweenaw, one of the most isolated lighthouses in the US (Michigan waters)
• Rock Harbor, Isle Royale (Menagerie Island), and Passage Island Lights — the other historic lights in and around Isle Royale National Park

Wisconsin: The Apostle Islands

The Apostle Islands National Lakeshore off Bayfield, Wisconsin, holds one of the largest collections of lighthouses in the National Park System, including:

• Raspberry Island Lighthouse
• Michigan Island Lighthouse
• Outer Island Lighthouse
• Sand Island Lighthouse
• Devils Island Lighthouse

Minnesota

• Split Rock Lighthouse — the famous cliff-top light north of Two Harbors
• Grand Marais Lighthouse

Ontario, Canada

• Porphyry Island Lighthouse
• Trowbridge Island Lighthouse
• Thunder Bay–area lighthouses on the Canadian north shore

Frequently Asked Questions About Lake Superior Lighthouses

What is the oldest lighthouse on Lake Superior?

Whitefish Point Lighthouse, first lit in 1849, is the oldest active lighthouse on Lake Superior. It shares “first light” honors with the Copper Harbor Lighthouse, also established around 1848–49. The current Whitefish Point tower, a skeletal iron structure, was built in 1861.

What is the tallest lighthouse on Lake Superior?

Rock of Ages Lighthouse, near Isle Royale, is Michigan’s tallest lighthouse, with its light 130 feet above the water (the tower itself is 117 feet). Built in 1908 on an exposed reef, it was an engineering feat on par with Stannard Rock and is one of the most powerful beacons on the Great Lakes.

Which Lake Superior lighthouse is connected to the Edmund Fitzgerald?

Whitefish Point Lighthouse. The Edmund Fitzgerald sank in 1975 near Whitefish Point during a fierce storm, about 17 miles from the safety of Whitefish Bay. The Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum at the point displays the ship’s recovered bell, and the surrounding waters are known as the “Graveyard of the Great Lakes.”

Which Lake Superior lighthouses can you tour or climb?

Several are open in season: Point Iroquois (climb the tower and tour the keeper’s quarters), Whitefish Point (via the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum), Marquette Harbor (via the Marquette Maritime Museum), and Eagle Harbor (via the Keweenaw County Historical Society). Crisp Point and Au Sable Point require a drive or hike to reach but are free to visit.

How do you get to Crisp Point Lighthouse?

Crisp Point is reached by a long gravel road through the Lake Superior State Forest, north of Newberry. The final miles are unpaved and can be rough, especially after rain, and cell service is unreliable. Fill your gas tank in Newberry, allow plenty of daylight, and drive carefully — the remoteness is the reason the spot feels so special.

Does Michigan have the most lighthouses of any state?

Yes. Michigan has more lighthouses than any other state — around 130 along its Great Lakes shoreline — thanks to its position bordering four of the five Great Lakes. Lake Superior’s rugged coast holds many of the oldest and most dramatic of them.

Plan Your Lake Superior Lighthouse Trip

Whether you’re circling the whole lake or focusing on one stretch of the UP, Lake Superior’s lighthouses make a trip you’ll remember. Pair the eastern lights with Tahquamenon Falls and the Soo Locks, the central ones with Pictured Rocks and Marquette, and the western ones with the Keweenaw and Copper Harbor. For more, start with these guides:

• Michigan Lighthouses: The Complete Guide
• Michigan Lighthouses You Can Spend the Night In
• Whitefish Point & the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum
• Marquette Travel Guide
• Copper Harbor & the Keweenaw