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    Recommended Reviews - Big Sable Point Lighthouse

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    Big Sable Lighthouse
    Amanda V.

    I have an obsession with lighthouses and have been wanting to check out Big Sable for a while now. Be prepared for a hike. It is a 1.8 mile walk to get to Big Sable Point. However the path is flat and not too sandy. You may spot some wildlife along the way as well. The views, like any on Lake Michigan, are worth the walk. During daytime hours you can also tour inside the lighthouse.

    Destination off in the distant...romantic for sure
    Randy C.

    Long walk takes you to one of the most breathtaking sites in this entire country, great history...but better views...can't wait to come back when the weather gets warmer!

    Beach in front of light house

    Nice hike in and out. Great view! Many things to see. Can't wait to go back and explore more!

    Becky H.

    Worth the hike out from Ludington State park to get to see the amazing views at the point! If you choose to go up to the top of the lighthouse, it's $4 per adult and 130 steps up. The volunteers that man the lighthouse will tell you about the history of it and show you. Short video before you take the hike up. From atop you can see amazing views of the coastline and the state park.

    View from the top!
    Julie K.

    This was such a nice way to spend a few hours! Just a few miles north of the city, you'll find Ludington State Park. We were able to get an out-of-state vehicle day pass for just $9 and then hiked the short 1.5 miles to the lighthouse from the campgrounds. The B&B we stayed at in Ludington was kind enough to give us two free passes to the lighthouse, but had we needed to pay, the cost was $5 per adult. After a 5 minute video on the history of the lighthouse, we climbed the 130ish stairs to the top to check out the beautiful views. The gift shop had plenty of your typical souvenirs - ornaments, magnets, shirts - as well as snacks and drinks to fuel up for the walk back. Definitely a must if you're visiting Ludington!

    Very distinctive
    Brian S.

    Brick and steel The Big Sable Lighthouse is a 112 foot tower that was constructed in 1867. It was originally built of brick but since the outside was eroding away it was covered in steel plating and painted a distinctive black and white stripe design. The lighthouse had a third order Fresnel Lens that was removed and is in a local museum. The old lighthouse has been lovingly restored and can be reached by a pleasant mile and three quarter walk from Ludington State Park. The dirt road is flat and runs through some lovely sand dunes and woody areas. Once at the lighthouse you can climb to the top for five bucks and check out the incredible views of Lake Michigan and surrounding area. At the bottom of the lighthouse there is a very cool museum of old lighthouse stuff and even a short movie about the history of the place. A very beautiful lighthouse in a extremely lovely location, it requires a bit of walking to reach but is worth the effort and five bucks to climb the great old spiral staircase to the top. Definitely one of the most distinctive and coolest ligthhouses in the state.

    Looking through a porthole on the way up.
    John S W.

    Beautiful walk through the dunes to get to the lighthouse. The lighthouse is magnificently located close to the waters edge surrounded by sand dunes. There is a complete living quarter in addition to the tower. After a short video you ascend the tower on a steel spiral staircase. There are rest spots with portholes on the way up. They provide the background for some great pictures opportunities. When you get to the top the view is outstanding. You have a sweeping view along the shoreline in both directions and a wonderful view across the dunes with its many lakes, valleys and hills. Well worth the walk

    Big Sable

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    2 years ago

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    3 years ago

    such a fun walk and it is very enjoyable!! i have walked it so many times and i enjoy it every single time!

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    8 years ago

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    7 years ago

    Love the walk to lighthouse.Threw wood bring water. It's longer then you think.Dont let kid go up dune till on way back. Or you be sorry .

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    8 years ago

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    Ask the Community - Big Sable Point Lighthouse

    Review Highlights - Big Sable Point Lighthouse

    We hiked out to this lighthouse in Ludington State Park on our vacation, and thoroughly enjoyed our time there.

