Pooles Island Light stands as Maryland’s oldest surviving lighthouse, built in 1825 on Pooles Island in the upper Chesapeake Bay near Aberdeen. The conical stone tower guided mariners through treacherous shallow waters for over a century before being deactivated. Today the lighthouse sits within the Aberdeen Proving Ground military installation, making public access restricted — visitors cannot climb or tour the structure. Photography is best captured from the water during golden hour on calm fall mornings, when the bay’s mist frames the tower dramatically. Nearby, the Susquehanna State Park offers excellent hiking and historic sites, while the city of Havre de Grace features a charming waterfront promenade and the Concord Point Lighthouse, which is open to visitors.

Explore Nearby

• Harstine Island State Park — State Park in Washington
• Hart-Miller Island State Park — State Park in Maryland
• Jericho Covered Bridge — Covered Bridge in Maryland
• Baltimore’s Historic Charles Street — Scenic Byway in Maryland
• Chesapeake Country Scenic Byway — Scenic Byway in Maryland