Lighthouses of the United States: Hawai'i

The United States of America is a federal union of 50 states and a capital district. The state of Hawai'i occupies an archipelago of islands in the central North Pacific Ocean. Previously an independent Polynesian kingdom, the islands were annexed by the United States in 1898 and became the 50th state of the Union in 1959. The largest and easternmost island is also named Hawai'i but residents usually call it the Big Island. Honolulu, the capital and only large city, is on the island of O'ahu. Maui, Moloka'i, and the smaller islands of Lāna'i and Kaho'olawe lie between the Big Island and O'ahu, while Kaua'i lies to the west. All the islands are of volcanic origin, with active volcanos on the Big Island. On the coastlines sandy beaches extend between precipitous rocky headlands.

The official spelling of the state name is Hawaii, but many Hawai'ians prefer the spelling with the apostrophe representing the Polynesian glottal stop. Hawai'ian is an official language in the state in addition to English. The Hawai'ian phrase for a lighthouse is hale kukui; mokopuni is an island, kai kūʻono is a bay, ʻaʻa is a reef, and awa is a harbor.

Navigational aids in the United States are operated by the U.S. Coast Guard and the lights in Hawai'i are maintained by the Fourteenth Coast Guard District based in Honolulu. Ownership (and sometimes operation) of historic lighthouses has been transferred to local authorities and preservation organizations in many cases.

ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. Admiralty numbers are from volume G of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. USCG numbers are from Volume VI of the U.S. Coast Guard Light List.

General Sources
Hawaii Lighthouses
Excellent photos and historical information from Kraig Anderson's LighthouseFriends.com site.
Online List of Lights - Hawaiian Islands
Photos by various photographers posted by Alexander Trabas. Most of the Hawai'i photos are by Michael Boucher or Rainer Arndt.
Lighthouses of Hawaii
This page by Bryan Penberthy features photos by Kim Halstead and Dennis Kent.
Lighthouses in Hawaii
Photos by various photographers available from Wikimedia.
World of Lighthouses - California and Hawaii
Photos by various photographers available from Lightphotos.net.
Hawaii, United States Lighthouses
Aerial photos posted by Marinas.com.
Lighthouses of Oahu
July 2004 Lighthouse Digest feature article by Randy Hamsad.
Hawaii Lighthouses
Excellent photos posted by Selvin Chance.
Leuchttürme USA auf historischen Postkarten
Historic postcard images posted by Klaus Huelse.
U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Center: Light Lists
The USCG Light List can be downloaded in pdf format.
NOAA Nautical Chart Locator
Nautical charts for the coast can be viewed online.
Navionics Charts
Navigation chart for Hawai'i.
 
Makapu'u Point Light
Makapu'u Point Light, O'ahu, December 2007
Flickr Creative Commons photo by Jon Parise

Hawai'i County (Big Island) Lighthouses

The island of Hawai'i is traditionally divided into six regions. For administrative purposes three of the larger regions have been divided to make a total of nine districts.

Kohala Region Lighthouses
The Kohala region (South Kohala and North Kohala Districts) occupies the northwestern corner of the island.
* Kawaihae (4)
1915 (station established 1869). Active; focal plane 59 ft (18 m); white flash every 6 s. 36 ft (11 m) square pyramidal reinforced concrete tower, painted white. Christian Veillet has several photos (3/4 of the way down the page), Trabas has Boucher's photo, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. This light marks the entrance to Kawaihae Harbor. Located just off HI 270 north of Kawaihae. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS HAW-011; Admiralty G7228; USCG 6-28270.
* Māhukona (2)
1915 (station established 1889). Active; focal plane 64 ft (19.5 m); white flash every 4 s. 22 ft (6.5 m) square pyramidal reinforced concrete tower, painted white. Christian Veillet has a closeup and a photo of the foundations of the 1889 tower, Trabas has Boucher's photo, and Google has a satellite view. Wikimedia has a 1904 photo of the original light. Located on a promontory south of Māhukona Harbor, about 5 miles (8 km) south of the northernmost point of the island. Accessible by a short walk south from the Māhukona Beach Park, off HI 270. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS HAW-012; Admiralty G7226; USCG 6-28325.
#Kauhola Point (3)
1933 (station established 1897). Demolished in 2009. This was an 86 ft (26 m) reinforced concrete tower, painted white, with an aerobeacon mounted atop the capped tower. The keeper's house and other station buildings have also been demolished. The active light (focal plane 116 ft (35.5 m); white flash every 15 s) is on a tall steel pole carrying an open lantern structure. T. Doyle's photo appears at right and Chance has several photos. A 1904 photo of the first lighthouse is available and the Coast Guard has a 1932 photo of the second lighthouse with the third under construction. A sibling of Barbers Point Light on O'ahu and Nawiliwili Harbor Light on Kaua'i, this lighthouse never had an enclosed lantern. For many years the aerobeacons flashed alternately red and green. The lighthouse was long endangered by erosion of the cliff face on which it stood and it was demolished in December 2009 when it was only 20 ft (6 m) from the edge. Lighthouse Digest has an article on the destruction of the lighthouse that includes a photo of the new light being installed, Tom Benedict has a drone view of the new light and Google has a satellite view. The original lighthouse here, a 40 ft (12 m) wood tower, was replaced by a wood skeletal tower in 1917. Located at the end of a rutted dirt road off HI 270 about 5 miles (8 km) east southeast of the northernmost point of the island. Accessible by 4WD vehicle or a hike of about 2 mi (3 km) each way. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS HAW-010. Active light: Admiralty G7222; USCG 6-28010.
Kauhola Point Light
Kauhola Point Light (now lost), Kohala, August 2006
Wikimedia Creative Commons photo
by T. Doyle

Hāmākua Region Lighthouse
The coast of the Hāmākua District is on the north side of the island west of Hilo.
Kukuihaele (2)
1937 (station established 1911). Active; focal plane 154 ft (47 m); white light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 34 ft (10 m) square hourglass-shaped reinforced concrete tower, painted white. A Coast Guard photo is at right, Hugo Ta has a very distant view from the next headland to the east, and Google has a satellite view. Built later than the other concrete towers of the island, this lighthouse has a distinctive appearance. Unlike the others it has an interior ladder used to reach the light. The name of the lighthouse means "lighthouse" in Hawai'ian. Located about 13 miles (20 km) southeast of Kauhola Point. The surrounding land is fenced for pastures. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS HAW-031; Admiralty G7218; USCG 6-28015.