    Mentioned in 6 reviews

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    North Breakwater Light - There is a light(house) that never goes out

    North Breakwater Light

    5.0(4 reviews)
    0.2 mi

    This was my first time in Ludington. I have heard so much about it, and I was excited to finally…read moremake it here. My friend said this is his favorite westside town. I was impressed my the marina and the great beach. The beach was super busy and we found our way to the lighthouse. It's a bit of a walk so be prepared to bring comfortable shoes. We enjoyed watching the ships come into port. If you happen to be out this way, I highly suggest making a trip out to the lighthouse. Not only is it a beautiful backdrop, it's also a great place to take pictures.

    A very tough…read morelighthouse The very first lighthouse in the area was established in 1871 but didn't last very long and was washed away in a huge storm a few years later. Since Ludington was becoming an extremely important harbor a new and stronger light was obviously needed. Debates about whether to put the new lighthouse on the south or north pier raged for years, and the exact kind of lighthouse was also a very contentious subject. So of course nothing got done. Finally around 1924 the present lighthouse was constructed at the end of the half mile north concrete pier. Since the area is know for very intense and powerful storms, the engineers wanted to make sure the lighthouse was strong enough to withstand anything that the howling gales of Lake Michigan could throw at it. So they went all out when they designed and built this light. The lighthouse is constructed with a steel frame in addition to steel plating added to the outside. And to increase the structural integrity of the lighthouse a strange looking prow, similar to that on a large ship, was added at the bottom to deflect the larger waves. Pretty cool looking and when viewed from a distance, almost makes the lighthouse seem like it's sailing across the horizon. The fourth order Fresnel Lens was removed and is passed around to various local maritime museums. The lighthouse can be reached by walking out to the end of the half mile pier but going out they in storms and blizzards is probably not a good idea. During the summer the lighthouse is open and for five bucks the public can climb the 53 stairs to the top. Certainly not the tallest, biggest, oldest or most important lighthouse in Michigan but with the steel plates added over the steel frame and the addition of the cool prow, this is definitely one of the very toughest and strongest lighthouses anywhere.

    Photos
    North Breakwater Light
    North Breakwater Light - South Pier tower.

    South Pier tower.

    North Breakwater Light - Unfortunately the lighthouse is only open in the summer.

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    Unfortunately the lighthouse is only open in the summer.

    White Pine Village - White Pine Village

    White Pine Village

    4.9(8 reviews)
    2.0 mi

    History is important. Knowing local history helps build community. Taking a bunch of area…read morehistoric buildings and putting them in one place, filled with period-correct furnishings? Brilliant! They told us we'd need a couple of hours to the see the place; we got there in the morning and stayed until closing time. If you read the signs - the way to actually learn something - 2 hours isn't nearly enough. We learned a lot about what drew people to the area, namely logging, and everything else those early residents needed in their lives. Highly educational, and we really enjoyed it.

    I visited White Pine Village by myself, because my family wanted to stay at the beach, and…read morehonestly, I had a really good time here by myself. This is a historical museum, so you really need time to read things and absorb them at a slow pace. I love my children, but when they're with me at a museum, I don't have time to read or ponder anything -- I'm usually busy telling them not to touch something or stop climbing something or listening to them say how bored they are. So if you have children and you want to enjoy White Pine Village, I suggest ditching them and visiting by yourself. But! That being said, this living history museum has a lot to offer children, too. So if you do bring your kids, they will certainly have a great time. There are lots of displays to see, and lots of open areas to run around. There isn't much to touch or do, so for kids who like interactive museums, this isn't that. But you'll have fun peering into the different structures at the scenes that have been set up. My favorites were the displays with the medical supplies and the newspaper printing setup. It's really interesting to see what kinds of tools and gadgets people used 100+ years ago. I was told to allow about 1.5 to 2 hours to visit, but I was done after about 30 to 45 minutes. I tend not to be a lingerer when I visit museums, though ... or anything, really. I absorb what I need to and I get out. If you like to read every single little thing, you might be here longer.

