Lighthouses of the United States: Arizona

The United States of America is a federal union of 50 states and a capital district. The southwestern state of Arizona is landlocked and mostly desert; navigation is limited to the lakes created by a series of dams on the Colorado River, including the section that forms the border between Arizona and California. One of these lakes is Lake Havasu, where the diligent members of the Lake Havasu Lighthouse Club have built a series of lighthouses. These lights are reduced-size replicas inspired by famous lighthouses of the U.S. and Canada. The lights are legitimate aids to navigation with designs approved by the Coast Guard and locations approved by the state as part of a master plan for lighting the waterways of the lake. As of 2023 a total of 28 lighthouses have been completed, including seven on the California side of the lake.

Lake Havasu is the reservoir pooled behind Parker Dam, completed in 1938. The lake, a major water source for both Arizona and southern California, is about 30 miles (50 km) long. Lake Havasu City, founded in 1964, is built on the east (Arizona) side of the lake. A canal called the Bridgewater Channel was cut through the peninsula of Pittsburgh Point to create Havasu Island, and in 1968 the developer, Robert McCulloch, bought London Bridge and had the exterior granite stones shipped to America and used to face the new bridge crossing the channel. The current population of the city is a little less than 60,000.

General Sources
Lake Havasu Lighthouse Club - Lighthouses
The club's web site has photos and maps documenting the lighthouse construction project.
Lighthouses in Lake Havasu City
A collection of photos posted by the city on Flickr.com.
Navionics Charts
Navigational chart information for Lake Havasu.


Buffalo Main Replica, May 2012
Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by C. Wanamaker

La Paz County Lighthouse

Lower Lake Havasu East Shore Lighthouses
* Havasu Springs Marina (Sandy Hook Replica)
2007. Active; amber flash every 1 s. Approx. 20 ft (6 m) octagonal tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern painted red. Deborah Diaz has a view from the lake, a fuzzy photo is available and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse is a replica of the oldest surviving U.S. lighthouse, which marks the New York harbor entrance at Sandy Hook, New Jersey. The replica is on the east side of the entrance to the Havasu Springs Marina, at the extreme southern end of Lake Havasu near the Parker Dam. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Havasu Springs Resort.

Mojave County Lighthouses

Lower Lake Havasu East Shore Lighthouses
Larned Landing (Berwick Replica)
2008. Active; red flash every 1 s. Approx. 33 ft (10 m) square pyramidal tower with lantern and gallery, mounted on a square platform supported by four piles. Entire lighthouse painted red. Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse is a replica of the Southwest Reef Light, formerly located in the Gulf of Mexico but now relocated to a city park in Berwick, Louisiana. The replica is located at Larned Landing on the east side of the southern end of the lake opposite the Havasu Springs Marina. Accessible by boat; the road entrance from AZ 95 is gated. Site open, tower closed.
Red Rock Point (Barnegat Replica)
2008. Active; red flash every 1 s. Approx. 33 ft (10 m) round tower with lantern and gallery. Upper half of the tower painted red, lower half and lantern painted white. Google has a satellite view. This is a replica of a historic lighthouse at Barnegat Inlet, New Jersey. Located at Red Rock Point, an island at the end of a rocky ridge that projects dangerously into the northeastern side of the lake about 15 mi (25 km) downstream from Lake Havasu City. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed.
Pilot Rock (Portland Head Replica)
2010. Active; red flash every 1 s. Approx. 5 m (17 ft) round tower with lantern, painted white. A photo is at right, Thom Karmik has a photo, Kevin Johnson has a 2019 photo, a spectacular view is available, and Google has a satellite view. This is a replica of one the most famous U.S. lighthouses, near Portland, Maine. Accessible by road, but it's a stiff climb up the rock to the lighthouse. 4WD recommended. Located atop a tall headland about 5 miles (8 km) southeast of Havasu Island. Accessible by boat. Site open, tower closed.


Portland Head Replica
LHCCVB photo


Bridgewater Channel East Side (Mainland) Lighthouses
* Thompson Bay (Fire Island Replica)
2012. Active; red flash every 1 s. 21 ft (6.5 m) round stucco-covered tower with lantern and gallery, painted with black and white horizontal bands. Aaron Zapata has a street view and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse is a replica of the Fire Island Light in Long Island, New York. Located at Rotary Park, which faces Thompson Bay about 2 km (1.25 mi) southeast of London Bridge. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Lake Havasu City (Rotary Community Park).
* Bridgewater Channel East (Currituck Replica)
2004. Active; red flash every 1 s. 21 ft (6.5 m) round brick tower with lantern and gallery. The tower is built with unpainted brown concrete blocks to simulate the red brick original; lantern painted black. Bradley Gordon's photo is at right, Sitiawan MingYau has a photo, and the city has posted a photo, but a tree blocks our view of the light in Google's satellite view. John Evans has a street view showing a crowd waiting for a Chrsistmas boat parade in 2021. This lighthouse is a replica of the Currituck Beach Light at Corolla on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Located on the mainland on the east side of the south entrance to the Bridgewater Channel, opposite Buffalo Main replica. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Lake Havasu City.