Hilo Region Lighthouse
Hilo, with a population of about 45,000, is the largest town of the Big Island and the county seat of Hawai'i County. The coasts of the North Hilo and South Hilo Districts face northeast on the windward coast of the island.

*
[
Laupāhoehoe Point (3)]
1915 (station established 1890). Inactive since 1946. 6 m (20 ft) square pyramidal concrete tower, now lying in ruins on the beach. Christian Veillet has a good photo and Lighthouse Digest has Sandra Shanklin's article on the station. Andrea Guillet has a street view but Google's satellite view of the point doesn't show the light. This light was heavily damaged by the tsunami of 1 April 1946, which also killed 25 teachers and children from school classes that were on the beach nearby. A storm in 1947 toppled the tower and it remains where it fell. Trabas has Boucher's photo of the active light (focal plane 39 ft (12 m); white flash every 2.5 s) on a 6 m (20 ft) steel post behind the former lighthouse. The point is the tip of a tongue of old pāhoehoe lava from the Mauna Kea volcano. Located on the point in Laupāhoehoe Point Park, about 2.5 km (1.5 mi) northwest of Laupāhoehoe. Accessible by road from HI 19; parking provided. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS HAW-026. Active light: Admiralty G7214; USCG 6-28020.
* [Pepe'ekeo Point (4)]
2002 (station established 1897). Active; focal plane 147 ft (45 m); white light occults every 4 s. 75 ft (23 m) steel pole. Google has a satellite view. This light replaced a smaller sibling of Cape Kumukahi Light; Lighthouse Digest has Caroline Ducosin's article on life at that station, illustrated by a photo, and the Coast Guard also has a historic photo. In 2004 a developer began building an upscale residential community in the area, but lighthouse fans were assured that the road to the site would remain open. The original lighthouse here was a 40 ft (12 m) wood tower similar to the one at Kauhola Point. Located on the point, off HI 19 about 6 miles (10 km) north of Hilo. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS HAW-016; Admiralty G7212; USCG 6-28025.

Kukuihaele Light, Hāmākua, September 2010
U.S. Coast Guard photo
* Pauka'a Point (4)
1925 (station established 1869). Active; focal plane 145 ft (44 m); green flash every 6 s. 34 ft (10 m) square pyramidal reinforced concrete tower, painted white. Trabas has Arndt's photo, Lighthouse Digest has Ted Smith's photo, and Google has a satellite view. This light serves as the landfall light for Hilo harbor, the best harbor on the Big Island. The original wooden lighthouse was replaced by wood skeletal structure in 1890 and then by a tall mast in 1904. Located at Pauka'a Point, at the end of Lahoa Place off HI 19 at Pauka'a, about 2 miles (3 km) north of downtown Hilo. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS HAW-022; Admiralty G7210; USCG 6-28030.
[Hilo Breakwater]
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); white flash every 2.5 s. 10 m (33 ft) steel post carrying diamond-shaped black and white daymarks. Trabas has Arndt's closeup photo and Bing has a satellite view. Hilo Bay is protected from waves driven by the prevailing trade wind by a long curved breakwater completed in 1929. Located at the end of the breakwater. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty G7209; USCG 6-28040.
* Coconut Point (Hilo) (3)
1975 (station established 1904). Active; focal plane 38 ft (11.5 m); green light occulting once every 4 s, visible only along the proper line of entry to the harbor. 34 ft (10 m) square pyramidal reinforced concrete tower, painted white. Lindsey Theodore's photo is at right, Chance has a great closeup photo as well as a view from the sea, Michael Matusinec has a 2010 photo, Trabas has Boucher's photo, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. This lighthouse replaced a similar tower built in 1915. The light guides vessels into the harbor after they round the end of the breakwater. Located on the Hilo waterfront near the foot of Waianuenue Avenue. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. . ARLHS HAW-023; Admiralty G7200; USCG 6-28050.
 

Coconut Point Light, Hāmākua, May 2018
Google Maps photo by Lindsey Theodore
Hilo Range Rear
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 127 ft (39 m); green light, 3 s on, 3 s off. Approx. 25 m (82 ft) square tapered skeletal tower, painted white and carrying a rectangular daymark colored red with a white vertical stripe. Trabas has Arndt's photo and Google has a street view and a satellite view. The range guides large vessels across the harbor to the cruise ship quay. The front light is on a tall mast. Located on a bluff off Kalanianaole Avenue east of the cruise ship pier on the east side of Hilo. Site apparently open, tower closed. Admiralty G7202.1; USCG 6-28065.

Puna Region Lighthouse
The Puna District occupies the eastern point of the island.
* Cape Kumukahi (2)
1934 (John Hansen) (station established 1929). Inactive since 2019. 125 ft (38 m) square pyramidal steel skeletal tower, painted white; original DCB-24 aerobeacon. The keeper's house, 0.6 mi (1 km) to the west, was destroyed by the Kapoho lava flow of 1960, but the flow split in two sparing the light tower. Hunter Bishop has a 2008 closeup, Ai Pohaku has a good photo, Trabas has Boucher's photo, Wikimedia has Eli Duke's photo, and Google has a satellite view. This tall, graceful skeletal tower is unlike any other U.S. lighthouse. NOAA's Mauna Loa Observatory maintains an air sampling station at the lighthouse, since the site is known for having some of the cleanest air in the world. In 2018 a lava flow blocked the road to the lighthouse., but it has since been rebuilt. The light was deactivated in Decmebr 2019. The original, temporary lighthouse was a 32 ft (10 m) wood tower. Located at the end of secondary road 132 (an unpaved road) about 15 miles (25 km) east of Pahoa, marking the easternmost point of the island and state. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. . ARLHS HAW-002; ex-Admiralty G7248; ex-USCG 6-28130.

