Cheboygan Area Lighthouses
There are seven local lighthouses, and lighthouse ruins in the Cheboygan area.
Cheboygan Crib Light
Once toppled into the Cheboygan River, the 25-foot steel tower was pulled ashore and restored. It is now located at the mouth of the Cheboygan River, on the banks of Lake Huron, at the Doyle Recreation Area. The Crib Light is the image used in logos for many area businesses and organizations, including the City of Cheboygan, Cheboygan Area Chamber of Commerce and the Cheboygan Area Tourist Bureau. The Crib Light is open to the public on weekends during the summer season. However, you must contact the office at the River Front Range Light to request that it be unlocked.
Cheboygan River Front Range Lighthouse
Located on the west side of the Cheboygan River, just north of the State Street Drawbridge at 606 Water Street. It is currently being restored to how it looked in the 1920’s. It is open to the public on weekends and holidays from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Guided tours are available for a donation, and there is a small gift shop inside, place call ahead for tours 231-627-5516.
Cheboygan Lighthouse
The old Cheboygan Lighthouse ruins can be found in Cheboygan State Park near the Lake Huron shoreline, a short walk from the campground office. The State Park is located three miles from the city limits off of US-23.
Poe Reef Light
This lighthouse can be viewed from the mouth of the Cheboygan River, or the Lake Huron shoreline at Cheboygan State Park. The black and white banded structure was built in 1929, and is located two miles offshore.
Fourteen Foot Shoal Light
Located in Lake Huron, 1.8 miles offshore from Cheboygan. Its concrete base usually sits 10 feet above the water, providing a strong foundation for the small, white building at its center. From the roof of that one-story, steel-plated building, the cylindrical steel tower rises about 15 additional feet and is capped in red cast iron.
Spectacle Reef Light
An 86-foot tall limestone monolith that took four years to construct. It is located in Lake Huron, about 11 miles east of the straits of Mackinac.
Boise Blanc Island Lighthouse
This structure sits on the north side of the island. Built in 1868, this is one of the area’s oldest lighthouses and the second to be built in all of Lake Huron. After being lovingly restored, it is now a private residence.
For further information on history of area lighthouses, or details on ferryboat cruises available, contact the Great Lakes Lighthouse Keepers Association, 231-436-5580, info@gllka.com, or www.gllka.com.
