The Last Lighthouses of the Hudson River
A guide to where they are and how to visit.
Hundreds of lighthouses used to line the Hudson River. Today, between NYC and Albany, there are only seven..All are surprisingly different. Some are tower-shaped and on land, others square, house-shaped and offshore. But they were all built for the same reason: to guide boat traffic around shallow waters and narrow passages back when the river was the main north-south highway in the state. Some lighthouses offer tours. Only one lets you sleep over.
Visiting all of these started by accident. The Sleepy Hollow Lighthouse is just a few miles from where I live, and the Westchester Parks department invited me to visit after a long renovation. Then I heard the Little Red Lighthouse in Manhattan was offering a rare tour and signed up for that, too. One by one, I started noticing them and realized how few are still standing.
I don’t have a lighthouse obsession exactly – let’s just say I’m “lighthouse curious.”curious.
The setting usually draws me in, and of course I love how photogenic they are against the river. They all seem to have an unusual story as well, like the fact that several lighthouses had long-serving female keepers who took over after their husbands died. I wonder what it would be like to actually live in one, myself.
Now I know! I got to spend the night at the Saugerties Lighthouse, one of the few where you can book an overnight stay, which I was lucky enough to do last weekend.
Saugerties Lighthouse
My husband, daughter and I stayed on a Sunday night. Weekends book up fast so I grabbed the first date I could when the calendar opened in January. You can’t book online, you have to leave a message and someone will call you back. It's old school.
The lighthouse was built in 1869 to warn ships of the shallow mouth of the Esopus Creek. Several families lived there until the 1950s. Now it's a combination museum slash bed and breakfast. Overnight guests cover the cost of upkeep - it's a win win.
We checked in at 4:00 pm just as the lighthouse was closing up and turning away last day visitors. We walked through a roped-off section reserved for overnight guests. Already it felt super special. The house is also a museum with period furniture, mismatched quilts, and bits of history tucked throughout; it feels. homey, like it belongs to someone’s grandma.
Patrick, our host and the only employee and longtime docent, gave us a quick tour. After settling in, we climbed the tower to check out the views, and then hung out on the deck for a bit before heading into town on foot for dinner since cooking isn’t allowed onsite. The walk back at night alone is worth doing. We crossed through the marshlands under a moonlit sky, each of us wearing a headlamp – and then the square brick house slowly came into view and looked like it was floating in the middle of the river.
The next morning, we had coffee on the dock and watched the sun come up. The river was completely still – no sounds except for birds and an occasional foghorn in the distance. It was the kind of quiet I didn’t know I was missing..
Patrick came back to make us a hearty breakfast served on vintage plates and branded mugs you can buy as a souvenir. Nothing fancy, but felt just right. It was only one night, but because it was such an unusual experience, it felt like a longer getaway.
Jeffrey's Hook in Manhattan
Manhattan’s last remaining lighthouse is easily the cutest of the bunch. Made famous by the children’s book, The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge, this tiny red tower helped ships navigate between upper Manhattan and New Jersey until the George Washington Bridge was completed in 1931
The lighthouse was set for demolition in 1951, but thousands of kids who had loved the book wrote letters and helped save it. Today, it’s owned by NYC Parks, and while it’s usually closed, they do offer occasional tours. Even if you can’t go inside, it’s worth the walk or bike ride. The tiny, bright red lighthouse and the massive suspension bridge are dramatic – and make for a great photo..
How to visit: Head to Fort Washington Park, under the George Washington Bridge. Check NYC Parks or Historic House Trust for tour dates. They’re rare but worth it.
Tarrytown Lighthouse in Sleepy Hollow
This is my stretch of the Hudson, so this one feels like my lighthouse. Recently restored after being closed to the public for years, it's a true Westchester landmark. When I toured the inside, it was freshly painted and so bright and shiny. The new red is spot on: PMS 186 (IYKYK).
Over the years, twelve lightkeepers and their families lived in this small structure. Even though it's five stories, there is not much space. From the top deck, you can see all the way to the city and far up the Hudson. The cast iron tower was built in 1883 and originally sat a half mile offshore. But in the 1960s, the General Motors Plant filled in part of the riverbank, bringing the land much closer. Now there is a short footbridge that connects the lighthouse to the shore.
Like Jeffrey’s Hook, the lighthouse became obsolete when a big bridge came to town, in this case the Tappan Zee.
Sadly, just last week, the lighthouse was vandalized and set on fire. Fortunately, the parks department is already working on repairs. Even though tours are suspended for a while, it's still a great walk along the path.
How to visit: walk from either Kingsland Point Park in Sleepy Hollow or via the Riverwalk in Tarrytown. Check Westchester County Parks for updates.
Stony Point
This one is all about the setting. Built in 1826, it’s the oldest lighthouse on the Hudson. Bright white, octagonal, and almost always closed, it sits on a little hill inside the Stony Point Battlefield, a Revolutionary War site. The views are amazing, and there’s a self-guided walking tour explaining how Washington’s troops pulled off a surprise night attack on the British.
The park has trails with signs telling the story, and on weekends, costumed guides are there to enthusiastically share even more details. It’s a good excuse to visit a low-key state park with river views and a backstory.
How to visit: Visit the Stoney Point Park BattleField Historic Site.
Rondout Lighthouse in Kingston
A solar-powered boat will take you from the Hudson River Maritime Museum out to the mouth of the Rondout Creek, where this square brick lighthouse has stood since 1915. There is no bridge, no walkway — just a real house in the middle of the water that’s only accessible by boat.
It was the last lighthouse on the Hudson. One longtime keeper raised her family here including a daughter who once fell through the ice trying to get to school.
The tour includes the boat ride, a walk through the house and the climb to the top for wide open views. The museum shares the whole backstory. Plus, Kingston is full of good lunch spots and local shops, so it's easy to make a full day of it.
How to visit: Tours run from Thursday to Sunday from late May through October. Book through the Hudson River Maritime Museum. The boat is called Solaris, and tickets go fast.
Esopus Meadows Lighthouse
Built in 1871 to warn ships about the shallow Esopus Meadows Flats, this is the last wooden lighthouse still standing on the Hudson. But the building has deteriorated, and it is unsafe to tour inside.
Like Rondout, it was a “family lighthouse,” Keepers lived there here year-round, even in the winter. Getting to school or picking up supplies often meant crossing the frozen river by foot even when the river froze.
How to visit: No tours inside, but great views from Esopus Meadows Preserve or across the river at the Ogden Mills Mansion in Staatsburg.
Hudson-Athens Lighthouse
This little brick house on a stone base warns of a tricky stretch called the Middle Ground Flats and sits right in the middle of the river between Hudson and Athens. Built in 1874 after years of many accidents, it still helps boats steer clear.
You can spot it easily from Hudson Riverfront Park, but the best way to see it is by water. In the summer, narrated cruise tours that leave from either Hudson or Athens circle the lighthouse – the boat gets you up close while you listen to the history.
How to visit: Check the Hudson River Ferry Co. for cruise dates, on select weekends in July and August.
Turns out, lighthouses are a great way to explore the Hudson Valley. Like little museums, each one took me somewhere new, and somehow always turned into a day trip. I’m not turning this into seven separate itineraries (at least not yet), but if you like stuff like this. I’ll be sharing more soon.
You might have heard that the recently renovated Tarrytown house was very vandalized. I hope they catch the people who did it. What a shameful thing to do.
Some nice shots of the lighthouses here, Robin. And nice writing, too! The Hudson Athens Lighthouse is starting to undergo extensive renovation (a lot of which, eventually, will be underwater) as the original pilings are starting to fail. Still, it sits at a beautiful part of the river.