Pets allowed
Not Allowed
Elevation Gain
20.00 ft (6.10 m)
Trail type
There-and-back
Distance
1.10 mi (1.77 km)
Please respect the outdoors by practicing Leave No Trace. Learn more about how to apply the principles of Leave No Trace on your next outdoor adventure here.

The Ludington North Breakwater Light is a popular destination for visitors to Ludington, Michigan. This Lake Michigan Lighthouse is situated on the end of a breakwater that protects Pere Marquette Harbor. The Ludington North Breakwater Light was built in 1924. The structure is 57 feet tall and is made of steel. This white lighthouse has an unusual four-sided pyramid like shape that is designed to deflect the strong waves of Lake Michigan. The Light originally had a fourth-order Fresnel lens installed in it. That lens is now on display at the Port of Ludington Maritime Museum.

Lighthouse tour hours are offered by The Sable Points Lighthouse Keepers Association from late May to early September. There are no tours offered on Mondays. There is a fee to tour the Light. There are 53 steps to climb to reach the top of the Light.

It is an easy 1.1-mile round trip on the breakwater to reach the lighthouse from the beach. Parking is available by the beach on the western end of West Ludington Avenue and just north of West Ludington Avenue on Stearns Drive.

Lake Michigan and the North Breakwater Light are Ludington’s main attractions. Standing near this unique lighthouse is a great place to watch the sunset over Lake Michigan or watch the S.S. Badger ferry enter or leave the harbor. The S.S. Badger ferries passengers and vehicles across Lake Michigan for 62 miles between Ludington, Michigan and Manitowoc, Wisconsin.

Logistics + Planning

Preferable season(s)

Spring
Summer
Fall

Congestion

High

Parking Pass

None

Open Year-round

Yes

Pros

Unique lighthouse on Lake Michigan.

Cons

Can be crowded.

Trailhead Elevation

590.00 ft (179.83 m)

Highest point

590.00 ft (179.83 m)

Features

Near lake or river
Family friendly
Guided tours
Fishing
Historically significant
Lighthouse

Typically multi-day

No

Permit required

No

Location

Nearby Adventures

West Coast/Lake Michigan, Michigan
West Coast/Lake Michigan, Michigan

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