Michigan Lighthouses - Photographs of Ten Easy To Get To

There are 116 lighthouses that grace Michigan’s coastline. Many can be reached by a short walk from a parking lot while others require a boat ride to get a decent look. I have selected 10 of them for which I give the location accompanied by a picture.

All ten here are a short walking distance from parking areas.

Holland Harbor Light is located on Lake Michigan in Holland State Park. The light is in the southwest section of the state near the town of Holland. This light is also known as “Big Red”.

The Grand Haven Light is located on Lake Michigan in Grand Haven State Park. This is in the southwest section of the state south of the town of Grand Haven. There are actually two lights that are built on a pier. The photo here includes only the one at the pierhead. Both are red in color and the first one along the pier is cylindrical.

The White River Light is on Lake Michigan near the town of Whitehall which is north of Muskegon.

Point Betsie Light is located on Lake Michigan near the town of Frankfort north of Manistee.

Grand Traverse Light is located on Lake Michigan in Leelanau State Park near Northport. Northport is north of Traverse City in northern Michigan.

Old Mackinac Point Light is south of Mackinaw City at the northern tip of lower Michigan where Lake Michigan and Lake Huron merge. The Mackinac Bridge nearby which takes you into the Upper Peninsula(U.P.) of Michigan is also photogenic.

The Manistique East Breakwater Light is on Lake Michigan in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan near the town of Manistique. The light is located at the end of a pier.

The Marquette Harbor Light is located on Lake Superior in the town of, you guessed it, Marquette in the U.P. I see you have been noticing a pattern here related to the names of lighthouses and close towns. This lighthouse is occupied by the U.S. Coast Guard.

Sturgeon Point Light is located on Lake Huron north of Harrisville in northeast Michigan. This places it south of Alpena approximately 30 miles.

Tawas Point Light is on Lake Huron in Tawas Point State Park near the town of East Tawas. Saginaw Bay is a few miles to the south.

Hopefully this introduction will help you get excited enough to get out and photograph these lights as well as the other 106 light beacons along the Michigan coast. See you in the field!

authored by Lon Britton