    Photos
    White Pine Village - Post office

    Post office

    White Pine Village - Bedroom scene

    Bedroom scene

    White Pine Village - Cask Sealing Mechanism

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    Cask Sealing Mechanism

    Sandcastles Children's Museum - Construction area

    Sandcastles Children's Museum

    4.2(5 reviews)
    0.7 mi

    This children's museum is amazing. It's the definition of small but mighty: It doesn't look like…read moremuch from the outside, or even when you first step inside. But as you explore through it, you'll see that it has way more magic hiding in every corner than you first thought. Sandcastles Children's Museum is three stories of fun. We took our 7 and 11 year old boys, and the 11 year old had just as much fun as his younger brother. That said, I would say that this museum is best suited for kids who are preschoolers through around 10 years old. One of the best parts of this museum is that it subtly references popular Ludington icons and landmarks. You'll see a play SS Badger ship, popular local restaurants on the second floor, and lots of other things that pay homage to the beach town in which the museum resides. One of our favorite spots in the museum is located on the third floor. It's there that you'll find a mini stage with several real, full-sized instruments that kids are invited to play. There are steel drums, ukuleles, guitars, pianos and lots of other instruments to try out. There's also a TV where you can watch yourself jamming on the instruments. All throughout the museum, you'll find things to play with, like a sand pit with digger toys, a play farm, play grocery store and restaurant, a veterinary office, a post office, craft station, rock climbing wall, science station, theatre stage with costumes, and lots more. There is just so much fun stuff for kids, and my children were occupied for hours.

    A delightful spot to spend the day with wild kids. So many thoughtful exhibits with loads of hands…read moreon activities. My 4 year old loved the maternity ward and the 1.5 year old loved the grocery store. Loved our time at the museum. We also loved the mask requirement for all. A great way to feel safe in a world where people are getting so sick. Thank you!

    Photos
    Sandcastles Children's Museum - New eye exhibit.

    New eye exhibit.

    Sandcastles Children's Museum - Sand area

    Sand area

    Sandcastles Children's Museum - Grocery store

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    Grocery store

    Udell Lookout Tower - You could read the interpretive signs, I suppose.

    Udell Lookout Tower

    1.0(1 review)
    25.1 mi

    Don't bother. Seriously. Don't come here, no matter what you think might be here. I came here,…read morehoping the tower was open for climbing so I could look out over the countryside. The tower is on the National Register of Historic Places, so I decided to venture forth. Hah! Bad move on my part. (The tower in Mountain, Wisconsin is open for touring. Silly me, I thought this one was, too.) First of all, you have to want to come here. It is at the end of a National Forest Road, after branching off of another National Forest Road. What is a National Forest Road? Basically, it's an unimproved ATV trail and during the winter, a snowmobile trail. If you DO decide to venture back here (and judging from the debris left behind by ne'er do wells, several people do come here) don't follow your GPS. Some of the maps show roads that, when you get there, aren't roads at all. One "road" my GPS sent me to was a line of high power transmission towers. Even the Yelp map shows a road that isn't really there. Eventually, I did get here. When you (don't) arrive, you'll find some interpretive signage. One says you shouldn't climb the tower until it's made safe to do so. The message is dated 1988. The first flight of stairs has been removed and barbed wire lines the base of the tower - clearly, the US Forest Service doesn't want you to climb the tower. Judging from the work of local artisans on the outside of the cab, those artisans have more chutzpah than brains and not much talent. Other interpretive signs describe what these towers were used for and frankly describe the absolute isolation the spotters lived in. These towers are seldom used anymore, as airplanes can cover more territory at less cost than manning several towers. It is an anachronism but a piece of history, and it's a real shame the US Forest Service hasn't restored and opened the tower. Maybe someday, they will. Until then, read about towers rather than trying to find this one. Trust me.

    Photos
    Udell Lookout Tower - Considering the barbed wire and no first flight of stairs, the Forest Service recommends you not climb the tower.

    Considering the barbed wire and no first flight of stairs, the Forest Service recommends you not climb the tower.

    Udell Lookout Tower - This is what it looks like.

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    This is what it looks like.

    Big Sable Point Lighthouse - landmarks - Updated May 2026

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