Explore the Best Michigan Lighthouses in the Upper Thumb: A Complete Guide to Scenic Coastal Beacons

There are 124 Michigan lighthouses across the state. They are unique, functional and draw many visitors to explore their grounds or climb the towers. Of the four lighthouses in the Upper Thumb, only one is accessible directly from the land. All the others need a boat to access.

Port Austin Reef Lighthouse

The light was first lit in 1878, and its pier was modified in 1899. It is still operational and is automated. The foundation materials are a pier, and the tower is constructed of yellow brick with buff markings. It is an octagonal, 60-foot-tall tower with an attached keeper house. However, the focal plane is 76 feet (23 m). It originally had a fourth-order Fresnel lens by Henry Lepaute of Paris and was installed in 1899. In 1985 the lens was replaced by a 12-volt solar-powered Tideland Signal 300 mm acrylic optic, eliminating the need to maintain the submarine cable.

Restoration of the Castle on the Lake

The Port Austin Reef Light also known by a local moniker as the "Castle on the Lake," is currently undergoing its final phase of restoration. This project has been ongoing for nearly three decades. The restoration efforts are spearheaded by the Port Austin Reef Light Association (PARLA) and have seen significant progress, including exterior masonry repairs, installation of new windows, and the restoration of original features like the fog horn dormer. The latest phase, scheduled to continue through 2024, focuses on interior restorations such as painting, trim installation, and repairs to the interior staircase. Key partners, including ICC Commonwealth, Zimmerman Electric, and Thumb Cooling & Heating, are involved in installing new plumbing, solar and wind-powered electricity, and rebuilding essential components like the mechanical room. The full restoration is projected to cost $1.5 million, with $1.2 million already raised, leaving $300,000 still needed to complete the project​( Port Austin Castle).

For more information or to contribute to the restoration, you can visit the Port Austin Reef Light official website.

Charity Island Light

Charity Island LightPhoto byThumbwind Publications

The octagonal cast iron lantern displayed a fixed white Fourth Order Fresnel lens light constructed in 1857 with a 39-foot tower that provided a 13-nautical-mile range of visibility. The Lightkeeper's home and tower were split in 1917 to automate the light using acetylene gas. It was the first automated light in the entire Great Lakes. The Charity Island Preservation Committee of the Arenac County Historical Society is restoring the tower. The original keeper's house was razed, and a newly restored private residence has been built in its place and on its foundation. It is being operated as a restaurant and a bed and breakfast.

From time to time, Explorer Charters offers tours to Charity Island. In 2019 we were invited along to experience a Charity Island Dinner Cruise. We learned a lot about the history of the mysterious Charity Island and had a fun time exploring the island and meeting new people. Here is what I learned about Charity Island.

Port Aux Barques Light

Pointe Aux Barques LighthousePhoto byThumbwind Publications

The Pointe aux Barques Lighthouse ranks among the ten oldest lighthouses in Michigan. Amazingly, despite its age, the light is still an active lighthouse maintained by the US Coast Guard. The structure is remote, located in Lighthouse County Park on Lake Huron near Port Hope, Michigan in Huron County. "Pointe aux Barques" means 'Point of Little Boats, a descriptor of the shallow shoals and reefs that lurk beneath these waves, presenting a hazard to boats as they round Michigan's Thumb. Amazingly, this iconic lighthouse has a reputation for being paranormally active.

Climbing the Pointe Aux Barques Light Tower

Climbing the towerPhoto byThumbwind Publications

The Pointe aux Barques Lighthouse offers tower climbs on select dates during the season, typically from late May through September. The tower is open for climbing on specific holiday weekends, such as Memorial Day, July 4th and Labor Day, and during the Huron County Museum Weekend. The lighthouse and museum are generally open Wednesday through Sunday from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The cost for climbing the tower is $4 for adults and $2 for children under 12, with combo tickets available for visiting both the museum and climbing the tower​(Pointe aux Barques Lighthouse). For the latest schedule and updates, you can visit the Pointe aux Barques Lighthouse website.

Restoration of The Pointe Aux Barques Lifesaving Station

Point Aux Barques LSSPhoto byThumbwind Publications

The restoration efforts for the Pointe aux Barques Life-Saving Station, which originally operated from 1876 to 1937, are currently underway to preserve this historic site. In 2017, two of the original life-saving buildings were moved back to their original location at Lighthouse Park and placed on new foundations. Restoration work includes refurbishing these structures and installing historical displays that showcase rare life-saving service equipment. The Pointe aux Barques Lighthouse Museum continues to provide information and exhibits related to the life-saving station's history and operations​(Pointe aux Barques Lighthouse).

For more details, you can visit the Pointe aux Barques Lighthouse website.

Harbor Beach Lighthouse

Harbor Beach is located on the eastern edge of the Thumb of Huron County, in the state of Michigan. The Harbor Beach Lighthouse is a "spark-plug lighthouse" located at the end of the north break-wall entrance to the harbor of refuge on Lake Huron. The United States Army Corps of Engineers built the huge break wall and light. This pier protects the harbor of Harbor Beach, Michigan, which is the largest man-made freshwater harbor in the world.

Port Sanilac Lighthouse

Port Sanilac LighthousePhoto byThumbwind Publications

The Port Sanilac Lighthouse was one of the last built on the eastern shore of Michigan’s Thumb. It filled the gap of the 60-mile stretch between Fort Gratiot and Harbor Beach Light. The tower, house, and oil house were built on October 13, 1886. The light utilizes a fixed white light, produced by a fourth-order, Barbier & Fenestre Fresnel lens. The lighthouse is privately owned yet still operational as an aid to navigation.

Climb The Tower at Port Sanilac Light

The Port Sanilac Lighthouse hosts a series of events throughout the summer, including regular lighthouse tours on select Fridays. These tours are scheduled for select weekends in July and August from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM. During the tours, visitors can climb the 50-step tower to enjoy views of Lake Huron and learn about the lighthouse's history from knowledgeable volunteer docents. The tour includes a look at the original 1886 Fresnel lens displayed at the base of the tower. Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis, and no reservations are required​. For more details, you can visit the Port Sanilac Lighthouse official events page.

Related Michigan Lighthouse Reading

Photo byPhoto by Carla Bumstead

• Noted as a strategic chokepoint, the mouth St. Clair River was the gateway to the northern lakes and the rich fur and lumber trade. Shipping on the Great Lakes increased in the 1820s and Congress recognized the need for a navigational aid at the mouth of the St. Clair River. Fort Gratiot Light Station
• At the extreme southern end of Michigan’s Thumb lays the town of Port Huron. This lakeside town has close ties to the boating and shipping industry. It’s the starting point of the famous Port Huron to Mackinac sailboat race and was the location of the first large-scale boatyards in the Great Lakes. One interesting little site, located in a county park, is The Lightship Huron
• The lumbering era in Michigan’s Upper Thumb from 1860-1880 resulted in booming towns all along the shoreline. Sebewaing was no exception. While it did not benefit from proximity of being on Lake Huron like Sand Beach, (later named Harbor Beach), or having a deep river outflow like Caseville, it’s historical spot as a rich hunting area by native Americans and natural outflow to Saginaw Bay by the Sebewaing River predestined it as a natural gathering spot. Sebewaing History - A Busy Ship Building Harbor
• The First Woman Lighthouse Keeper in Michigan - Ran The Pointe Aux Barques Lighthouse after the tragic drowning of her husband for almost a year. A fire and sickness shortened her tenure, but she broke new ground.