Spectacle Reef Lighthouse
Michigan
Spectacle Reef Lighthouse is a crib lighthouse in Michigan, first lit in 1874. Its official name is Spectacle Reef Light. The tower stands 79 feet tall. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The nearest other lighthouse is Martin Reef Lighthouse, 9.7 mi away. It is best seen from the water or from shore.

Spectacle Reef Lighthouse at a glance
Visiting
Seen by boat or from shore
First lit
1874
Tower height
79 ft
Light 85 ft above water
Official name
Spectacle Reef Light
About Spectacle Reef Lighthouse
Spectacle Reef Light is a lighthouse 11 miles (18 km) east of the Straits of Mackinac and is located at the northern end of Lake Huron, Michigan. It was designed and built by Colonel Orlando Metcalfe Poe and Major Godfrey Weitzel, and was the most expensive lighthouse ever built on the Great Lakes.
Spectacle Reef Lighthouse sits at 45.7733, -84.1367 in Michigan. The closest other lighthouses are Martin Reef Lighthouse (9.7 mi), Poe Reef Lighthouse (12 mi) and Bois Blanc Lighthouse (14 mi). Michigan has 106 lighthouses in all.
Visiting Spectacle Reef Lighthouse
Spectacle Reef Lighthouse stands offshore or on an island without regular public access. Most people see it from shore or from a boat, and some local cruises pass close by.
- Heritage status
- National Register of Historic Places
- Architect
- Godfrey Weitzel
Tours and Tickets Near Spectacle Reef Lighthouse
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Lighthouses near Spectacle Reef Lighthouse
All lighthouses in Michigan →Martin Reef Lighthouse
9.7 mi away
Poe Reef Lighthouse
12 mi away
Bois Blanc Lighthouse
14 mi away
Fourteen Foot Shoal Lighthouse
16 mi away
DeTour Reef Lighthouse
17 mi away
Cheboygan Crib Lighthouse
18 mi away
Also close to Spectacle Reef Lighthouse: Pipe Island Lighthouse 20 mi · Forty Mile Point Lighthouse 23 mi · Round Island Passage Lighthouse 24 mi · Round Island Lighthouse 24 mi · Round Island Lighthouse 24 mi · Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse 29 mi · Wawatam Lighthouse 29 mi · McGulpin Point Lighthouse 31 mi
Questions about Spectacle Reef Lighthouse
Where is Spectacle Reef Lighthouse?
Spectacle Reef Lighthouse is in Michigan, at 45.7733, -84.1367. The nearest other lighthouse is Martin Reef Lighthouse, 9.7 mi away.
Can you visit Spectacle Reef Lighthouse?
Not on foot. Spectacle Reef Lighthouse stands offshore or on an island without regular public access, so most people see it from the water or from shore.
When was Spectacle Reef Lighthouse built?
Spectacle Reef Lighthouse was first lit in 1874.
How tall is Spectacle Reef Lighthouse?
The tower is 79 feet (24 m) tall, and its light sits 85 feet above the water.
What lighthouses are near Spectacle Reef Lighthouse?
The closest are Martin Reef Lighthouse (9.7 mi), Poe Reef Lighthouse (12 mi) and Bois Blanc Lighthouse (14 mi).
Sources: history and visiting details from the Wikipedia article on Spectacle Reef Light (CC BY-SA 4.0); facts and location from Wikidata. Photo credits are listed under each photo and on the photo credits page.