Barnegat Lighthouse State Park

P.O. Box 167
Barnegat Light, NJ 08006
(609) 494-2016

Enjoy Barnegat Lighthouse State Park!

The site of Barnegat Lighthouse on the northern tip of Long Beach Island in Ocean County was regarded as one of the most crucial "change of course" points for coastal vessels. Vessels bound to and from New York along the New Jersey coastline depended on Barnegat Lighthouse to avoid the shoals extending from the shoreline. 

The swift currents, shifting sandbars, and the offshore shoals challenged the skills of even the most experienced sailor. The park is included as a maritime site on the New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail.

Beaming Barney

The beloved Barnegat Lighthouse is shining again, as it was illuminated on January 1, 2009 - exactly 150 years to the day that it was originally lit in 1859. Thanks to the Friends of Barnegat Lighthouse, the nonprofit group dedicated to preserving and promoting the park, funds were raised to purchase a new Coast Guard-approved lens. 

The new light creates a single beam that can be visible for up to 22 nautical miles. In 1927, the original lens was removed, and was replaced by a lightship anchored off the coast of Barnegat light. The original lens is still on display down the road at the Barnegat Lighthouse Historical Society's Museum.

A panoramic view of Island Beach, Barnegat Bay, and Long Beach Island awaits visitors at the top of Barnegat Lighthouse. The lighthouse is open daily from 9 AM to 4:30 PM (weather permitting) from April 1 through October 31. The remainder of the year the lighthouse is open 9 AM to 3:30 PM, Wednesday through Sunday (closed Monday and Tuesday). 

There is a $1 fee per person to enter the lighthouse from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Children under 12 are free and must be accompanied by an adult. Visitors can also catch the views from the top without climbing the 217 steps thanks to four cameras that transmit live images of the view to a display in the adjacent Interpretive Center.

Directions:

Barnegat Lighthouse State Park is situated on the northern tip of Long Beach Island in Ocean County. The park can be reached by taking the Garden State Parkway to exit 63. From Route 72 east, turn left onto Long Beach Blvd. and then left onto Broadway. The park entrance is on the right.

Facilities & Activities:

• Barnegat Lighthouse
• Interpretive Center
• Trails
• Fishing
• Birdwatching
• Picnicking
  Picnic tables are located along Barnegat Inlet where visitors can picnic, relax, and observe the waterway. Two picnic shelters with tables are also provided for picnicking. Visitors who enjoy sunbathing and fishing can picnic on the sand along the jetty. Fires, propane stoves, and alcoholic beverages are prohibited.

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