Go See It
Crisp Point Lighthouse: Go See It
A remote, restored 58-foot brick lighthouse on Lake Superior's shore in Luce County, about 14 miles west of Whitefish Point, maintained and staffed in season by volunteers of the Crisp Point Light Historical Society.
The facts
- Drive
- 2 hr 53 min from Marquette
- Cost
- Free to visit the site and climb the tower
- Season
- Typically staffed Memorial Day weekend through…
- Hours
- Generally 10 a.m
Address
No standard street address — reached by unpaved roads. From Paradise: west on M-123 past the Tahquamenon Falls state park entrances, then onto Luce County Road 500 (gravel) and County Road 412 to the old parking area near the shoreline, then a short walk in on a boardwalk. About 37 miles from Paradise. Historical Society mailing address: PO Box 28, Newberry, MI 49868
DirectionsMore detail
- From Marquette
- , 141 miles via M-28 E (Google Maps route, usual traffic, read Sept. 27, 2026)
- Cost
- The Historical Society runs on donations and an online gift shop/membership program — no posted fixed climb or parking fee.
- Season
- Typically staffed Memorial Day weekend through mid-October (the navigational light itself operates May 1-November 1 under its Coast Guard permit). The final miles of access road are gravel/dirt/sand two-track that gets difficult or impassable outside that window.
- Hours
- To 6 p.m. daily in season, staffed by volunteers and subject to weather/availability — check the Historical Society's calendar before you go. The tower can be climbed (62 interior metal steps) when staffed. Grounds are accessible year-round with posted quiet hours of 11 p.m. to 6 a.m.; the tower and visitor center are closed and unstaffed in winter.
- From the Bridge
- 2 hr 23 min, 104 miles via M-123 N, with the Mackinac Bridge toll (Google Maps route, usual traffic, read Sept. 27, 2026)
Crisp Point Light is a restored 58-foot brick lighthouse on a remote stretch of Lake Superior shoreline in Luce County, about 14 miles west of Whitefish Point. Volunteers with the Crisp Point Light Historical Society keep it standing and staff the site in season.
Getting there is most of the story: the last stretch runs gravel, dirt and sand two-track well past where pavement and cell service end.
Before you go
- Budget more time than GPS suggests — locals report the drive from Paradise or Newberry runs closer to 90 minutes each way. Roughly the first 18 miles are paved (M-123); the rest is gravel, dirt and sand two-track with a narrow, curvy final stretch — AWD or high-clearance strongly recommended, especially after rain.
- Cell service is spotty to nonexistent out there, with no WiFi — download directions beforehand, and fuel up and pack water and supplies since you'll be roughly 23 miles from electricity and 27 miles from gas or food.
- Restrooms are available only when the visitor center is staffed (roughly Memorial Day to mid-October, about 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.).
- No public camping at the site itself; nearby camping and lodging are in Paradise and Newberry.
- Don't linger for sunset unless you're prepared to drive the unlit gravel roads back in the dark — locals flag it as unsafe.
- Contact. info@crisppointlighthouse.org, visitor center (906) 658-4600, or PO Box 28, Newberry, MI 49868.
Sources
- Crisp Point Light Historical Society (official site) Read September 27, 2026
- Crisp Point Light Historical Society, driving directions from Paradise Read September 27, 2026
- Crisp Point Light Historical Society, online gift shop Read September 27, 2026
- Tahquamenon Country, "Important Things to Know Before You Visit Crisp Point Lighthouse" Read September 27, 2026
- Lighthousefriends.com, Crisp Point Lighthouse profile Read September 27, 2026
- Wikipedia, Crisp Point Light Read September 27, 2026
- Google Maps, Marquette to Crisp Point Lighthouse (drive time) Read September 27, 2026
- Google Maps, Mackinac Bridge to Crisp Point Lighthouse (drive time) Read September 27, 2026
Verified September 27, 2026