Cape May Lighthouse
Climb the active 1859 beacon above Cape May Point, where bay and ocean meet.
Artwork inspired by Stan Sperlak
Cape May Lighthouse is an active 1859 aid to navigation inside Cape May Point State Park, not a decorative seaside tower. The original cast-iron spiral stair has 199 steps, with interpretive panels along the climb that connect the keepers' work to the light's engineering. At the top, the Delaware Bay, Atlantic Ocean, park trails, and migratory landscape become one readable geography.
The tower is the third beacon at this site and was restored for public climbing by Cape May MAC. If stairs are not feasible, the accessible Oil House offers orientation, and the state-park grounds remain worthwhile for coastal birding and walking. Climb hours shift through the year and weather can close the tower, so check the official calendar before a special trip.
- Built
- 1859
- Stair climb
- 199 steps
- Still active
- Navigation aid
Quick guide
- Read before climbing
- Use the keeper and navigation panels to understand what the light did.
- Look in two directions
- Compare Delaware Bay with Atlantic Ocean from the gallery.
Know before you go
- Check the calendar
- Seasonal opening hours and weather closures are real trip-planning factors.
- Start at the base
- Read the orientation displays before the staircase.
- Climb at your pace
- Use landings and interpretive panels as natural pauses.
- Explore the point
- Walk nearby park trails for a ground-level view of this coastal meeting place.
Good to know
The lighthouse may close during lightning or severe weather. Tickets are for the climb; an accessible ground-level visit remains possible without climbing.
Notice these
- Cast-iron stair
- Working beacon
- Bay-and-ocean view