Standing sentinel in the Chesapeake Bay off Hooper’s Island, Maryland, this caisson-style lighthouse was built in 1902 to guide vessels through the treacherous waters near the island’s southern tip. Its distinctive sparkplug design — a cast-iron tower rising from a concrete foundation planted in the bay floor — makes it one of the most photographed lights on the Chesapeake. The lighthouse remains an active aid to navigation maintained by the U.S. Coast Guard. It is not open to the public, and visitors cannot climb the tower. For the best photographs, visit at sunrise when golden light reflects off the bay. Nearby, explore Hooper’s Island’s quiet fishing villages, fresh seafood markets, and the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge.

Explore Nearby

• Patuxent River State Park — State Park in Maryland
• Calvert Cliffs State Park — State Park in Maryland
• Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway — Scenic Byway in Maryland
• Chesapeake Country Scenic Byway — Scenic Byway in Maryland
• Douglas Point Special Recreation Management Area — Public Land in Maryland