Kaʻū Region Lighthouses
The Kaʻū District occupies the southeast coast and southern tip of the island. Much of the district is occupied by the relentlessly active Kīlauea volcano and its lava flows.

* [Ka Lae (3)]
1972 (station established 1909). Active; focal plane 60 ft (18 m); white flash every 6 s. 32 ft (10 m) concrete post carrying the light and a diamond-shaped black and white daymarker. A 2010 photo is available, Trabas has Boucher's photo, David Benbennick has a street view, and Google has a satellite view. This lightbeacon is of special interest for marking the southernmost point of the United States at 18° 54.7' north latitude. Ruins of an ancient Hawai'ian temple, the Kalalea Heiau, are at the foot of the tower; the area is recognized as a National Historic Landmark. The original light was on a 34 ft (10.5 m) wood mast; it was replaced by a 45 ft (13.5 m) steel tower in 1929. Anderson has a 1948 photo of the 1929 lighthouse. The name Ka Lae simply means "The Point." Located at the end of South Point Road about 20 miles (32 km) south of HI 11. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. . ARLHS HAW-008; Admiralty G7242; USCG 6-28140.
Cape Kumukahi Light
Cape Kumukahi Light, Puna, January 2012
Flickr Creative Commons photo by Larry Myhre

Kona Region Lighthouses
The Kona region (South Kona and North Kona Districts) occupies most of the west coast of the island. This is the leeward side of the island (kona means leeward), so it has a dry and generally sunny climate beloved by beach resorts.
* [Miloli'i Point (2)]
Date unknown (station established 1965). Active; focal plane 44 ft (13 m); white flash every 4 s. 6 m (20 ft) post. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. A square pyramidal concrete tower was built here in 1965, but it deteriorated rather quickly and was replaced by the post. Accessible by a short walk from Miloli'i Road in Miloli'i village, but the entrance is not marked. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS HAW-013; Admiralty G7240; USCG 6-28145.
Napo'opo'o (2)
1922 (station established 1908). Active; focal plane 27 ft (8 m); white flash every 6 s. 22 ft (6.5 m) square pyramidal reinforced concrete tower, painted white. Trabas has Boucher's photo (also seen at right) and Google has a satellite view. Located at Cook Point on the north side of Kealakekua Bay on the west side of the island. The lighthouse is about 400 yards (360 m) west of the Captain Cook Monument, which marks the area where the British explorer Capt. James Cook was killed in February 1779. There is a hiking trail to the monument that has a branch leading to the lighthouse, but this is not an easy place to visit; there's no sign at the trailhead on HI 160 and the trail appears to be rather overgrown. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS HAW-024; Admiralty G7236; USCG 6-28150.
* Kailua (Kailua-Kona) (2)
1915 (station established 1909). Active; focal plane 32 ft (10 m); white light, 3 s on, 3 s off (red sector covers shoals). 20 ft (6 m) square pyramidal reinforced concrete tower, painted white. Trabas has Arndt's photo and Google has a satellite view and a distant street view. The lighthouse replaced a light mounted on a mast. Located on Kukailimoku Point at the western entrance to the harbor at Kailua-Kona. Accessible by a short walk from the Old Kona Airport State Recreation Area, where parking is available. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS HAW-009; Admiralty G7234; USCG 6-28185.
* #Keāhole Point (2)
1915 (station established 1908). Demolished in 2009, this was a 33 ft (10 m) square pyramidal reinforced concrete tower, painted white. Trabas has Boucher's photo, Greg Campbell has a 2008 photo, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. The active light (focal plane 43 ft (14 m); white flash every 6 s (red sector covers shoals)) is on a steel post. Anderson has a photo of the new light and Google has a satellite view. The previous lighthouse also replaced a light mounted on a mast. The surrounding area has been developed by a state authority created to experiment with ocean thermal energy conversion, an alternative energy source. Located on the westernmost point of the island just southwest of Keāhole-Kona International Airport. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawai'i Authority. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS HAW-019. Active light: Admiralty G7231; USCG 6-28215.
Napo'opo'o Light
Napo'opo'o Light, Kona, 2003
photo copyright Michael Boucher; used by permission

Maui County Lighthouses

Maui Lighthouses
The island of Maui is the second largest of the Hawai'ian Islands and has a population of about 165,000. Geologists believe that the four islands of Maui County are remnants of a large single island, larger than the Big Island today; they call this prehistoric island Maui Nui ("Greater Maui").

