The Lighthouse Circuit

Access, tours, hours, fees, and closures change often. Always verify with the official source before driving.

Tier 1 · Essential · ★ Flagship 12

Point Sur Light Station

Big Sur · Monterey County · Central Coast

Point Sur Light Station is an active lighthouse on the Central coast of California, first lit in 1889, owned by California State Parks. It is one of the twelve flagship stations of The Lighthouse Circuit. This lighthouse is part of the Flagship 12 circuit.

Active aidstandingPublic accessmoderateCalifornia State Parks
Point Sur Light Station lantern room above the Big Sur coast
Photo: Frank Schulenburg· CC BY-SA 3.0· Wikimedia Commons

⚠ Verify before you drive

Optic, focal plane, main-tour scope, walking conditions, and accessibility assistance confirmed directly by Carol at Point Sur in August 2026. Confirm current tour dates, NAVFAC tour times, and moonlight tour availability before visiting.

Year first lit

1889

Current structure built

1889

Tower height

40 ft

Focal plane

261 ft

Optic

LED light (active aid); original first-order Fresnel lens in storage pending seismic upgrades

Light characteristic

Fl W 15s (flashing white every 15 seconds)

Owner

California State Parks

Manager

California State Parks / Central Coast Lighthouse Keepers (volunteer nonprofit)

Coordinates

36.3061, -121.9003 Map

Current hours

Tours: Saturday and Sunday at 10:00 AM; Wednesday at 1:00 PM. Meet at farm gate on west side of Hwy 1, 19 miles south of Rio Road in Carmel.

Fees

$20 adults; $10 ages 6–17; free under 5

NRHP listed

Yes

History

Only complete turn-of-the-century light station open to the public in California. Continuously operated since 1889. Sits on a prominent volcanic rock jutting into Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Keepers and families lived on site 1889–1974.

Why it matters

The most complete surviving light station complex in California. The 3-hour guided tour is among the most immersive lighthouse experiences on the West Coast. The volcanic rock setting is visually extraordinary.

The visit

3-hour docent-led walking tour on a fairly steep paved road at a leisurely pace. Includes the lighthouse, keeper quarters, and fog signal building. NAVFAC is a separate section of the park and has tours at different times. Tours may be cancelled in bad weather. No reservations — arrive early.

Logistics

Recommended base

Carmel-by-the-Sea or Big Sur (limited lodging)

Nearby food / coffee

Big Sur Roadhouse, Nepenthe (Big Sur), Big Sur Bakery

Nearby lodging

Ventana Big Sur, Post Ranch Inn, Carmel-by-the-Sea hotels, Big Sur campgrounds

Accessibility

The tour follows a fairly steep paved road at a leisurely pace. Visitors who need an assist from State Parks should arrange it at least two weeks in advance, preferably earlier, by calling (831) 649-7139. No private vehicles on the road.

Flagship 12 centerpiece for the Central Coast. High history, high photography, high romance value. Requires planning (tour schedule). Pairs with Point Pinos and Pigeon Point for a 3-day Central Coast circuit.

Nearby lighthouses

Point Pinos Light, the oldest continuously operating lighthouse on the West Coast

Point Pinos Lighthouse

★ Flagship 12

Pacific Grove, Central Coast

Tier 1Active aidPublic accesseasy⚠ Verify

The oldest continuously operating lighthouse on the West Coast. The claim of the original Fresnel lens still in active use — if verified — would make it one of the most remarkable lighthouse artifacts in the United States.

Piedras Blancas Light Station near San Simeon

Piedras Blancas Light Station

San Simeon, Central Coast

Tier 2Active aidPublic accesseasy⚠ Verify

One of the rare California stations where you can take a structured guided tour of the grounds and outbuildings, paired with one of the largest elephant seal rookeries on the coast immediately to the south. The truncation story is its own piece of mid-century Coast Guard engineering history.

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Sources

Image rights: CA State Parks images may require permission. HAER/HABS Library of Congress images public domain. Wikimedia Commons has CC-licensed images.

Research confidence: high · Last verified 2026-08-13