Bass Harbor Head Light

Bass Harbor, Maine | Historic lighthouse

Active aid in USCG Light ListNational RegisterPublic grounds (sourced)Exterior only (sourced)

Plan your visit

Visitor details below were read from the cited pages.

Grounds access: Grounds and viewing areas open; short boardwalk trail and an accessible packed-gravel overlook.Source: National Park Service, checked 2026-11-11
Tower tours: Exterior only; no public access to the interior.Source: National Park Service, checked 2026-11-11
Offshore / viewing: Unknown — check for a legal public viewpoint
Parking: One small lot (27 spaces, 3 accessible). Roadside parking prohibited on Lighthouse Road and Route 102A. No buses, trailers or RVs. Expect sunset congestion.Source: National Park Service, checked 2026-11-11
Fees: An Acadia National Park pass or other valid NPS pass is required for parking.Source: National Park Service, checked 2026-11-11
Hours: Check official source.
Accessibility: Accessible parking, packed-gravel accessible overlook and an accessible restroom. Cliff viewpoint involves 37 wooden steps plus stone steps.Source: National Park Service, checked 2026-11-11
Last checked: November 11, 2026
Official site: NPS - Bass Harbor Head Light Station

Never trespass: respect closures, Coast Guard property and private land. Report a change.

About this lighthouse

Managed by Acadia National Park. The National Park Service says the lighthouse interior is not open to the public, but visitors may explore the grounds and several viewing areas.

The U.S. Coast Guard lists Bass Harbor Head Light in its current Light List as an aid to navigation, describing the structure as “White tower connected to dwelling”. Light List entries describe the light for mariners; they do not say whether the site is open to visitors.

The structure is recorded in the National Register of Historic Places. A National Register listing documents historic significance. It does not mean the public can visit.

Awaiting verification: Wikidata gives 1858 as the year this station or structure was established. We have not yet confirmed this against a primary source, so it is not shown as a fact. See the Wikidata lead.

Facts panel

Sourced facts about Bass Harbor Head Light
Managed / operated by	Acadia National Park (NPS)
Navigation status	Listed as an aid to navigation in the current USCG Light List (LLNR 2335) [1]
Light characteristic	Oc R 4s [1]
Focal height	56 ft above water [1]
Nominal range	13 nautical miles [1]
Structure (USCG description)	White tower connected to dwelling. [1]
National Register	Listed as “Bass Harbor Head Light Station” (NRIS 87002273), NPGallery record dated 1/21/1988 [2]
NRHP significant years	1858 [2]
NRHP areas of significance	Engineering Transportation Architecture [2]
County	Hancock County
Coordinates	44.22181, -68.33728 [3]

Getting there

Directions should target a legal public viewing location. We have not verified a public viewpoint or parking area for this light yet, so check the official source before you go.

Map © OpenStreetMap contributors. Open larger map. The pin marks the lighthouse position, not a parking area or a permitted viewpoint.

Accessibility

Accessible parking, packed-gravel accessible overlook and an accessible restroom. Cliff viewpoint involves 37 wooden steps plus stone steps. Contact the site manager before your visit if you need step-free access.

Nearby lights

Straight-line distance between lighthouse positions, not a driving time or route.

Bear Island Light — 5.4 mi straight-line (Maine)
Baker Island Light — 7.0 mi straight-line (Maine)
Great Duck Island Light — 7.1 mi straight-line (Maine)
Burnt Coat Harbor Light — 8.1 mi straight-line (Maine)
Egg Rock Light — 13.4 mi straight-line (Maine)

Sources

Light List Vol. I entry LLNR 2335 “Bass Harbor Head Light” — U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Center (weekly edition 11/11/2026). https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/weekly-light-lists (checked 2026-11-11)
National Register of Historic Places record 87002273: “Bass Harbor Head Light Station” — National Park Service, NPGallery (NRHP). https://npgallery.nps.gov/AssetDetail/NRIS/87002273 (checked 2026-11-11)
Wikidata item Q810448 (used as a lead for coordinates and identifiers) — Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q810448 (checked 2026-11-11)
Wikipedia article (background reading, not a primary source) — Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bass_Harbor_Head_Light (checked 2026-11-11)
Bass Harbor Head Light Station — National Park Service. https://www.nps.gov/places/bass-harbor-head-light-station.htm (checked 2026-11-11)

Last checked November 11, 2026. Found an error or a closure? Send a correction.