Hi there!
You get to the Grand Marais Harbor of Refuge outer light station by walking a pier that juts out into Lake Superior!
This means beautiful views of Lake Superior!
And, you can even see the sand dunes of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore off in the distance!
If you are driving through Grand Marais of Michigan and you’re looking for a nice stop to make to stretch out your legs and see a bit more of Lake Superior, then you may consider stopping by to see the Grand Marais lighthouses!
This can be a perfect stop if you’re driving to Pictured Rocks from the eastern Upper Peninsula for example!
One of the lighthouses you can stop by is the Grand Marais Harbor of Refuge outer lighthouse.
This is one of the many Lake Superior lighthouses you can see in Michigan.
There are 2 lighthouses at the Grand Marais Harbor of Refuge.
Or maybe you’d rather say there are 2 light stations at the Grand Marais Harbor of Refuge.
The “outer” lighthouse is the one that’s further out towards Lake Superior.
There is a lighthouse pier that you can walk along to get up close to the outer lighthouse.
You’ll also see the expansive Lake Superior around you!
Grand Marais Harbor Navigation Project: Constructed by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District
And, sand dunes and a Lake Superior beach can be a part of your experience in getting to this Grand Marais lighthouse pier!
Note that there is a Grand Marais MI and a Grand Marais MN.
These towns are both along the shores of Lake Superior, and they both have a lighthouse.
So when you’re looking for a Grand Marais lighthouse on google maps, make sure you’re looking at the Michigan one!
A bit below about making a visit to the Lake Superior beach shoreline in Michigan near the Grand Marais Harbor of Refuge outer light station!
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Here are some quick things to know about the Grand Marais Harbor outer lighthouse!
1. There are easy parking areas right near the lighthouse grounds.
The parking for the outer lighthouse will be the same as the inner lighthouse.
2. There is a Grand Marais lighthouse museum you can visit.
You’ll see the Grand Marais lighthouse museum (and the inner lighthouse) as you pull into the parking area.
3. You can walk across small sand dunes to get to the Lake Superior beach and lighthouse pier.
Dune grass is said to be fragile and an important part of the coastal ecosystem. So take care not to step on the dune grass!
These sand dunes are a part of the Grand Sable Dunes. The Grand Sable Dunes are also located in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. (You’ll want to go to the Log Slide overlook and the trail to Sable Beach for more sand dunes in Pictured Rocks!)
The sand dunes and beach area you’ll cross to get to the Grand Marais lighthouse pier is also home to a rare plant species and is also a nesting area for small birds. Take care!
4. Or you can take a walk along the harbor shoreline to get to the beach and lighthouse pier.
👆 Walking along the Harbor of Refuge out towards the outer lighthouse and the open waters of Lake Superior.
👆 Walking along the Harbor of Refuge back towards the inner harbor and inner lighthouse.
5. It’s a walk of a few minutes on the lighthouse pier to get to the outer lighthouse!
The pier consists of both a big boulder path and a paved path.
6. You can get a better view of Lake Superior and the shoreline of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore when you’re out on the pier!
7. The beach near the Grand Marais lighthouse pier can also be a spot to go for a long walk on the beach, or to search for the famous Lake Superior colorful rocks.
8. The Lake Superior shoreline around the lighthouse can be dangerous. Take care!
Dangers of Lake Superior near the Grand Marais Harbor lighthouse: Waves flood the surface. Keep off during storms.
What the people of Grand Marais want you to know about the Lake Superior waters around the lighthouse:
The awesome beauty of Lake Superior has its dark side.
The overwhelming force of its waves and its frigid waters can overpower even the strongest swimmer.
Do not walk on breakwall when waves are high.
The strength of Lake Superior near the lighthouse is responsible for a sad tragedy.
Lake Superior in general can be dangerous. That’s why there’s what’s been called the “graveyard of Lake Superior” and why Lake Superior has been also been called shipwreck coast.
And that’s a bit about visiting the lighthouse near a Grand Marais beach!
And walking around the Grand Marais Harbor inner light station can be an easy walk too!
Plus, be sure to see more lighthouses to visit along Lake Superior!
More for your trip to the UP:
- Lake Superior Michigan lighthouse road trip
- Grand Marais Truck Trail
- Things to do in Pictured Rocks near Grand Marais
- Whitefish Point Lighthouse
- Crisp Point Lighthouse
- Things to do in Eastern Upper Peninsula
- Michigan waterfalls road trip
HAPPY SEEING THE GRAND MARAIS INNER LIGHTHOUSE!
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