Split Rock Lighthouse

State: Minnesota. Type: historic lighthouse and museum operated by the Minnesota Historical Society, within Split Rock Lighthouse State Park on Lake Superior's North Shore, Lake County. Completed and first lit July 31, 1910; deactivated as a working aid to navigation in 1969. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places (1969) and designated a National Historic Landmark (2011). About 160,000 visitors a year.

Split Rock Lighthouse sits atop a 130-foot cliff on Lake Superior's North Shore, about 11 miles from Two Harbors, Minnesota. It was built after a severe November 1905 gale wrecked nearly 30 ships on the lake, prompting the federal government to fund a light at this treacherous stretch of shoreline. The 54-foot octagonal tower, designed by engineer Ralph Russell Tinkham, first shone its Fresnel lens in 1910 and served commercial shipping until the U.S. Coast Guard deactivated it in 1969 in favor of modern electronic navigation. The Minnesota Historical Society has operated the site as a museum since 1969, restoring the tower, fog signal building, oil house and three keepers' dwellings to their late-1920s appearance. Each November 10, the light is relit for one night in memory of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald, which sank on Lake Superior on that date in 1975. The site is one of Minnesota's most photographed landmarks and a signature stop on the scenic Highway 61 North Shore drive.

The lighthouse is at 3713 Split Rock Lighthouse Rd., Two Harbors, MN 55616, in Lake County on Minnesota's North Shore of Lake Superior, within Split Rock Lighthouse State Park. It sits along Minnesota State Highway 61, roughly 11 miles northeast of Two Harbors and southwest of Silver Bay.

The site sits directly on Lake Superior and experiences a cool lake-moderated climate, with the lake keeping spring cooler and fall milder than inland areas. Winters bring significant snow and cold, and the cliff-top location can be notably windy in any season; layered clothing is recommended even in summer.

Peak season runs May through October, when the site keeps its longest hours; late fall through early winter sees reduced hours. Many visitors specifically time a trip around November 10 to see the annual relighting ceremony honoring the SS Edmund Fitzgerald.

A catastrophic gale in November 1905 destroyed or grounded nearly 30 vessels along this stretch of Lake Superior, exposing the lack of navigational aids on the rocky North Shore. The federal government responded by funding a lighthouse atop the 130-foot cliff at Split Rock, built at a total cost of about $75,000 for the tower, outbuildings and land. Because the site was only reachable by water when built, materials arrived by boat and were hoisted up the cliff face; a road (later Highway 61) did not reach the site until 1924. The light, a third-order bivalve Fresnel lens manufactured in Paris and floated on liquid mercury for smooth rotation, was first lit July 31, 1910, originally burning kerosene before electrification in 1940. Improved ship navigation technology made the light obsolete, and the Coast Guard deactivated it in 1969, the same year the Minnesota Historical Society opened it as a museum. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1969 and named a National Historic Landmark in 2011.

Visitors can choose a self-guided Grounds Pass to explore the visitor center, historic grounds and fog signal building, opt for General Admission to enter all buildings including the lighthouse tower at their own pace, or book the guided Keeper's Tour for a more in-depth, staff-led experience. The visitor center shows an interpretive film and houses exhibits on the 1905 storm and the lighthouse's history. Outside, trails connect to the Gitchi-Gami State Trail and the Superior Hiking Trail for lake-view hiking, and the state park offers picnic areas along the cliff.

Key structures include the restored 54-foot octagonal tower and its Fresnel lens, the fog signal building, the oil house, and three keepers' houses furnished to reflect the late 1920s. The visitor center anchors the site with exhibits and a museum store, and the surrounding state park's cliffside trails offer sweeping Lake Superior views.

The lighthouse sits directly on Minnesota State Highway 61, making a car the practical way to reach it, whether driving up from Duluth (roughly an hour south) or from Two Harbors (about 11 miles away). There is no commercial airport at the site; Duluth International Airport is the nearest airport with scheduled service, with a rental car needed for the drive north along the North Shore.

As of research, during peak season (May-October) the site is open daily 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; in late fall/early winter it operates with reduced hours, open Thursday-Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Confirm current hours on mnhs.org/splitrock before visiting, since schedules can shift seasonally.

As of research: a self-guided Grounds Pass is $8 (free for Minnesota Historical Society members); General Admission (all buildings including the tower) is offered at its own price; the guided Keeper's Tour is $25 ($20 for MNHS members). A state park vehicle permit may also be required for the surrounding state park. Confirm current prices at mnhs.org/splitrock before visiting.

Most visitors plan one to two hours for a self-guided visit to the grounds and tower, or longer if joining the guided Keeper's Tour or adding a hike on the surrounding trails.

Two Harbors, about 11 miles away, has a range of small hotels, motels and North Shore resorts. Split Rock Lighthouse State Park itself offers camping, including cart-in sites near the lake. Further accommodation options are concentrated along Highway 61 toward Duluth (about an hour south) and Silver Bay/Two Harbors to the north and south.

Two Harbors offers casual North Shore dining, from cafes to lake-view restaurants, and is the closest town with a concentrated selection. Smaller resorts and cafes are scattered along Highway 61 between Duluth and the lighthouse; the lighthouse site itself has a museum store but visitors typically plan meals in Two Harbors or Duluth.

Gooseberry Falls State Park is a short drive north along Highway 61 and pairs naturally with a lighthouse visit. Two Harbors, with its own lighthouse and harbor area, is about 11 miles south. Duluth, with Canal Park and the Aerial Lift Bridge, is roughly an hour's drive south for a fuller North Shore day trip.

Duluth International Airport is the nearest airport with commercial service, with a rental car recommended for the roughly hour-long drive north on Highway 61. There is no rail or transit line serving the site directly; a personal or rental vehicle is the practical way to arrive.

The site sits atop a 130-foot cliff, so keep a close eye on children and stay behind railings and marked trail edges. Lake Superior's shoreline rocks can be slippery, and weather at the cliff top can shift quickly, including strong wind; dress in layers. For any emergency, dial 911.

A warm layer or windbreaker is worth carrying even in summer given the exposed, breezy cliff-top setting. Comfortable walking shoes help on the grounds and connecting trails, and a camera is popular for the lighthouse and lake views.

Buying tickets in advance is worthwhile in peak summer season and around the November 10 relighting ceremony, which draws crowds. Pairing the visit with nearby Gooseberry Falls State Park makes for an efficient North Shore day trip. Check seasonal hours before visiting, since they shorten notably from late fall into winter.

Dial 911 for any emergency. For visitor questions, Split Rock Lighthouse's site office can be reached at 218-226-6372 or splitrock@mnhs.org, per the Minnesota Historical Society's official page.

Split Rock Lighthouse (Minnesota Historical Society) - https://www.mnhs.org/splitrock

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.