[Ka'uiki Head (2)]
1914 (station established 1906). Active; focal plane 85 ft (26 m); white flash every 2.5 s. 14 ft (4 m) pyramidal reinforced concrete tower. Krys Kwiecien has a distant view, Wikimedia has an aerial photo by Forest and Kim Starr, Marinas.com also has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. The 1-story wood keeper's house of the original lighthouse was relocated and incorporated into a private residence in Hāna. Located on Pu'uki, a small island just off Ka'uiki Head on the south side of Hāna Bay, marking the easternmost point of the island. Site and tower closed but the lighthouse can be seen from Hana Bay Beach Park. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS HAW-018; Admiralty G7288; USCG 6-28390.
[Hanamanioa Point (2)]
Date unknown (station established 1918). Active; focal plane 73 ft (22 m); white flash every 4 s. 21 ft (6.5 m) steel post, painted white. Adam Crowther has a 2018 photo, Trabas has Boucher's aerial view, Lighthouse Digest has Tom Dutton's closeup, Ed Schreibman has a street view, Sadi Santos has a distant street view from the beach, and Google has a satellite view. Dutton reports that portions of the 1918 pyramidal reinforced concrete tower are lying on the rocky beach. Located at the southwestern point of Maui. Accessible via the Hoapili Trail, a rough hiking trail from La Perouse Bay near Makena. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS HAW-030; Admiralty G7258; USCG 6-28405.
[Molokini Island (4)]
1989 (station established 1911). Active; focal plane 186 ft (56.5 m); white flash every 2.5 s. Approx. 6 m (20 ft) post. Trabas has Boucher's aerial view, Wikimedia has a distant view, and Google has a satellite view and a distant sea view. Molokini is a crescent-shaped, partially submerged volcanic crater located in the Alalakeiki Channel between Maui and Kahoʻolawe. The original lighthouse, on a small skeletal tower, was replaced in 1930 and again in 1947. The third light was blown over by a storm in April 1989. The island is a seabird sanctuary and landing requires permission from the Coast Guard and the Hawaii Division of Forestry and Wildlife. Site and tower closed. Admiralty G7254; USCG 6-28410.
* McGregor Point (2)
1915 (station established 1906). Active; focal plane 72 ft (22 m); green light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 22 ft (6.5 m) pyramidal reinforced concrete tower, painted white. James Brennan's photo is at right, Jo Alvarez has a 2018 photo, Trabas has Boucher's photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. The nearby McGregor Point Lookout is a popular site for whale watching. The Coast Guard restored the lighthouse in 2018. Located off HI 30 about 1 mile (1.6 km) southwest of Māʻalaea. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. . ARLHS HAW-025; Admiralty G7260; USCG 6-28415.

McGregor Point Light, Maui, June 2014
Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by James Brennan
* Lāhainā (6)
1917 (station established 1840). Active; focal plane 44 ft (13.5 m); red flash every 7.5 s. 39 ft (12 m) pyramidal reinforced concrete tower, painted white with gray trim. A Coast Guard photo is at right, another good photo is available, Anderson has an excellent page with photos and the history of the lighthouse, Trabas has Boucher's photo, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. The satellite view shows the awful destruction of the town of Lāhainā by the firestorms that devastated western Maui in early August 2023, killing about 100 people and causing damage estimated in excess of $5 billion. The light tower is the only major structure still standing on the Lāhainā waterfont. This is Hawai'i's oldest light station; King Kamehameha I established a lighthouse here in 1840. At least four lighthouses stood here before the U.S. Lighthouse Board erected a wooden lighthouse in 1905. In 1996 the Lāhainā Restoration Foundation leased the site from the Coast Guard. The historic town of Lāhainā was the royal capital from 1820 to 1845 and a favorite port for whaling vessels from around the world. Located overlooking Lāhainā harbor at the western end of the island. Site open, tower closed. Owner: U.S. Coast Guard. Site manager: Lāhainā Restoration Foundation. . ARLHS HAW-020; Admiralty G7266; USCG 6-28460.
[Nakalele Point (3)]
Date unknown (station established 1908). Active; focal plane 142 ft (43 m); white flash every 2.5 s. Approx. 6 m (20 ft) post. The original light on a mast was replaced in 1910 by a light on a platform atop a keeper's house. Jim Nieland has a photo, Josh Williams has a street view and Google has a satellite view. Located off highway 30 near mile 38, on the northwestern point of Maui; a nearby blowhole is a popular attraction. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS HAW-039; Admiralty G7270; USCG 6-28330.
* [Kahului Range Rear (3?)]
Date unknown (station established 1905). Active; focal plane 91 ft (28 m); continuous red light. Approx. 80 ft (24 m) steel post carrying a rectanular daymark colored red with a white vertical stripe. Trabas has Boucher's photo and Google has a 2019 street view and a satellite view. The range guides ships into Kahului, the largest town on Maui and its only deep-draft harbor, on the northwest coast of the island. The original light was a wood skeletal tower about 40 ft (12 m) tall. Google also has a satellite view and a distant street view of the front light, a post about 35 ft (11 ft) tall. Located on Kane Street south of Vevau Street in downtown Kahului. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty G7274.1; USCG 6-28345.
* [Pa'uwela (Kipahulu) Point (4)]
Date unknown (station established 1910). Active; focal plane 49 m (161 ft); white flash every 15 s. 40 ft (12 m) white steel post supporting a small square platform. Trabas has Boucher's photo and Google has a satellite view. The original lighthouse had a skeletal tower built atop a keeper's cottage. It was replaced in 1937 by a concrete tower carrying an aerobeacon. The Coast Guard has a historic photo of the third light, a white steel skeletal tower. In 1981 the light station property was donated to Maui County as a park. Located on a rugged promontory on Maui's north coast, about 15 miles (25 km) northeast of Kahului; accessible by a hiking trail. Site open, tower closed. Owner: U.S. Coast Guard. Site manager: Maui County (Kipahulu Point Park). ARLHS HAW-036; Admiralty G7286; USCG 6-28385.
Lahaina Light
Lāhainā Light, Maui, January 2009
Wikimedia public domain photo by PA3 Michael De Nyse, USCG
 

Kaho'olawe Lighthouse
The uninhabited island of Kaho'olawe, smallest of the eight main Hawai'ian Islands, is 11 miles (18 km) long and is located only 7 miles (11 mi) southwest of Hanamanioa Point, Maui. After being used as a naval bombing practice range from 1941 through 1990 the island was returned to state control and declared a reserve for Native Hawai'ian cultural activities.

