Top 10 Lighthouses in Maine
Maine has more lighthouses than any other state on the Atlantic seaboard — more than sixty active towers and many more decommissioned structures. The reason is the coastline itself: a glacially scoured shore of peninsulas, island-studded bays, and exposed headlands that, measured along every inlet and island, runs for nearly 5,500 kilometres. The granite ledges and rocky shoals that give this coast its visual grandeur made it lethal to the square-rigged ships that carried timber, fish, and granite south to Boston and New York from the eighteenth century onward. The first lighthouse established in what would become Maine was at Portland Head, commissioned by President George Washington in 1791. Decades of construction followed, and today the towers are managed by the United States Coast Guard while many of the associated keeper's dwellings and grounds pass through the Maine Lighthouse Museum, local historical societies, and the Maine Historic Preservation Commission. Open the map to explore the full network.
1. Portland Head Lighthouse, Cape Elizabeth
Portland Head is the most visited and most photographed lighthouse in New England. The tower stands at Fort Williams Park in Cape Elizabeth, just south of Portland, on a bold granite headland at the entrance to Casco Bay. Completed in 1791 and first lit on 10 January 1791 under the direct authority of George Washington's administration, it is one of the four original lighthouses authorised by the First Federal Congress. The white conical tower stands 24 metres tall; the light, currently a white flash every four seconds, is visible for approximately 24 nautical miles. The keeper's quarters now house the Museum at Portland Head Light, open daily from May to October. The tower is active and maintained by the Coast Guard. The park surrounding it is free to enter year-round, and the rocky shoreline below the tower offers superb views of the lighthouse from sea level.
2. Pemaquid Point Lighthouse, Bristol
Pemaquid Point Lighthouse, established in 1827 and rebuilt in its current form in 1835, stands on one of the most dramatic geological formations in Maine: a wave-worn exposure of folded pink and grey granite that tilts into the sea in smooth, rolling planes. The white cylindrical tower is 11 metres tall; combined with the cliff elevation, the light stands about 27 metres above sea level and is visible for 14 nautical miles across the approaches to Muscongus Bay. The light character is a white flash every six seconds. The keeper's house is now the Fishermen's Museum, dedicated to the history of Maine's fishing industry. The lighthouse appears on the Maine state quarter issued in 1999. The site is managed by the town of Bristol and is open daily throughout the warmer months; the rock formations below the tower are safe to walk on at low tide and are a favourite subject for painters.
3. West Quoddy Head Lighthouse, Lubec
West Quoddy Head is the easternmost point of the contiguous United States, and its lighthouse has marked this strategically important headland since 1808. The current tower, built in 1858, is immediately recognisable by its red-and-white horizontal candy-stripe banding — one of the most distinctive daymark patterns in America. It stands about 15 metres tall on the headland above Grand Manan Channel, the passage between Maine and the New Brunswick island of Grand Manan; the light is 27 metres above sea level and visible for approximately 18 nautical miles. The fog signal here is also historically notable — the station had one of the first fog trumpets on the American coast. The keeper's house is managed by the State of Maine as a visitor centre; the surrounding Quoddy Head State Park has hiking trails along the cliffs above the Bay of Fundy. The Tides here, among the highest in the world, are spectacular.
4. Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse, Mount Desert Island
Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse, built in 1858, stands on the southwestern tip of Mount Desert Island within Acadia National Park. The compact white brick tower, just under 11 metres tall, is positioned at the edge of a cliff above the rocky harbour entrance; the keeper's dwelling is attached directly to the tower base in a style typical of smaller New England lighthouses of the mid-nineteenth century. The light — a red sector flash — is visible for about 13 nautical miles and marks the entrance to Bass Harbor and the western approaches to Blue Hill Bay. Acadia National Park is the most visited national park in New England, and Bass Harbor Head is one of its most popular viewpoints; the classic photograph of the lighthouse is taken from the rocks below at sunset, when the cliff face glows orange. The site is accessible by car from Southwest Harbor.
5. Cape Neddick (Nubble) Lighthouse, York
The Nubble Lighthouse — officially Cape Neddick Light — is perched on a small rocky island about 150 metres offshore from Cape Neddick Point in the town of York. The tower, completed in 1879, is roughly 12.5 metres tall with a cast-iron lantern atop a brick structure; it stands about 27 metres above sea level. The light character is a red flash every six seconds, visible for about 13 nautical miles, warning mariners away from the ledges of Cape Neddick and the approaches to York Harbour. The lighthouse is connected to the mainland only by the line of sight; boats carry maintenance crews. The viewing area at Sohier Park on the mainland shore is free and open year-round, and the combination of the white tower, the red Victorian keeper's house, and the dramatic rocky ledge below makes this the most-photographed lighthouse in Maine after Portland Head. The town of York manages the park and the site is excellent for winter photography.
