Crisp Point On Lake Superior: A Bucket-list Michigan Light Tower

Saved in the nick of time

Lit in 1904 and decommissioned in 1993 after 89 years of service, Crisp Point Light Station was almost lost to demolition and erosion. In fact, the tower’s entrance building was destroyed by the loss of the beach. The one pictured above has been carefully replicated. Miraculously, the original tower remained firm.

Fortunately, the tower and grounds were saved from the auction block by the Crisp Point Light Historical Society and Luce County in 1997. Since then, the society has made great strides in preserving the beach and light tower, and reconstructing the entrance building. And as of May of 2013, the light shines again. Visitors can actually climb up the 58 foot (18 m) working tower and stand in the automated lantern’s housing.

Getting there is half the fun

Once you turn off onto the gravel road, you’re immersed in a deep and old forest. The road winds around dunes and through varying densities of trees. Every now and then you’ll see signs posted for private camps and cabins with whimsical names.

Despite being off the main path, the roads are well-marked, and the Crisp Point Light Historical Society provides an excellent road-map on their web-site. Directions are available from Paradise, Michigan, or from Newberry, Michigan, the two main nearby cities. Snowmobile trail information is also available. The drive from Paradise is 37 miles (59.5 kilometers) and takes about an hour and 10 minutes.

The lighthouse buildings are open from mid-May through mid-October, though hours vary depending on keeper availability. Fortunately, the Crisp Point Historical Society has a lot of local support, and volunteer keepers are in ample supply to keep and maintain the park all season long. The grounds are open year-round, but the roads may not be clear for cars in the winter.

While the roads are maintained vigilantly throughout the warmer months, they are basically sand, and some caution is advised. The road can get narrow, so be prepared to maneuver when another vehicle comes from the other direction. My minivan had no trouble navigating the rustic path, but the traction light did come on once or twice, just to make it exciting.

A boardwalk access path gets you around the park

Once you arrive, the parking area is ample. Usually only a handful of vehicles are in the lot at any given time. A boardwalk takes visitors from the car park and across the dunes to the buildings and beach access. There are several connecting decks with picnic tables. Because of the shifting and delicate nature of the terrain, guests are encouraged to remain on the boardwalk rather than disturbing the plant life. Yet the boardwalk will take you all around the grounds so that you can commune with nature and get a closer look at the wildlife.

This is one of Upper Michigan’s pristine beaches at the edge of primeval forest, and the freshwater breeze off the lake smells clean and wild. Even the seagulls here are less used to humans, and don’t mob you for a handout. This is a fair place to get some birdwatching in. Gulls, eagles, and killdeer are common. Bright wildflowers bloom in the sand against a deep dark green backdrop of evergreens. The scenery is ruggedly beautiful.

Easy beach access

The boardwalk traverses the length of the park. From the parking lot, it leads straight north for a few hundred yards to the beach. Stairs take you down without having to navigate the large boulders protecting the shore. But don’t worry, there are plenty of places to climb those rocks!

The boardwalk also turns west and surrounds the light tower and entrance building, then leads beyond for a few hundred more yards, giving visitors a chance to see all of the park. The path terminates in another set of stairs for beach access.

Stay and play

While the lighthouse is clearly the main attraction of Crisp Point, you’ll want to spend a few hours here and enjoy the grounds. Beachcombing is therapeutic, especially with such clean, fine, white sand and crisp, wild air. Walk barefoot in the sand, wade into chilly Lake Superior, skip stones, or hunt for agates or other treasures on the beach.

It’s a good idea to bring a meal along. It’s about an hour’s drive from Paradise, one way. So stay long enough to run around and stretch the legs, and have an al fresco lunch. Tables are available, or else pick a fun spot on the rocks or the beach and spread a blanket. There are so many pretty vistas, it’s hard to pick a spot.

Climb the tower

Visitors entering the lighthouse building are invited to climb up the antique tower, right up into the light casing! While guests are reminded that they climb at their own risk, the wrought iron stairs are sturdy, and the views from the tower are more than worth the effort.

Gorgeous views in all directions

From the tower, the view is about 62 feet high (almost 19 meters). Pictures don’t do the landscape justice. From this vantage, you can see for miles in all directions, even on a hazy day. The tree line hugs the shore, spreading out uninterrupted in either direction. To the south, there is pristine dense forest as far as the eye can see, while to the north, Lake Superior disappears into the horizon.