Tier 2 · Notable

Punta Gorda Lighthouse

Punta Gorda Light Station

Petrolia · Humboldt County · North Coast

InactivestandingPublic accessdifficultBureau of Land Management (BLM)

Historic Punta Gorda Lighthouse on the Lost Coast — Photo: U.S. Coast Guard· Public domain· Wikimedia Commons

⚠ Verify before you drive

Tidal conditions affect trail access; check BLM and tide charts before visiting. Permit may be required for overnight camping.

Year first lit

1912

Current structure built

1912

Tower height

27 ft

Focal plane

40 ft

Optic

Fourth-order bivalve Fresnel lens (original; removed after decommissioning)

Light characteristic

Decommissioned (no light)

Owner

Bureau of Land Management (BLM)

Manager

Bureau of Land Management (BLM) - Arcata Field Office

Coordinates

40.2583, -124.3583 Map

Current hours

Daylight hours; no staffing

Fees

Free (BLM land)

History

Punta Gorda Light Station (1912) was built on California's Lost Coast after a series of shipwrecks in the area. It was one of the most remote and difficult-to-supply light stations in the US. Decommissioned in 1951. The concrete lighthouse and oil house were placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976 and restored in 1989 and 2022-2023 via the Great American Outdoors Act.

Why it matters

One of the most remote and dramatic lighthouse settings in California, on the rugged Lost Coast. The hike along the Lost Coast Trail to reach it is itself a major attraction. NRHP listed.

The visit

The lighthouse is accessible only via a 3.5-mile hike along the Lost Coast Trail from the Mattole Beach trailhead. The trail passes through wild coastal terrain with tidal sections. The concrete lighthouse and oil house are intact and well-preserved. No interior access. Bring water and check tides.

Logistics

Recommended base

Petrolia or Ferndale

Nearby food / coffee

Petrolia General Store (limited), Ferndale restaurants

Nearby lodging

Mattole Beach campground (BLM), Victorian Inn (Ferndale)

Extreme access; not part of standard circuits. Appendix entry for serious hikers. Best combined with a Lost Coast backpacking trip.

Nearby lighthouses

The Trinidad Head Memorial Lighthouse replica in town

Trinidad Head Lighthouse

★ Flagship 12

Trinidad, North Coast

Tier 1Active aidPublic accesseasy

Dramatic headland setting with views of Trinidad Bay and the Pacific. The compact white tower against the rocky headland is one of the most photogenic lighthouse scenes in Northern California. The town of Trinidad is a charming base.

Cape Mendocino Light

Ferndale, North Coast

Tier 2InactivePublic accesseasy

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Sources

Image rights: Wikimedia Commons images available. BLM photos are public domain.

Research confidence: high · Last verified 2026-05-13