Kaho'olawe Southwest Point (2)
1987 (station established 1928). Inactive since 2015. 20 ft (6 m) square skeletal tower with gallery, painted white. Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse is atop a cliff at the southwestern end of the island. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ex-Admiralty G7252; ex-USCG 6-28515.

Lānaʻi Lighthouses
The island of Lānaʻi is roughly elliptical with a maximum width of 18 mi (29 km); it is separated from the west end of Maui by the 8.8 mi (14 km) wide Au'au Channel. In 1922 it was purchased by James Dole, who operated it as a giant pineapple plantation. In 2012 it was purchased by Larry Ellison, the CEO of Oracle Corporation, for something more that $500 million. Ellison hopes to improve the island's infrastructure and develop an environmentally friendly agriculture. The island has one small town with a population of about 3100. The island is accessible by passenger ferry from Lāhainā, Maui; jeep rentals are available on the island and the two resorts also provide public transportation.
Palaoa Point (Cape Ka'ea, Kaunolu)
1934. Active; focal plane 91 ft (28 m); white flash every 6 s; red flashes are shown to the east over rocks off Puupehe Point. 41 ft (12.5 m) square pyramidal wood skeletal tower, painted white. ARLHS has a closeup photo and Google has a satellite view and a distant street view. Located at the end of the Kaunolu Trail, a dirt road (4WD required) at the southernmost point of the island. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS HAW-021; Admiralty G7314; USCG 6-28554.
[Kaumalapau (2)]
Date unknown (station established 1925). Active; focal plane 68 ft (21 m); white flash every 4 s. 8 m (26 ft) post. Google has a satellite view. The original light was atop a small wood building. Located on the south side of the entrance to Kaumalapau, a small harbor on the west coast of Lanai. Site status unknown. Admiralty G7318; USCG 6-28555.
[Pohakuloa (Shipwreck Beach)]
Date unknown, probably 1930s. Concrete foundation apparently for a skeletal tower. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Commonly described as the "ruins" of a lighthouse, this concrete pad is for a lighthouse that was never built. In her book on Hawai'ian lighthouses Love Dean writes that a lighthouse was planned in 1930 but there is no evidence one was ever placed in service. The modern Pohakuloa Light, built in 1968, is a post light located about 9 km (5.5 mi) to the west; a 2022 photo of that light is available and Google has a satellite view. Located at Shipwreck Beach, 1.6 miles (2.6 km) beyond the end of HI 44 on the north shore of the island; accessible by a dirt road, 4WD recommended. Owner/site manager: unknown. Pohakuloa Light: Admiralty G7321; USCG 6-28520.

Palaoa Point Light, Lānaʻi
TripAdvisor.com photo provided by Lanai Visitors Bureau

Moloka'i Lighthouses
Moloka'i is 38 mi (61 km) long and about 10 mi (16 km) wide; it is northwest of Maui, separated by the 25 mi (40 km) wide Kaiwi Channel. The island has a population of about 7500. It is accessible by air from Honolulu and Maui, but tourism is limited compared to the other islands.
Moloka'i (Kalaupapa) (2)
1909 (station established 1906). Active; focal plane 213 ft (65 m); white flash every 10 s. 138 ft (42 m) octagonal reinforced concrete tower; DCB-24 aerobeacon (1997). Lighthouse painted white, lantern red. The original 2nd order Fresnel lens, previously on display in the Lāhainā Restoration Foundation's musuem in Lāhainā, Maui, has been shipped back to Molokai for eventual display in a museum at Kalaupapa. Three original 1-1/2 story keeper's houses built of volcanic rock. Dennis Frank's photo is at right, Trabas has Boucher's photo, Penberthy has a photo by Rob Ratkowski, Conor Dupre-Neary has a photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a good satellite view. This is the tallest U.S. Pacific lighthouse. It stands on the highlands of the Kalaupapa Peninsula on the north side of Moloka'i. Isolated from the rest of Moloka'i by cliffs some 2000 ft (610 m) high, the peninsula was set aside as a leper colony in the 1860s and retained this designation until 1969. Several dozen of the former patients have chosen to remain there and there are no other permanent residents. The peninsula is recognized as a separate county, Kalawao County, administered by the state health department. The lighthouse was transferred to the National Park Service through the NHLPA process in 2003. Site open only to guided tours, and as of 2023 tours were not available while the park service sought a new tour operator; tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. National Park Service (Kalaupapa National Historical Park). . ARLHS HAW-006; Admiralty G7292; USCG 6-28575.
* Kaunakakai Range Front (2)
Date unknown (station established 1912). Active; focal plane 27 ft (8 m); continuous red light. 26 ft (8 m) square skeletal tower mounted on a small workroom. The tower also carries a rectangular daymark, painted red with a white vertical stripe. No closeup photo available but Google has a satellite view and a very distant street view. The area is a county park with picnic facilities. Located at Kaunakakai Harbor off HI 450 on the south side of the island. Site open, tower closed. Owner: U.S. Coast Guard. Site manager: Maui County (Kaunakakai Lighthouse Park). ARLHS HAW-028; Admiralty G7306; USCG 6-28605.
* Kaunakakai Range Rear (2)
Date unknown (station established 1912). Active; focal plane 41 ft (12.5 m); continuous red light. 38 ft (11.5 m) square pyramidal skeletal tower, painted white. The tower also carries a rectangular daymark, painted red with a white vertical stripe. Lighthouse Digest has a photo by Ted Smith misidentified as being of the front light, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. The area is a county park with picnic facilities. Located at Kaunakakai Harbor off HI 460 on the south side of the island. Site open, tower closed. Owner: U.S. Coast Guard. Site manager: Maui County (Kaunakakai Lighthouse Park). Admiralty G7306.1; USCG 6-28610.
Kalaupapa Light
Kalaupapa Light, Moloka'i, February 2011
Flickr Creative Commons photo by Dennis Frank
[Lā'au Point (3)]
Date unknown (station established 1912). Active; focal plane 46 m (151 ft); white flash every 2.5 s. 6 m (20 ft) post with a diamond-shaped black and white daymark. No photo of the present light is available but Google has a satellite view. A small stone tower was replaced in 1906 by the 35 ft (11 m) square wood tower with lantern and gallery seen in a Coast Guard photo. Located on the southwestern tip of Moloka'i. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS HAW-032; Admiralty G7296; USCG 6-28670.

