Point Betsie Light stands on the northeast shore of Lake Michigan near Frankfort, in Benzie County. The U.S. Coast Guard history page dates the current tower to 1858 and still lists it as an active aid to navigation. 1

What to see

The Coast Guard describes a 37-foot Cream City brick tower, white with a red roof, first fitted with a fourth-order Fresnel lens. A two-story keeper's dwelling is attached. A fog signal building was added in 1891. 1

The Coast Guard says Point Betsie was the last manned lighthouse on the Great Lakes. It was automated in 1983. The Fresnel lens was removed in 1996 and replaced with a modern optic. Ownership moved to Benzie County in 2004. 1

The Friends of Point Betsie Lighthouse keep the 1858 lighthouse, the keeper's residence, the fog signal building and a boathouse museum. They give the address as 3701 Point Betsie Road, Frankfort, Michigan, 49635, south of Sleeping Bear Dunes and north of Frankfort. Whether the tower is open for a climb that day belongs on their page. 2

Best seasons

The light is an active aid year-round. 1 The Friends page is the one to read for the season they welcome visitors inside. The beach beside the station is the Lake Michigan shore people use in summer. 2 Sleeping Bear's trip notes are on our Sleeping Bear page. 3

How to get there

The Friends list 3701 Point Betsie Road, Frankfort. 2 The Coast Guard places the station on the northeast shore of Lake Michigan near Crystal and Frankfort. 1

Tips

  • The Coast Guard fact sheet and the Friends page disagree on a few automation dates. We follow the history paragraph on the Coast Guard page for 1983. 1
  • We do not have a Point Betsie listing in the shop. The nearby dunes are on our Sleeping Bear Dunes ornament. The lighthouse gifts we do sell are Big Sable Point and Grand Haven.

Safety

Lake Michigan currents and a working light station are the hazards here. This page does not report today's flags or whether the tower is open. Check the Coast Guard history page, the Friends of Point Betsie page and the DNR beach safety page before you go. 124