New York's Most Charming Lighthouse In The Middle Of The Hudson River Can Be Visited On Select Summer Days

Lighthouses are such marvelous structures. Towering over their surroundings like watchful sentinels, many have stood witness to pivotal moments in history. Did they guide soldiers during a naval engagement? Were they built or visited by someone notable — perhaps a president or dignitary? These are the kinds of burning questions we might ask ourselves when we're lucky enough to spot a lighthouse, say, during a leisurely drive or a family vacation. 

It isn't long before curiosity gets the best of us, drawing us to experience these treasures up close. Whether you're visiting Hudson or the nearby village of Athens, the iconic Hudson-Athens Lighthouse sits smack dab in the middle of the Hudson River in Upstate New York, as if waiting to tell you countless stories. What a treat it would be to make this your first stop after arriving at Albany International Airport — just about an hour's drive away from the boat launch — and to capture photos of the charming structure as the sun begins to set. For all its rich history, as you'll read below, the lighthouse has faced several threats, both physical and in the form of calls for its demolition. This might not be the world's last hand-cranked lighthouse, but it's still deserving of a visit nonetheless.

History buffs and maritime mavens are in for a real treat. With the opening of the Erie Canal in 1825, the Hudson River lacked a beacon to safely guide vessels to and from the Great Lakes. Upon approval from Congress, construction of the Second Empire style-lighthouse, which rises an impressive 46 feet, commenced in earnest in 1873, with the first lighting occurring only a year later. During your visit, be on the lookout for the original fog bell, which is affixed to the structure's brick exterior. 

Now a museum, the lighthouse houses a wealth of interesting pieces donated by the family of the lighthouse's last civilian keeper, providing a tangible glimpse of a bygone era. Though this isn't the oldest lighthouse you'll find — like the Marblehead Lighthouse which is the Great Lakes' oldest such structure — the Hudson-Athens Lighthouse has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1979. 

The lighthouse is accessible only by boat, but look on the bright side: Even though you can't just amble right up to the structure, you can still enjoy scenic water views on the way there. Hour-long public tours are offered on select Saturdays (usually one Saturday at the end of each month from May through mid-October), providing guests with a generous window within which to visit in the summer or fall. Children ages 3 to 11 can get a spot on the tour for $15 while adults are charged a reasonable $25, with discounted rates available for members of the Hudson-Athens Lighthouse Preservation Society (HALPS). 

The lighthouse is certainly no spring chicken, having marked its 150th birthday in 2024. After the lighthouse was automated, the Coast Guard nearly razed it — but thankfully, that fate was averted. Still, with age comes wear, and the structure has been in dire need of repairs, landing it on the National Trust for Historic Preservation's list of America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places. Traffic from modern vessels coupled with damage from ice currents has severely compromised the lighthouse's foundation, prompting HALPS to allocate grant money toward much-needed repairs and enhancements.

However, unless significant preservation efforts continue apace, the structure may very well meet its demise in a few years. Given its outsized role in the nation's development, HALPS is committed to preserving the lighthouse as a special gathering place for both current and future generations. While it may never get as much attention as, say, the Statue of Liberty, the lighthouse is an emblem that people of all ages can appreciate. And if you're interested in exploring another interesting — albeit odd — Hudson River attraction, check out Bannerman Castle on Pollepel Island, a supposedly haunted rocky island with castle ruins.