Standing guard at the entrance to Charlevoix’s channel since 1914, this compact steel lighthouse guides vessels between Lake Michigan and Round Lake. The square, fog-signal building topped by a light tower replaced an earlier wooden structure and remains an active aid to navigation under the U.S. Coast Guard.

Though the station is not open to the public, visitors can walk the south pier for excellent close-up views. Sunset offers the best photography, with Lake Michigan’s colors framing the tower. The surrounding area rewards exploration — downtown Charlevoix’s shops and restaurants sit steps away, while Fisherman’s Island State Park and the iconic mushroom houses of Earl Young are short drives south.

Explore Nearby

• Fisherman’s Island State Park — State Park in Michigan
• Young State Park — State Park in Michigan
• Historic Michigan Road Byway Alternate — Scenic Byway in Indiana
• Huron–Manistee National Forest — National Forest in Michigan
• Wisconsin Lake Superior Byway — Scenic Byway in Wisconsin