Race Point Lighthouse
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Hiking TrailScenic LookoutSunsetOutdoorPhoto SpotOcean ViewSecluded & UncrowdedFreeHistoric BuildingCoast
Overview
Race Point Light is a historic lighthouse on Cape Cod, in Provincetown, Massachusetts; it is on the National Register of Historic Places. The original tower, first illuminated in 1816, was replaced in 1876 with the current 45-foot-tall (14 m) tall iron-plated tower and a new keeper's dwelling. The American Lighthouse Foundation operates the property and rents out two buildings for overnight stays.
Practical Info
Suggested Duration1.5-2.5 hours
Best TimeSpring or early autumn (May, June, or September) offers the best trekking conditions. Since the historic light is nestled deep within remote dunes requiring a 45-minute sand hike, setting off early between 6:00 AM and 8:00 AM ensures cool temperatures and dramatic horizontal morning sunbeams.
Getting ThereNo direct vehicle access. Park at the Race Point Beach lot, then embark on a scenic but strenuous 2-mile hike southwest across the designated oversand Dune Trail. Only authorized 4x4 vehicles with a valid National Seashore ORV permit are allowed past the sand gates.
Travel Tips
- Reaching the lighthouse requires a grueling 2-mile walk (45 minutes each way) through loose, deep sand from the nearest paved lot; high-top hiking boots and ample drinking water are mandatory.
- The surrounding dune grass is a severe breeding ground for deer ticks carrying Lyme disease; stay strictly on marked paths, avoid entering high brush, and apply high-concentration DEET repellent.
- The interior tower ladder opens only on select summer bi-weekly Sundays from June to October; outside these dates, access is restricted to the exterior perimeter. Verify dates on the preservation site.
Reviews
Positive
- This lonely historic lighthouse guarding the Atlantic edge delivers a massive visual impact, surrounded by endless wild dunes for a raw, timeless beauty.
- The lighthouse tower and keeper's quarters are beautifully preserved with crisp white brickwork, and historic foundations provide great background plaques.
- When open for interior tours, volunteer keepers are incredibly welcoming, masterfully explaining the antique Fresnel lens with contagious passion.
- This is a zero-cost historic treasure; despite the long trek to reach it, the panoramic ocean views and uncommercialized coastal serenity are entirely worth it.
Heads up
- Reaching it is exceptionally difficult! With no roads, visitors must trek nearly 3 miles roundtrip through soft, completely unshaded deep sand, which is exhausting.
- The site is an uncommercialized wilderness; there are no restrooms, bins, or water stations, leaving you fully exposed to scorching sun or sudden downpours.
- While the keeper's house offers overnight stays, slots are extremely scarce, leaving ordinary day tourists restricted to viewing the structure from behind a fence.
- While 4x4 permit holders can drive close, sand driving requires serious skill, and inexperienced drivers frequently get their vehicles hopelessly mired in deep sand traps.