Havasu Island Lighthouses
* Bridgewater Channel West (Buffalo Main Replica)
2003. Active; green flash every 1 s. 25 ft (8 m) octagonal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted buff to resemble the stone of the original; lantern painted black. C. Wanamaker's photo is at the top of this page, the city has posted a photo, a 2009 photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. John Evans has a street view showing a crowd waiting for a Chrsistmas boat parade in 2021. The original lighthouse is located on the waterfront at Buffalo, New York. Located on the west (island) side of the south entrance to the Bridgewater Channel about 1/2 mile (800 m) south of London Bridge. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Lake Havasu City.
* Lake Havasu Marina
2001(?). Active; amber flash every 1 s. 17 ft (5 m) round concrete block tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with two narrow red horizontal bands; the lantern roof is also red. Dan Baldini has a photo, the city has posted a closeup and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse is not a replica of a historic light but it was the inspiration for all the other lights. Located at the end of the breakwater on the south side of the marina entrance on Havasu Island off the Bridgewater Channel about 0.6 mi (1 km) south of London Bridge. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Lake Havasu Marina.
Currituck Replica Light
Currituck Replica, February 2010
Flickr Creative Commons photo by Bradley Gordon
* Spectator Point (Algoma Pierhead Replica)
2009. Active; red flash every 1 s. Approx. 20 ft (6 m) round tower with lantern, painted red. Dan Baldini has a photo and Google has a satellite view. The original lighthouse is on Lake Michigan in Algoma, Wisconsin. Located at Spectator Point, the southeastern tip of Havasu Island. Site open, tower closed.
* Havasu Island Golf Course (White Shoal Replica)
2008. Active; red flash every 1 s. Approx. 20 ft (6 m) round tower with lantern and gallery. Tower painted in a red and white spiral pattern; lantern and base painted red. Thom Karmik has a 2014 photo, Mitchell Moore has a street view, and Google has a satellite view. The original lighthouse is built on a shoal in northern Lake Michigan. Located on the south side of the island, next to the 15th green of the Havasu Island Golf Club. Site open (to golf club members at least), tower closed. Site manager: Havasu Island Golf Course.
* South Point (Chicago Harbor Southeast Guidewall Replica)
2013. Active; red flash every 1 s. Approx. 23 ft (7 m) square tower, lower half skeletal and upper half enclosed, with lantern and gallery. Lower half of the lighthouse painted white, upper half green, lantern black. Gabriele Pettinato has a street view (a portion is seen at right), Thom Karmik has a 2014 photo, and Google has a satellite view. The original lighthouse is located on Southeast Guidewall (not the Navy Pier) at Chicago, Illinois. Located on a headland at the southwestern tip of Havasu Island. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Sam's Beachcomber RV Resort.
* Southwest Point II (Wind Point Replica)
2010. Active; amber flash every 1 s. Approx. 20 ft (6 m) round tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white with black trim. A 2021 closeup photo (misidentified as the Point Gratiot/Dunkirk replica) is available and Google has a street view and a satellite view. The original lighthouse is located on Lake Michigan near Racine, Wisconsin. Located on a headland at the southwestern tip of Havasu Island. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Lake Havasu City (Site Six Launch Ramp).

