Whitefish Point Light Station
Lighthouse · Paradise, Michigan
Whitefish Point Light Station stands at the tip of a sandy spit in the eastern Upper Peninsula, where Lake Superior narrows toward Whitefish Bay. It is the oldest active light on the lake, first lit in 1849. The coast here is called the Shipwreck Coast, and the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum on the same site holds the recovered bell of the Edmund Fitzgerald, lost on November 10, 1975. The Whitefish Point Bird Observatory draws serious birders in spring and fall migration. It suits maritime history fans, birders and road trippers, and it is a long drive to reach. The season runs roughly mid-May to mid-October (confirm), and the point is cold and windy even in summer. Allow two to three hours for the buildings, the beach and a walk on the shore. Tahquamenon Falls is a separate trip nearby, so plan the long drive and carry fuel, food and warm layers. The museum and the light station are one combined visit, not two stops.
18335 North Whitefish Point Road, Paradise, Michigan, 49768, United States
The site is seasonal, running roughly from mid-May to mid-October, when the museum, the light station grounds and the gift shop are staffed, usually daily during daytime hours. Exact opening and closing dates, daily times and any tower climb schedule change from year to year, so confirm with the museum before you make the long drive north. Outside the season the access road may be closed or unplowed and buildings are shut, though the beach and bird observatory areas can sometimes be reached on foot if the road is passable. Memorial events around November 10 for the Edmund Fitzgerald are held at some times (confirm), usually by separate arrangement.
Whitefish Point Light Station on Spottos · Explore more places on Spottos