This article has been updated from the original article. 2026
Lighthouses are symbols of an era when life was simpler and travel by water was the norm. Beacons of safety and civilization, a port in a storm–today, lighthouses inspire and comfort us.
Historically lighthouses were built with accommodations included for the lighthouse keeper. After all, someone needed to be there to keep the whale oil burning. Thanks to the invention of electricity, there is no longer a need for the lighthouse keeper.
Saugerties is a charming small city in the Hudson Valley. You will find the lighthouse at the confluence of the Hudson River and Esopus Creek. A monument to a bygone era, it is now an extremely popular bed and breakfast, with a museum showcasing the history of the Lighthouse and the steamboat era on the Hudson River. The Guardian UK named the Saugerties Lighthouse one of the top five in the world that includes a bed and breakfast.
The lighthouse you see today isn’t the original. Two earlier lighthouses once stood at this spot. The first, built in 1835, burned down in 1848. Its replacement didn’t last much longer, and the current lighthouse, a brick tower in the Italianate style, was built in 1869. It served as an active aid to navigation for decades, guiding steamboats and other vessels safely into the mouth of the Esopus Creek.
By 1954 the light had been automated, and the U.S. Coast Guard eventually decommissioned it altogether. Like a lot of lighthouses from that era, it fell into disrepair — there was even a proposal to demolish it. Instead, the nonprofit Saugerties Lighthouse Conservancy purchased and restored it in 1986, and a solar-powered light was reactivated in 1990. In 1979 it earned a spot on the National Register of Historic Places, cementing its place as one of the Hudson Valley’s most beloved landmarks.
Staying at a lighthouse is a very intimate experience. I think in our busy and noisy world today, a lighthouse seems like a welcome escape back to nature and ourselves.
Sadly, I did not stay at the Saugerties Lighthouse, but I did walk the Lighthouse Trail.
Current Lighthouse rebuilt in 1869
The Saugerties Lighthouse trail is a lovely spot for a nature walk, meditation, or a picnic. In some areas it’s very wooded, and in others, you’ll find tall grasses and patches of wildflowers.
If you walk to the lighthouse there are picnic tables, however, be respectful that the lighthouse is a functioning B&B.
Deck and picnic tables in the foreground, Saugerties Lighthouse
Bridge over the Lighthouse trail
The trail is a half-mile long and very easy. Just be sure to go at low tide. At the entrance to the trail there is a map and a day-by-day tide table with times for high and low tides.
The Lighthouse Trail is open every day from dawn to dusk.
Tidal marsh land – Saugerties Lighthouse Trail
Planning Your Visit
Address: 168 Lighthouse Drive, Saugerties, NY 12477
Parking: There’s a small parking lot at the trailhead, just past the U.S. Coast Guard station. It only holds about a dozen cars so you may need to wait a few minutes for a spot on busy weekends. Roadside parking isn’t permitted out of respect for the Coast Guard station and neighboring private property.
Getting there: From the NYS Thruway (I-87), take Exit 20 toward Saugerties and follow NY-212/NY-32 into the village, continuing onto Ulster Ave, then Main Street, then US-9W. Where 9W curves left, turn right onto Mynderse Street, then follow signs down to Lighthouse Drive and the trailhead.
The Trail
The trail runs about four-tenths of a mile from the parking lot to the lighthouse through the Ruth Reynolds Glunt Nature Preserve — flat, easy, and suitable for most fitness levels. Remember to check the tide table posted at the trailhead: portions of the trail can flood at high tide, so waterproof shoes are a good idea if you’re unsure of timing.
A quiet spot for meditation at the Saugerties Lighthouse
The interior of the Lighthouse is open for tours on weekends and holidays from Memorial Day through Labor Day, 2:00 to 5:00 pm, and by appointment. The Bed and Breakfast is open year-round. If you want to stay at the Lighthouse you’ll need to book months in advance.
If you’re spending the weekend in Saugerties I highly recommend the Diamond Mill Resort right in the historic village of Saugerties. You can walk to town and you’re just minutes from the lighthouse trail. I stayed there and had a great time. It’s a lovely boutique hotel, formerly a paper mill. Perched over the Esopus Creek, many of the thirty rooms have furnished balconies overlooking the falls. Sleep to the sound of rushing water, then wake up and walk to the lighthouse before breakfast. There’s also an on-site spa and restaurant, a perfect weekend getaway.
When I arrived in Saugerties I had no idea there was a lighthouse, much less that you could stay there, so I missed the opportunity to arrange a tour of the interior. The official website for the Saugerties Lighthouse is lovely and has a lot of great photos.
Have you ever stayed in a Lighthouse? What was your experience?
9 comments
The nature trail around the lighthouse looks beautiful. Thanks for sharing the note about going during low tide!
Staying overnight in a lighthouse is definitely on my bucket list. I didn’t know about this one–I tend to think of them all along a major ocean or lake port. But along a major river . . . looks like blissful solitude, but without total isolation.
Exactly! This place is perfect. A short hike or boat ride and you’re back in the middle of Saugerties historic area. Super cool.
So cool! I’ve always wanted to stay in a lighthouse, and my cousin and I almost booked one in New England, but at that point I was super pregnant and was worried it would be too “roughing it.” This one looks fabulous, though!
Definitely doesn’t look like roughing it to me! 🙂
Wow, this is a classic with all the wonderful details, thanks for the history and story behind this beauty
Thanks Noel. Yes, I’d love to go back to stay overnight!
Lovely!!
Thanks!