Chicago Harbor Southeast Guidewall Replica, May 2019
Google Maps street view by Gabriele Pettinato
* Southwest Point I (Alpena Replica)
2006. Active; red flash every 1 s. 18 ft (5.5 m) square skeletal tower with lantern and gallery. Entire lighthouse painted red. A 2020 photo is available, Jake McCarthy has a good 2008 closeup and Google has a satellite view. This light is a replica of an unusual lighthouse on Lake Huron at Alpena, Michigan. Located at the southwestern tip of Havasu Island, only about 100 m (110 yd) northwest of the Wind Point Replica. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Lake Havasu City (Site Five Dive Park ).
* West Point II (Dunkirk Replica, Point Gratiot Replica)
2015. Active; red flash every 1 s. 20 ft (6 m) square tower with lantern and gallery, painted buff at the base, white on the tower, and black on the lantern. Jennifer Beattie has a 2022 photo, a 2021 closeup photo is available and Google has a satellite view. The light is a replica of the Point Gratiot lighthouse at Dunkirk, New York. The lighthouse was repaired after being badly damaged by vandals in February 2018. Located on the west end of Havasu Island, halfway between the Alpena and Split Rock replicas. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Lake Havasu City.
* West Point I (Split Rock Replica)
2004. Active; red flash every 1 s. 21 ft (6.5 m) octagonal stucco tower with lantern and gallery, painted buff with white trim to resemble the stone of the original; lantern painted black. Dorian Wallender's photo is at right, Paolo Gariboldi has a 2023 photo, Daniel Park has a closeup photo, the city also has posted a photo, and Google has a satellite view and a distant street view. This lighthouse replaced a state-maintained post light, which remains. The original Split Rock Light is on the northwestern shore of Lake Superior near Beaver Bay, Minnesota. Located at the west corner of Havasu Island about 1.5 miles (2.5 km) northwest of London Bridge. Site open, tower closed.
* Crazy Horse Marina (Robert R. Manning Replica)
2003. Active; amber flash every 1 s. 20 ft (6 m) round cylindrical stucco-clad frame tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern is green. The city has posted a photo and Google has a satellite view. The original Manning Light is on Lake Michigan at Empire, Michigan. Located at the entrance to the Crazyhorse Campground Marina off McCulloch Boulevard about 0.5 mile (800 m) southeast of AZ 95 in Lake Havasu City. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Crazy Horse Campgrounds.
* Pittsburgh Point (Vermilion Replica)
2005. Active; red flash every 1 s. 16 ft (5 m) octagonal stucco tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with a red band at the base; lantern painted black. Julia Clark has a 2022 photo, the city has posted a 2009 photo, and Google has a satellite view and a very distant street view. This is a replica of the lighthouse on Lake Erie at Vermilion, Ohio. Located on Pittsburgh Point on the northwest coast of Havasu Island about 1.2 miles (2 km) northwest of London Bridge. Site open, tower closed.

Split Rock Replica, January 2010
Flickr Creative Commons photo by Dorian Wallender
* Lake Havasu Yacht Club (West Quoddy Head Replica)
2002. Active; green flash every 1 s. 18 ft (5.5 m) round tower with lantern and gallery, painted with narrow red and white horizontal bands. Melissa Jenkins has the 2022 photo seen at right, the city has posted a closeup, Bev Matheson has a 2013 photo, and Google has a satellite view. This light was sponsored by the Lake Havasu Yacht Club; the club's clubhouse also includes a faux lighthouse. The original West Quoddy Head Light is the easternmost lighthouse of the U.S., near Lubec, Maine. Located at the north end of the Bridgewater Channel about 1/2 mile (800 m) northwest of London Bridge. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Lake Havasu Yacht Club.

Upper Lake Havasu Lighthouses
* Bridgewater Channel North (East Quoddy Head Replica)
2006. Active; red flash every 1 s. 18 ft (5.5 m) octagonal tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with a red cross; lantern painted red. A 2022 photo is available, Dorian Wallender has a photo, the city has posted a photo, Mike Jones has a 2008 closeup, and Google has a satellite view. The original East Quoddy Head Light (officially called the Head Harbour Light) is on Campobello Island, New Brunswick. Located on the mainland, at the end of the breakwater on the east side of the northern entrance to the Bridgewater Channel, near Lake Havasu State Park's Beach #4, about 1/2 mile (800 m) north of London Bridge. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Arizona State Parks and Trails (Lake Havasu State Park).
* Windsor Beach II (New Cape Henry Replica)
2018. Active; flash every 1 s, color not recorded. Approx. 12 m (39 ft) octagonal tower with lantern and gallery, painted in a black and white checkered pattern. Erica Acosta has a distant view and Google has a street view and a distant satellite view. The original lighthouse is at Cape Henry in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Located on a pier about 800 ft (250 m) north of the East Quoddy Head Replica. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Arizona State Parks and Trails (Lake Havasu State Park).
* Windsor Beach I (Cape Hatteras Replica)
2002. Active; amber flash every 1 s. 45 ft (14 m) round strongly conical tower (much more strongly tapered than the original) with lantern and gallery, painted with the distinctive black and white spiral pattern of the original. The city has posted a photo and Google has a satellite view and a distant street view. The color of this light was changed from white to amber to provide better visibility to boats on the lake; the white light was hard to see against the developed shoreline. The original Cape Hatteras Light is the tallest lighthouse in the U.S., located near Buxton, North Carolina. Located at the personal watercraft ramp of Lake Havasu State Park about 1.5 miles (2.5 km) northwest of London Bridge in Lake Havasu City. Site open, tower closed. Site manager:Arizona State Parks and Trails (Lake Havasu State Park).

West Quoddy Head Replica, March 2022
Google Maps photo by Melissa Jenkins
 

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Posted August 7, 2007. Checked and revised December 15, 2023. Lighthouses: 21. Site copyright 2023 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.