Race Point Light

Provincetown, Massachusetts | Historic lighthouse

Active aid in USCG Light ListNational RegisterRestricted access (sourced)Occasional tower openings (sourced)

About this lighthouse

The NPS describes Race Point Light as semi-remote, reachable only by walking several miles through sand; a chapter of the American Lighthouse Foundation operates it and occasionally hosts open houses.

The U.S. Coast Guard lists Race Point Light in its current Light List as an aid to navigation, describing the structure as “On white tower”. 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 1816 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 Race Point Light
Navigation status	Listed as an aid to navigation in the current USCG Light List (LLNR 485) [1]
Light characteristic	Fl W 10s [1]
Focal height	41 ft above water [1]
Nominal range	14 nautical miles [1]
Structure (USCG description)	On white tower. [1]
National Register	Listed as “Race Point Light Station” (NRIS 87001482), NPGallery record dated 6/15/1987 [2]
NRHP significant years	1876 [2]
NRHP areas of significance	Engineering Transportation Architecture Maritime History [2]
County	Barnstable County
Coordinates	42.06233, -70.24472 [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

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.

Wood End Light — 3.9 mi straight-line (Massachusetts)
Long Point Light — 4.4 mi straight-line (Massachusetts)
Highland Light — 9.6 mi straight-line (Massachusetts)
Plymouth Light — 18.7 mi straight-line (Massachusetts)
Three Sisters of Nauset — 20.4 mi straight-line (Massachusetts)

Sources

Light List Vol. I entry LLNR 485 “Race Point 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 87001482: “Race Point Light Station” — National Park Service, NPGallery (NRHP). https://npgallery.nps.gov/AssetDetail/NRIS/87001482 (checked 2026-11-11)
Wikidata item Q7278912 (used as a lead for coordinates and identifiers) — Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7278912 (checked 2026-11-11)
Wikipedia article (background reading, not a primary source) — Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Race_Point_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)

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