O'ahu (Honolulu City and County) Lighthouses

O'ahu, the third largest of the Hawai'ian Islands and by far the most populous, is 44 mi (71 km) long and 30 mi (48 km) wide. Pearl Harbor, on the south coast of the island, is a magnificent natural harbor and home port for the U.S. Pacific Fleet. Honolulu, the state capital, is also on the south coast east of Pearl Harbor. The entire island is included in the City and County of Honolulu.

Eastern O'ahu Lighthouses
Kāneʻohe Bay Entrance Range Rear
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 57 ft (17.5 m); red light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 57 ft (17.5) tower carrying a rectangular daymark colored red with a white vertical stripe and mounted on a round concrete pier. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Kāneʻohe Bay is a broad embayment on the northeast coast of O'ahu, protected from heavy surf by a barrier reef. Located on a shoal inside the northern entrance to the bay. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty G7322.9; USCG 6-28715.
Pyramid Rock
Date unknown (station established 1941). Active; focal plane 101 ft (31 m); white light occulting every 4 s. 15 ft (4.5 m) square concrete workhouse, beacon mounted on the roof. The structure is painted with an unusual daymark: black and white diagonal stripes. Lighthouse Digest has a closeup photo by Randy Hemstad, Scott Ronco has a photo, Simon Dellmont has a distant view, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. This is a case in which nature made a light tower and only a lantern was required. Located at the summit of a pyramidal rock at the end of Palikilo Road on the Mokapu Peninsula in Kāneʻohe, on the northeast coast of the island. Site and tower closed. Owner: U.S. Coast Guard. Site manager: U.S. Marine Corps Base Hawai'i. ARLHS HAW-027; Admiralty G7324; USCG 6-28675.
* Makapu'u Point
1909. Active; focal plane 420 ft (128 m); white light occulting every 10 s, day and night. 46 ft (14 m) cylindrical tower, painted white; lantern roof is red. The original giant "hyper-radiant" Fresnel lens (larger than 1st order) is still in use; it is one of the world's most powerful lenses and the only one of its kind in use in the U.S. The keeper's houses and other light station buildings (except for a small oil house) were demolished in 1987. Jon Parise's photo appears at the top of this page, Penberthy has a similar photo by Kim Halstead, Chance also has a great photo, Wikimedia has several photos, Trabas has Boucher's closeup photo, the Coast Guard has a historic photo from the 1920s (notice the size of the lens!), Marinas.com has aerial photos, Wikipedia has an article on the lighthouse, and Google has a 2016 street view and a satellite view. In 2005 the state constructed a parking area that greatly improved public access to the lighthouse; since then it has been a major attraction. Located off HI 72 at the easternmost point of O'ahu. Accessible by hiking a steep 1.4 mi (2.25 km) long paved service road to the lighthouse. The hike is popular and is sometimes described as "easy," but bring sunblock and plenty of water as there is no shade. The site is also popular for whale watching. Site open to hikers, tower closed. Owner: U.S. Coast Guard. Site manager: Hawai'i State Parks (Kaiwi State Scenic Shoreline). . ARLHS HAW-005; Admiralty G7326; USCG 6-28925.
* Diamond Head (2)
1918 (station established 1899). Active; focal plane 147 ft (45 m); white light, day and night, 2 s on, 1.5 s off, 5 s on, 1.5 s off; red sector covers nearby reefs. 57 ft (17.5 m) square pyramidal reinforced concrete tower, topped by a round watch room and lantern; original Barbier et Bénard 3rd order Fresnel lens. Lighthouse painted white; lantern roof is red. The 1-story wood keeper's house (1921) is the residence of the Coast Guard 14th District commandant. A photo is at right, Ross Manges has a closeup, Wikimedia has several photos, Trabas has a view by Egidio Ferrighi, the Coast Guard has a historic photo of the station, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. The original lighthouse was similar to the present one but it was an iron skeletal tower enclosed by coral rock walls. In 1917-18 this was replaced by a concrete tower with the same lantern, watch room, and lens as the original. Diamond Head (Lē'ahi) is the eroded cone of an extinct volcano on the southeast coast of O'ahu. It is an iconic landmark; no photo of Waikīkī Beach is complete without Diamond Head in the background. Located off Diamond Head Road southeast of Waikīkī. Site and tower closed, but there's a good view from the road. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. . ARLHS HAW-003; Admiralty G7328; USCG 6-29060.
Diamond Head Light
Diamond Head Light, O'ahu, September 2008
ex-Flickr Creative Commons photo by KMJ Photography

