Nauset Light
Eastham, Massachusetts | Historic lighthouse
Active aid in USCG Light ListNational RegisterPublic grounds (sourced)Occasional tower openings (sourced)
About this lighthouse
Within Cape Cod National Seashore. The NPS says the lighthouse is operated and maintained by the Nauset Light Preservation Society under agreement with the Park Service, with seasonal open visits.
The U.S. Coast Guard lists Nauset Light in its current Light List as an aid to navigation, describing the structure as “Conical tower, upper part red, lower part white”. 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.
Facts panel
| Managed / operated by | Cape Cod National Seashore (NPS) with Nauset Light Preservation Society |
|---|---|
| Navigation status | Listed as an aid to navigation in the current USCG Light List (LLNR 510.1) [1] |
| Light characteristic | Al WR 10s [1] |
| Focal height | 120 ft above water [1] |
| Structure (USCG description) | Conical tower, upper part red, lower part white. [1] |
| National Register | Listed as “Nauset Beach Light” (NRIS 87001484), NPGallery record dated [2] |
| NRHP significant years | 1891 [2] |
| NRHP areas of significance | Engineering Transportation Architecture Maritime History [2] |
| County | Barnstable County |
| Coordinates | 41.86014, -69.95294 [3] |
Getting there
Directions should target a legal public viewing location. The official source lists: 120 Nauset Light Beach Rd, Eastham, MA 02642.
Map © OpenStreetMap contributors. Open larger map. The pin marks the lighthouse position, not a parking area or a permitted viewpoint.
Accessibility
We have no verified accessibility information for this site yet. 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.
- Three Sisters of Nauset — 0.2 mi straight-line (Massachusetts)
- Chatham Light — 13.0 mi straight-line (Massachusetts)
- Highland Light — 13.6 mi straight-line (Massachusetts)
- Stage Harbor Light — 14.0 mi straight-line (Massachusetts)
- Long Point Light — 16.3 mi straight-line (Massachusetts)
Sources
- Light List Vol. I entry LLNR 510.1 “Nauset Beach 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 87001484: “Nauset Beach Light” — National Park Service, NPGallery (NRHP). https://npgallery.nps.gov/AssetDetail/NRIS/87001484 (checked 2026-11-11)
- Wikidata item Q6981401 (used as a lead for coordinates and identifiers) — Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6981401 (checked 2026-11-11)
- Wikipedia article (background reading, not a primary source) — Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nauset_Light (checked 2026-11-11)
- Lighthouses - Cape Cod National Seashore (page last updated Dec 28, 2024) — National Park Service. https://www.nps.gov/caco/planyourvisit/guiding-lights.htm (checked 2026-11-11)
- Visit Nauset Light — Nauset Light Preservation Society. https://www.nausetlight.org/visit (checked 2026-11-11)
Last checked November 11, 2026. Found an error or a closure? Send a correction.