History/Info:

Saugerties Lighthouse has been guiding ships and navigation on the mighty Hudson River since 1869. As a navigational aid it was decomissioned in 1954. Purchased by the Saugerties Lighthouse Conservancy in 1986 and restoration was begun.

The Saugerties Lighthouse has two other distinctions among the lighthouses of the Hudson River. First, it is the only lighthouse that welcomes overnight guests, making it the most unique B&B in the Valley. Second, it is the only lighthouse that you can stroll out to overland. The lighthouse can be reached via the nature preserve lying between it and the mainland.

The first lighthouse at the mouth of the Esopus Creek at Saugerties was built in 1838 with funds appropriated from Congress. It was constructed to guide ships away from nearby shallows and into the Esopus Creek when Saugerties was a major port with daily commercial and passenger transportation. The light was 5 whale oil lamps with parabolic reflectors.

The present lighthouse was built in 1869. It sits on a massive circular stone base sixty feet in diameter. A sixth-order Fresnel lens was used with kerosene lamps. The foundation for the original lighthouse remains as a small island adjacent to the exisiting lighthouse.

Source: Hudson Riverlights

Hours:
On weekends and holidays between Memorial Day and Columbus Day guided tours of the lighthouse are available between the hours of 2pm and 5pm. We suggest a donation of $3.00 for adults and $1.00 for children. To visit the interior of the lighthouse at other times you must either be fortunate enough to find the keeper in residence, or you can call ahead and schedule a visit with the keeper Allen Emersonn.

Personal Note:
We visited the lighthouse in late October, after the end of the tour "season". We also visited when it was a windy day and the chops on the Hudson were pretty intense. As a result some of the boardwalks were underwater. We were able to cross a couple of them but ran into a roadblock we couldn't overcome with a big section completely washed out (see photo slideshow). It might be worth coming with some knee-high waterproof boots, just in case. We were disappointed that we couldn't get up close to the lighthouse. Next time we'll come better prepared and hopefully when the river is more accomodating.

Latitude/Longitude: 42°04.5'N 73°56.1'W

Directions: click here for overview map   detail map #1   detail map #2   map if coming from Athens-Hudson Lighthouse

• From Route 87 take exit 20 in Saugerties.
• At the end of the ramp turn east onto Route 212.
• In 1.25 miles, turn left onto Main St. Right after you turn left, Route 9W will come in from the right. Continue straight on Main St/9W.
• After your initial turn onto Main St., in .3 miles turn right onto Cedar St.
• In .2 miles you'll want to keep to your left and bear left onto Post St.
• In another .2 miles Post St. becomes Lighthouse Dr. Follow Lighthouse Dr. to the end. Just past the Coast Guard station there is a parking lot on the right. At the far end of the parking lot is the start of the appx. 1/2 mile trail to the lighthouse.
  
  IF COMING FROM ATHEN-HUDSON LIGHTHOUSE
   
• Continue on SR 385/Washington St heading south for about 3 miles and turn right onto Brown's Crossing Road.
• Take that for about 0.5 miles to Route 9W. Turn left on 9W.
• Follow 9W for about 12.25 miles into Saugerties. Just past Seamon Park (on your left) turn left onto Mynderse St.
• Take Mynderse St. 0.3 miles to the end, then turn left onto Lighthouse Dr. Follow Lighthouse Dr. to the end, parking in the lot just after the Coast Guard station.