Marblehead Lighthouse State Park
State Park · Ohio · Ohio Department of Natural Resources
- 13 acres
Marblehead Lighthouse State Park occupies 13 acres at the tip of Marblehead Peninsula, a narrow finger of land that juts into Lake Erie. The park is built around Marblehead Lighthouse, which the Ohio Department of Natural Resources describes as one of Lake Erie's best known and most-photographed landmarks. It suits visitors interested in maritime history and lake views rather than long hikes or overnight camping.
The lighthouse has guided sailors along the rocky shores of the peninsula since 1822 and is the oldest lighthouse in continuous operation on the Great Lakes. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources manages the site, and the park office can be reached for questions about visiting.
Plan your visit
Know before you go
- Address
- 110 Lighthouse Dr, Marblehead, OH, 43440
- Phone
- (419) 734-4424
- Official site
- ohiodnr.gov
- Managed by
- Ohio Department of Natural Resources
- Hours
- 6am to 11pm daily. Visitors are permitted to actively engage in legitimate recreational activities outside these hours. If you have questions, call the park office.
Getting there
110 Lighthouse Dr, Marblehead, OH, 43440
Directions on Google Maps →On the ground
The historic core of the park includes the Lighthouse itself along with the Keeper's House and the Carriage House, structures tied to the site's long working history on the peninsula. A Limestone Quarry is also among the named historic features here, reflecting the peninsula's past beyond its role as a navigational aid. These features sit close together at the tip of Marblehead Peninsula, where the shoreline meets Lake Erie.
Lake Erie itself shapes the setting: it is one of the world's largest freshwater lakes, shallow enough that depth ranges from only 25-30 feet in the western basin to an average 120 feet in the eastern basin, and its shallow, lopsided basin produces sudden and violent storms. Marblehead Peninsula sits on the fringe of that western basin, and its rocky shoreline is particularly dangerous to sailors, even in good weather, with a depth of merely 10-12 feet just 400 feet offshore. Walking ways mapped near the park total 0.78 miles across 28 segments, short paths fitting a compact grounds built around the lighthouse and its historic buildings rather than a trail network.
Practical notes
Park hours are 6am to 11pm daily, though visitors are permitted to actively engage in legitimate recreational activities outside these hours. Questions can be directed to the park office at (419) 734-4424.
Nearby parks
Parks of Ohio
88 parks mapped in Ohio
You're looking at Marblehead Lighthouse State Park — the gold marker.
Every dot is a park. Tap one to jump to it.
Browse all Ohio parks →Sources: State agency, Wikimedia Commons / editorial, OpenStreetMap contributors, USGS PAD-US, Google Places · updated 2026-08-23