Fort Wilkins and Copper Harbor Lighthouse Visitor Information

Location | Admission | Dates & Hours | Special Events | How Much Time? | Accessibility | More Info

Address

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U.S. 41
Copper Harbor, MI 49918

Location

Fort Wilkins and the Copper Harbor Lighthouse are located in Fort Wilkins Historic State Park, one mile east of Copper Harbor on U.S. 41.

Admission

Admission to Fort Wilkins and the Copper Harbor Lighthouse is free. A Michigan State Parks Recreation Passport is required for entry to the park. There is a charge for a round-trip boat ride to the Copper Harbor Lighthouse.

2013 Season Dates and Hours

Fort Wilkins is open daily, 8:30 a.m. to dusk, from May 13 through October 13.

From May 27 through September 2, Copper Harbor Lighthouse is open daily (weather permitting), 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Evening hours are extended in July and August. Please telephone for full schedule: (906) 289-4215.

Special Events

See the calendar of events for Fort Wilkins/Copper Harbor Lighthouse and other Upper Peninsula sites in the Michigan Historical Museum System.

How Much Time?

Please allow two hours for your visit to the fort and an additional 90 minutes for the lighthouse tour. The park also offers camping, picnicking, hiking and other seasonal activities.

Tours of the Copper Harbor Lighthouse begin at the Copper Harbor Marina, a half mile west of Copper Harbor, off M-26. Public access to the lighthouse is by ferry service .

Pets: Pets accompanied by and under the control of their human friends are welcomed on the grounds of this site. Pets may not enter any building. For further information, please refer to the DNR web page, Pets in State Park Campgrounds.

Accessibility

Fifteen buildings at Fort Wilkins and one at Copper Harbor Lighthouse are accessible to people with a mobility impairment. Ground transport to the lighthouse is available on request to the DNR park office. An interactive computer provides a tour of areas that cannot be reached by people unable to use stairs. Designated parking is available.

For More Information

For a walking tour map and the history of the 1844 fort, we recommend the book Fort Wilkins: Today and Yesterday and the 30-minute video, Keweenaw Copper: A Michigan Story, both available from the History e-Store.

Send us an e-mail or telephone (906) 289-4215.

Find out about college internship opportunities that may be available at this historic site.

Contact Fort Wilkins Historic Complex.

Updated 03/26/2013