6. Owls Head Lighthouse, Knox County
Owls Head Lighthouse, established in 1826, stands on a compact headland of metamorphic rock at the entrance to Rockland Harbour on Penobscot Bay. The original tower and keeper's house have been maintained and updated but retain their historic character. The tower stands about 6 metres tall — unusually short, since the cliff itself provides sufficient elevation to place the light some 30 metres above sea level — with a range of about 16 nautical miles. The light character is a white flash every four seconds with a fixed red sector marking the ledges off Owls Head. The lighthouse is active and managed by the Coast Guard. The surrounding area is Owls Head State Park, with a path down through spruce trees to the cliff-top tower that is one of the most pleasant walks on the mid-coast. The keeper's cottage is occupied; the lighthouse is open to exterior visits at any time.
7. Marshall Point Lighthouse, Port Clyde
Marshall Point Lighthouse stands at the tip of a rocky promontory in Port Clyde on the St. George Peninsula, guiding vessels into the harbour that serves as the ferry terminal for Monhegan Island. The white cylindrical tower was rebuilt in 1857 and stands just over 9 metres tall on a ledge; a covered wooden walkway connects it to the shore. The light — a fixed white — marks the entrance to Port Clyde Harbour and the approaches to Muscongus Bay. The keeper's house is now the Marshall Point Lighthouse Museum, run by the St. George Historical Society, and is open to the public from Memorial Day through Columbus Day. The site gained wider recognition when the spot featured in the 1994 film Forrest Gump. The museum interprets the life of lightkeepers and the maritime history of the St. George Peninsula; the grounds and walkway are accessible year-round.
8. Pemaquid Point to Monhegan: The Island Lights
Monhegan Island, ten nautical miles off the coast of Midcoast Maine, carries one of the oldest lighthouse sites in America. A beacon was established on Monhegan as early as 1822, and the present tower dates from 1824. The granite tower, about 18 metres tall, stands on the highest point of the island and is one of the most powerful small-coast lights in New England, visible for about 20 nautical miles across the open water approaches. The island is accessible by ferry from Port Clyde, Boothbay Harbor, or New Harbor; no cars are permitted. The lighthouse building now houses the Monhegan Museum of Art and History, open during the summer season. The island has been a renowned artists' colony since the late nineteenth century — the combination of dramatic scenery, working fishing harbour, and the lighthouse has inspired painters from Rockwell Kent to Jamie Wyeth.
9. Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse, Knox County
The Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse stands at the end of a nearly mile-long granite stone breakwater extending from the shore at Rockland into Penobscot Bay. The two-storey square brick lighthouse with an attached square tower was built in 1902 and is unusual in plan — a dwelling and tower combined in a single cube-like structure rather than the usual cylindrical tower form. The light character is a white flash every five seconds, visible for about 17 nautical miles. Walking the breakwater to the lighthouse is a popular local activity; the surface of the breakwater is rough granite and the walk takes about 20 minutes each way with views across to the Camden Hills. The Friends of Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse open the interior on summer weekends. The lighthouse is active and managed by the Coast Guard.
10. Seguin Island Lighthouse, Georgetown
Seguin Island, at the mouth of the Kennebec River about three kilometres offshore, carries the highest lighthouse in Maine and one of the oldest in the United States. The original tower was established in 1795 at the personal instruction of George Washington; the current tower, rebuilt in 1857, stands 16.5 metres tall on the island's summit, but the elevation of the ground gives the light a height of 53 metres above sea level — the highest lighthouse light in Maine. It is visible for about 18 nautical miles. The island is maintained by the Friends of Seguin Island, who operate a museum in the keeper's house and run a summer volunteer programme that keeps the lighthouse staffed. Passenger boats run to Seguin from Bath and other Kennebec River ports during summer. The first-order Fresnel lens installed in the lantern is one of the few still in use on the Maine coast.
Planning Your Visit
Summer (June to September) is the peak season for Maine lighthouse visits, with ferry services to offshore islands running regularly, museums open, and weather generally dry and pleasant. September and October offer the advantage of autumn foliage on the coast and noticeably fewer crowds. Many lighthouses are within Acadia National Park, state parks, or town parks and are freely accessible year-round. Offshore islands such as Monhegan and Seguin require ferry bookings. The Maine Lighthouse Museum in Rockland has the largest collection of lighthouse artefacts in the country and is a good starting point. For a complete view of every lighthouse on the Maine coast, from the Quoddy Head candy-stripe to the smallest harbour light, Open the map before setting out.