Hidden in the dense woods of the Cheboygan State Park, you’ll find a forgotten bit of maritime history. A lighthouse was built here in 1859 and for 70 years an oil lamp flashed every night, helping offshore mariners avoid catastrophe.

The lighthouse keeper is long gone, the wooden sailing schooners have disappeared, and the Cheboygan Point Light no longer stands proudly on the shore of Lake Huron. But if you’re up for an adventure, you can discover the ruins of this old lighthouse and see the place that was once so important to the lives of sailors and their ships.

Cheboygan State Park is a 1,200-acre recreation area in Cheboygan County, Michigan. It's a popular spot for swimming, hiking and mountain biking.
AllTrails / Nancy H.
In the 1800s, this site was picked for a project that would help sailing vessels make it safely to the Straits of Mackinac. In 1850 Congress appropriated $4,000 for a lighthouse to be built at this location. A lighthouse was constructed on a pier in Lake Huron and in 1859 a second, improved lighthouse was built on shore.
US Coast Guard
The lighthouse was operated by the United States Lighthouse Service and for more than 70 years it guided ships offshore, through an area called the South Channel.
AllTrails / David Guyer

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The Cheboygan Point Light was taken out of service and abandoned in 1930 when a new offshore lighthouse, the Fourteen Foot Shoal Lighthouse, was built. Congress transferred the Cheboygan Point property to the state of Michigan for a park.
Alltrails / M Chilcote
The ruins of the lighthouse are in an overgrown area that can't be seen from shore - trees have grown up around the site. But you can still see the remains of the old lighthouse. The park's trails will take you near the ruins.
AllTrails / Nancy H.
On the shore near the ruins, if you look closely you can also see the "new" Fourteen Foot Shoal Lighthouse that led to the demise of the Cheboygan Point Light - it's located about a mile offshore.
AllTrails / Michiagn Explorer

The Cheboygan State Park is open year-round. You must have a resident Michigan Recreation Passport or a park pass to access the site. If you would like to experience more of Michigan’s hidden past, these sad ruins will take you there.

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