Honolulu and Pearl Harbor Lighthouses
Honolulu Harbor Entrance
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 95 ft (29 m); green flash every 7.5 s. 82 ft (25 m) steel pole centered on a square 2-story base. Entire lighthouse is white. Trabas has Arndt's photo, an aerial view is available, and Google has a satellite view and a street view across the entrance. Located on the east side of the entrance to Honolulu Harbor. Site status unknown, but there's a great view from cruise ships entering the port and a distant view from Sand Island Park. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. Admiralty G7338; USCG 6-29170.
* Honolulu Entrance Channel Range Front
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 46 ft (14 m); continuous red light. 41 ft (12.5 m) square concrete post carrying a square platform and a rectangular daymark colored red with a white vertical stripe. Trabas has Arndt's photo, a view from the harbor is available, Mark Ambler has a street view from the neighboring pier, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of Pier 7 in Honolulu. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty G7342; USCG 6-29185.
* Honolulu Entrance Channel Range Rear
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 64 ft (19.5 m); continuous red light. Approx. 60 ft (19 m) steel mast carrying a rectangular daymark colored red with a white vertical stripe. Trabas has Arndt's photo and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Located on Aloha Tower Drive and Bishop Street at the southeast corner of the Aloha Tower Marketplace. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty G7342.1; USCG 6-29190.
* Aloha Tower
1926. Inactive as a navigational aid since the late 1960s, although the top of the tower is floodlit at night. 184 ft (56 m) square masonry tower topped by a domed cupola and a signal mast. A closeup photo is at right, Chance has a good photo, Mike Nash has a photo, Wikimedia has a photo of the tower at night, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Originally a brilliant navigation light was displayed from the top of the tower. Although it was maintained privately, the tower was an important beacon for ships arriving in Honolulu. Located at Aloha Tower Drive and Fort Street adjacent to the cruise ship terminal in downtown Honolulu. Site and tower open; the 10th floor observation level is open 9:30 am to 5 pm daily. Owner: State of Hawai'i. Site manager: Aloha Tower Marketplace. .
Kalihi Channel Range Rear
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 67 ft (20 m); green light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 67 ft (20 m) triangular cylindrical skeletal tower carrying a rectangular daymark colored red with a white vertical stripe. No closeup photo available but Google has a satellite view and a distant street view across the channel. The Kalihi Channel, west of Sand Island, is a common entrance to Honolulu for cargo ships. The front light is on a shorter skeletal tower. Located on the west side of the channel, northwest of Sand Island. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Admiralty G7363.1; USCG 6-29250.

Aloha Tower, Honolulu, September 2018
Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by Gunther Tschuch
Pearl Harbor Entrance Range Rear
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 97 ft (29.5 m); red light occulting once every 4 s. Approx. 90 ft (24 m) square skeletal tower with gallery painted white. The tower carries a rectangular daymark painted red with a white vertical stripe. Justin Curtiss has a view across the channel (notice the passing submarine) and Google has a satellite view and a very distant street view. The front light is on a 56 ft (17 m) post. Pearl Harbor (Pu'uloa), a magnificent harbor on the west side of Honolulu, is the traditional home port of the U.S. Pacific Fleet and the site of the Japanese attack of 7 December 1941 that brought the U.S. into World War II. Located at the foot of 17th Street, north of Iroquois Point, on the west side of the entrance to Pearl Harbor. Site status unknown. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. Admiralty G7370.1; USCG 6-29385.
West Loch Entrance Range Rear
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 55 ft (17 m); green light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 52 ft (16 m) square skeletal tower carrying a rectangular daymark painted red with a white vertical stripe. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Located in a forest on the Waipi'o Peninsula, which separates the West Loch and Middle Loch of Pearl Harbor. Site status unknown. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. Admiralty G7410.1; USCG 6-29515.
* Barbers Point (2)
1933 (station established 1888). Active; focal plane 85 ft (26 m); white flash every 7.5 s. 71 ft (21.5 m) reinforced concrete tower, painted white. Lantern removed; a DCB-224 aerobeacon is mounted atop the capped tower. Wood keeper's house (1915). Adam Theo's photo is at right, Trabas has Boucher's excellent photo, Penberthy has a closeup photo by Kim Halstead, Chance has a beautiful photo, Lighthouse Digest has Tim Harrison's 2015 article on the lighthouse, Steve Smith has a drone view, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. The Coast Guard has a historic photo showing the original lighthouse, a 42 ft (13 m) coral-stone tower, and a 1933 photo showing the present tower with its original lantern. The lantern and the original 4th order Fresnel lens are displayed at the Columbia River Maritime Museum in Astoria, Oregon. Located at the end of Olai Street off HI 95 in Kalaeloa, near the former Barbers Point Naval Air Station. The light station property is leased to the City of Honolulu as a public park. Site open, tower closed. Owner: U.S. Coast Guard. Site manager: City of Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation (Barbers Point Beach Park). . ARLHS HAW-001; Admiralty G7430; USCG 6-29650.
Barber's Point Light
Barbers Point Light, Kalaeloa, June 2007
ex-Flickr Creative Commons photo by Adam Theo

Western O'ahu Lighthouse
[Ka'ena Point (1)]
1920. Inactive since 1987. 65 ft (20 m) pyramidal reinforced concrete tower. Undermined by beach erosion, this lighthouse has fallen and lies across the beach, covered with colorful graffiti. In January 2002 it was added to the Lighthouse Digest Doomsday List, but it was later dropped since it is too far gone to be saved. The light on the point was replaced by the Ka'ena Point Passing Light on a 30 ft (9 m) pole (focal plane 71 ft (21.5 m); white flash every 2.5 s). A 2007 photo is available, Andrew Serff has a 2016 street view, and Google has a satellite view. The area is an important archaeological and ecological site. Located at Ka'ena Point, marking the westernmost point of the island. Accessible by a rather strenuous hike (about 6 miles (10 km) round trip) on the Ka'ena Point Trail. (Hikers note: ka'ena means "the heat," so come with sun protection and plenty of water.) Site open. Owner/site manager: Hawai'i State Parks (Ka'ena Point State Park). ARLHS HAW-017. Passing light: Admiralty G7450.5; USCG 6-29695.

Kaua'i County Lighthouses

Kaua'i Lighthouses
Located 105 miles (169 km) to the west of O'ahu, Kaua'i is the oldest geologically of the major Hawai'ian Islands. The island is about 30 miles (48 km) in diameter and has a population of about 65,000.

