The Southeast Lighthouse is the building you picture when you picture Block Island. It stands at the edge of the Mohegan Bluffs on the island’s high south end, a tall brick Victorian tower with a deep red attached keeper’s house, looking out over 150 feet of clay cliff and open Atlantic. It’s the island’s most photographed landmark, a National Historic Landmark, and the survivor of one of the more remarkable rescue efforts in American lighthouse history.
Here’s everything you need to know to visit it well.
A Lighthouse That Was Moved to Survive
The Southeast Lighthouse was built in 1875 in an ornate Gothic Revival style, unusual for a working lighthouse, and the reason it looks more like a seaside mansion than a utilitarian beacon. For over a century it warned ships off the dangerous waters and shoals around the island’s southeast corner, its light visible far out to sea.
But the bluffs it sits on are made of glacial clay, and clay erodes. Over the decades, the relentless Atlantic chewed away at the cliff until the lighthouse stood dangerously close to the edge. By the early 1990s, only a few dozen feet of ground remained between the tower and a long drop into the sea.
So in 1993, in an effort that drew national attention, the entire structure, tower, keeper’s house, and all, hundreds of tons of brick, was lifted and slowly moved roughly 300 feet back from the brink. The relocation saved the lighthouse and became a landmark engineering achievement. Today the light stands safely inland, exactly as it has for 150 years, just a little farther from the edge than it started.
What You’ll See When You Visit
The lighthouse sits right beside the Mohegan Bluffs, which is the whole point of combining the two into one stop. From the grounds you get:
- The tower and red brick keeper’s house, beautifully preserved.
- Sweeping views over the bluffs and the open Atlantic. On a clear day you can see all the way to Montauk on Long Island.
- Interpretive displays about the light’s history, the 1993 move, and the keepers who lived here.
- Easy access to the famous Mohegan Bluffs staircase nearby, which drops to the wild beach below the cliffs.
It’s one of the most rewarding short stops on the island, combining history, architecture, and the best coastal view Block Island has to offer.
Tours and Hours
In season, typically summer into early fall, the lighthouse offers tours, and on select days visitors can climb the tower for a keeper’s eye view from the top. There’s usually a small gift shop and a modest admission or tower climb fee that supports the nonprofit that maintains the light.
Hours and tour availability are seasonal and can change year to year, so:
Confirm current tour hours, tower climb days, and admission directly with the Southeast Lighthouse before you go. Operations are seasonal and run by a preservation nonprofit.
Outside of staffed hours, the grounds and the surrounding bluff views remain a spectacular spot to walk and photograph any time of day.
Getting There & Parking
The lighthouse is on Mohegan Trail on the island’s south end, an easy trip from Old Harbor:
- By bike or moped. The classic approach, about 15 to 20 minutes of riding south from town with a hill or two. (See the biking guide.)
- By taxi or shuttle. Quick and easy if you’d rather not pedal the hills.
- On foot. Doable for ambitious walkers, but most people ride.
There’s a parking area at the bluffs and lighthouse, which fills up midday in peak summer, so come earlier or later for an easier time and better light. For orientation, see our Block Island map guide.
The North Light, Too
The Southeast Light has a sibling at the opposite end of the island: the North Lighthouse at Sandy Point, a granite tower from 1867 standing at the tip of a long, wild sand spit inside a wildlife refuge. The two lighthouses bookend the island and make a satisfying pair for a full day of exploring. Read about both in our Block Island lighthouses guide.
Best Time to Visit for Photos
The Southeast Lighthouse faces roughly south and east, so it catches beautiful morning light, while late afternoon and golden hour wash the red brick and the bluffs in warm tones. Midday is fine for tours but flatter for photos and busier for parking. Sunrise from the bluffs here is one of the island’s quiet rewards if you can get up for it.
For more on combining the lighthouse with everything else, drop it into our perfect weekend itinerary or browse all the island’s historical landmarks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you go inside the Block Island Southeast Lighthouse?
In season, yes. The lighthouse offers tours, and on select days visitors can climb the tower. Hours are seasonal, so confirm directly before visiting.
Why was the Southeast Lighthouse moved?
Erosion of the clay bluffs left the tower dangerously close to the cliff edge. In 1993, the entire structure was relocated about 300 feet inland to save it.
How old is the Southeast Lighthouse?
It was built in 1875 in a Gothic Revival style and is a designated National Historic Landmark.
How do you get to the Southeast Lighthouse?
It’s on Mohegan Trail on the island’s south end, about a 15 to 20 minute bike ride from Old Harbor, or a short taxi trip. Parking is available but fills up midday in summer.
Is the Southeast Lighthouse near Mohegan Bluffs?
Yes, they’re right next to each other. Most visitors see both in a single stop, including the staircase down to the beach below the bluffs.
