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Lighthouses in Massachusetts

83 lighthouses in Massachusetts with photography planning data — sunrise and sunset azimuths, golden hour by month, Milky Way windows and estimated sky darkness. Barnstable County has the most (22). The darkest skies are at Sankaty Head Light (Bortle 3).

Top lighthouses

Boston LightLighthouse
Boston LightPlymouth County
Highland LightLighthouse
Highland LightBarnstable County
Cuttyhunk LightLighthouse
Cuttyhunk LightDukes County
Race Point LightLighthouse
Race Point LightBarnstable County
Chatham LightLighthouse
Chatham LightBarnstable County
Gay Head LightLighthouse
Gay Head LightDukes County
Cape Poge LightLighthouse
Cape Poge LightDukes County
The Graves LightLighthouse
The Graves LightPlymouth County
Long Island Head LightLighthouse
Long Island Head LightSuffolk County
Marblehead LightLighthouse
Marblehead LightEssex County
Sankaty Head LightLighthouse
Sankaty Head LightNantucket County
East Chop LightLighthouse
East Chop LightDukes County

Lighthouses by county

All lighthouses (83)

NameCountyElevationNearest townSky
Boston LightBoston Harbor IslandsPlymouth County—Hull7
Highland LightCape CodBarnstable County41 mTruro4
Cuttyhunk LightDukes County5 mBliss Corner4
Race Point LightCape CodBarnstable County5 mProvincetown4
Chatham LightBarnstable County12 mChatham4
Gay Head LightDukes County39 mWest Tisbury4
Cape Poge LightDukes County6 mEdgartown4
The Graves LightBoston Harbor IslandsPlymouth County5 mHull7
Long Island Head LightBoston Harbor IslandsSuffolk County24 mHull8
Marblehead LightEssex County4 mMarblehead7
Sankaty Head LightNantucket County22 mNantucket3
East Chop LightDukes County8 mOak Bluffs5
Tarpaulin Cove LightDukes County-3 mWest Tisbury4
West Chop LightDukes County6 mVineyard Haven5
Fort Pickering LightSalem MaritimeEssex County1 mSalem8
Wood End LightBarnstable County3 mProvincetown4
Nobska LightBarnstable County10 mFalmouth5
Plymouth LightPlymouth County17 mSouth Duxbury5
Long Point LightCape CodBarnstable County1 mProvincetown5
Eastern Point LightEssex County6 mGloucester6
Deer Island LightBoston Harbor IslandsSuffolk County—Winthrop8
Duxbury Pier LightPlymouth County—North Plymouth6
Butler Flats LightBristol County—Bliss Corner7
Nauset LightCape CodBarnstable County—North Eastham5
Egg Rock LightEssex County—Nahant7
Brant Point LightNantucket County4 mNantucket5
Minot's Ledge LightPlymouth County—Cohasset6
Monomoy Point LightBarnstable County—West Chatham4
Great Point LightNantucket County—Nantucket3
Annisquam Harbor LightEssex County—Rockport5
Bakers Island LightEssex County—Manchester-by-the-Sea7
Edgartown Harbor LightDukes County—Edgartown5
Clarks Point LightBristol County—Bliss Corner7
Cleveland East Ledge LightBarnstable County—West Falmouth5
Derby Wharf LightSalem MaritimeEssex County—Salem8
Hospital Point Range Rear LightEssex County—Beverly8
Stage Harbor LightBarnstable County—West Chatham4
Bird Island LightPlymouth County—Marion5
Bishop and Clerks LightBarnstable County—West Yarmouth5
Borden Flats LightBristol County—Fall River8
Buzzards Bay Entrance LightDukes County—Newport East4
Wing's Neck LightBarnstable County—Pocasset5
Nantucket Harbor Range LightsNantucket County—Nantucket5
Hospital Point Range Front LightEssex County—Beverly Cove8
Nantucket Cliff Range LightsNantucket County—Nantucket5
Ned Point LightPlymouth County—Mattapoisett6
Newburyport Harbor LightEssex County—Salisbury5
Old Scituate LightPlymouth County—Scituate6
Palmer Island LightNew Bedford WhalingBristol County—Fairhaven8
Ipswich Range LightsEssex County—Essex5
Sandy Neck LightBarnstable County—Barnstable7
Ten Pound Island LightEssex County—Gloucester7
West Dennis LightBarnstable County—West Dennis6
Dumpling Rocks LightBristol County—Bliss Corner5
Billingsgate Island LightCape CodBarnstable County—North Eastham4
Broad Sound Channel Inner Range LightsBoston Harbor IslandsSuffolk County—Boston Seaport8
Newburyport Harbor Front Range LightEssex County—Newburyport6
Mayo Beach LightCape CodBarnstable County—Wellfleet4
Newburyport Harbor Rear Range LightEssex County—Newburyport6
Point Gammon LightBarnstable County—West Yarmouth5
Lovells Island Range LightsBoston Harbor IslandsSuffolk County—Hull8
Spectacle Island Range LightsBoston Harbor IslandsSuffolk County—Boston Seaport8
Straitsmouth Island LightEssex County—Rockport5
Three Sisters of NausetBarnstable County—North Eastham5
Fairhaven Bridge LightNew Bedford WhalingBristol County—New Bedford8
Falmouth Inner LightBarnstable County—Falmouth5
Hyannis Rear Range LightBarnstable County—Hyannis6
Nantucket BeaconNantucket County—Nantucket5
Thacher Island North LightEssex County8 mRockport5
Cape Ann LightEssex County9 mRockport5
Ipswich Range Rear LightEssex County—Essex5
Nantucket Range Rear LightNantucket County—Nantucket5
Ipswich Range Front LightEssex County—Essex5
Nantucket Reef Range Front LightNantucket County—Nantucket5
Nantucket Cliff Front Range LightNantucket County—Nantucket5
Hospital Point LighthouseEssex County4 mBeverly Cove8
Nantucket Aero LightNantucket County13 mNantucket4
Nauset Beach LighthouseBarnstable County19 mNorth Eastham5
Tenpound Island LightEssex County4 mGloucester7
Annisquam LighthouseEssex County—Rockport5
Cleveland Ledge LighthouseBarnstable County—West Falmouth5
Gay Head LighthouseDukes County—Pawcatuck6
Minots Ledge LightPlymouth County—Cohasset6

Sky = estimated Bortle class (1 darkest – 9 brightest).

Map

How to photograph lighthouses

Lighthouses work at both ends of the day: blue hour when the beacon is lit, and golden hour when white towers take on warm tones.

  • During blue hour, use 5–15 second exposures to capture the beam; check whether the light is still active.
  • Shoot from the beach or a jetty to place the tower against open sky and sea.
  • Stormy weather and crashing surf add drama; keep a safe distance from waves on rocks and piers.
  • A telephoto from across a bay compresses the tower against cliffs or the moon.
  • Many lighthouses are on private or Coast Guard property — check public access and opening hours.

Season: Summer brings open towers and tours; autumn and winter offer storms, fewer crowds and lower sun angles.