**
Kīlauea Point
1913. Inactive since 1976 (lighted for special occasions). 52 ft (16 m) reinforced concrete tower, painted white; lantern roof is red. The original Barbier, Bénard et Turenne 2nd order Fresnel lens is still mounted in the tower. Original 1-story stone keeper's house, two assistant keeper's houses, and other buildings. Active light (focal plane 174 ft (53 m); white flash every 10 s) on a 10 ft (3 m) square concrete post. A photo appears at right, Anderson has a good page for the lighthouse, Wikimedia has several photos, James Hwang has a 2021 photo, Penberthy has posted a photo by Dennis Kent, Chance has a closeup of the lantern and lens, Lightphotos.net has a panoramic view, Raama Srivatsan a 2016 street view, and Google has a satellite view. Trabas has Boucher's photo of the active light (focal plane 174 ft (53 m); white flash every 10 s) on a 10 ft (3 m) post in front of the lighthouse. This historic light was the landfall light for ships arriving in Hawai'i from the Orient. The unused lighthouse was in deteriorating condition for many years. In 2006 the Kīlauea Point Natural History Association, the support group for the Kīlauea Point National Wildlife Refuge, expanded its role to include lighthouse preservation and launched a fund drive for restoration of the light station. Some emergency repairs were completed in 2008. A full restoration was expected to cost at least $1.5 million, so in April 2009 a $1 million campaign was announced. Major restoration work occupied most of 2012 and was completed in early 2013. In May 2013 the lighthouse was rededicated as the Daniel K. Inouye Kīlauea Point Lighthouse in honor of Hawaii's longtime senator. Located at the end of Kīlauea Road off HI 56 about 2 miles (3 km) north of Kīlauea, marking the northernmost point of the island and state. The surrounding wildlife refuge has a reservation system to limit the numbers of visitors at any one time; reservations can be booked online. Site open open only to visitors with tickets for entry Wednesday through Saturday, tower closed except for an open house once a year in May. Owner: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Site manager: Kīlauea Point National Wildlife Refuge. (Kīlauea Point Lighthouse) . ARLHS HAW-004. Active light: Admiralty G7500; USCG 6-29737.
* Ahukini Breakwater
1926. Inactive since the late 1940s; charted as an abandoned lighthouse. 6 m (20 ft) square tapered concrete tower, originally painted white but no paint remains. Google has a street view and Bing has a satellite view. Located on the south side of the entrance to Hanamā'ulu Bay on the east coast of Kaua'i. Accessible by walking the short stone breakwater. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS HAW-029.
Kilauea Point Light
Kīlauea Point Light, Kīlauea, May 2013
Wikipedia public domain photo by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
* Nawiliwili Harbor (Ninini Point) (3)
1933 (station established 1897). Active; focal plane 112 ft (34 m); white flash every 15 s. 80 ft (24.5 m) reinforced concrete tower; DCB-24 aerobeacon (1985). The original 4th order Fresnel lens, removed in 1984, was on display at the Hawai'i Maritime Center in Honolulu, but that museum was forced to close in 2009. 1-story concrete and wood keeper's house. Sibling of Barbers Point Light on O'ahu. Sarah Browning's photo is at right, Anna Lampén-Boeving has a 2023 photo, Trabas has Arndt's excellent photo, Lightphotos.net has a photo, Wikimedia has a distant view, Curtis Lee has a closeup street view, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse never had an enclosed lantern. Located on Ninini Point, the north side of the harbor entrance on the southeast side of the island. Access is through the Marriott Kauai Lagoons resort development, which has a gatehouse, but visitors to the lighthouse are usually admitted. Site open the lighthouse is opened sometimes by Coast Guard Auxiliary. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. . ARLHS HAW-007; Admiralty G7480; USCG 6-29745.
* [Kuki'i Point]
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 47 ft (14 m); white flash every 2.5 s; red sector covering shoals. 22 ft (6.5 m) pyramidal reinforced concrete tower. Formerly tended by the Nawiliwili Harbor Light keepers. Chance has a great photo that shows this light and the Nawiliwili Jetty Light on the other side of the harbor entrance, Trabas has Arndt's closeup photo, Rich Patton has a street view, and Google has a satellite view. The light is adjacent to a golf course. Located at Kuki'i Point on the north side of Nawiliwili Harbor, about 2/3 mile (1 km) west of the Nawiliwili Harbor Light. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS HAW-037; Admiralty G7482; USCG 6-29755.
* [Makahu'ena Point (3)]
1983 (station established 1908). Active; focal plane 80 ft (24 m); white flash every 2.5 s. 20 ft (6 m) post, painted white. The foundation pad of the concrete lighthouse built in 1922 is also visible, and its lens was on display at the Hawai'i Maritime Center in Honolulu until the museum closed in 2009. Greg Goodwin has a 2022 photo, Kosen Ishikawa has a closeup street view, and Google has a satellite view. Located on the southernmost point of Kaua'i off Poipu Road in Poipu. Site open. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS HAW-038; Admiralty G7520; USCG 6-29850.

Ni'ihau Lightbeacon
Ni'ihau, the westernmost of the main Hawai'ian Islands, is 18 mi (29 km) west of Kaua'i. The privately-owned island has a population of about 130.

[Lehua Rock]
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 704 ft (215 m); white flash every 4 s. Approx. 6 m (20 ft) post. Trabas has Boucher's aerial view, and Google has a satellite view. Lehua is a crescent-shaped, mostly submerged volcanic crater just off the northern tip of Ni'ihau. Like Molokini (see above), the island is a seabird sanctuary and landing requires permission from the Coast Guard and the Hawaii Division of Forestry and Wildlife. Site and tower closed. Admiralty G7540; USCG 6-29935.

Ninini Point Light, Kaua'i, August 2009
Flickr Creative Commons photo by Sarah Browning

Information available on lost lighthouses:

Adjoining page: South: U.S. Pacific Remote Islands

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Posted May 2001. Checked and revised September 25, 2023. Lighthouses: 33. Site copyright 2023 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.