Cheboygan Point Light Ruins
Today, almost all of Cheboygan Point is a part of Cheboygan State Park. The Straits of Mackinac proved to be a very dangerous waterway in the 1800s due to primitive shipping technology, and lighthouses were constructed all over the place to warn sailors about points, reefs, and, in general, land. The first lighthouse on Cheboygan Point was completed in 1851, but within the decade, the water levels had risen enough to start damaging the foundation, and the light had to be deconstructed and rebuilt, changing the configuration of the dwelling but using the same light. The light and fog signal building warned sailors about the point extending out into the lake until the Fourteen Foot Shoal Light was completed in 1930. Soon after that, the Cheboygan Point Light was dismantled, leaving behind only the foundation. The property was gifted to the state and would become part of Cheboygan State Park after its establishment in 1962. The hike out to the lighthouse ruins is just under a mile and a half, and you have the choice to take the wooded or water route. Depending on how high the water levels are, the walk down the beach is quite lovely, but if the water is high, you might have to hop into the woods every so often. If you take the beach route, walk until you see a bench and a path inland. The lighthouse is just off this path. If you take the wooden route, follow the blue trail, and you will run right into it. Although there is not much left of this nearly 200-year-old structure, the hike is quite nice, and it’s a unique piece of Michigan’s history!
