Absecon is New Jersey's tallest lighthouse at 171 feet and the third-tallest masonry lighthouse in the United States. Its 228 visitor steps lead to the watchroom, where the original first-order Fresnel lens remains in place. That combination — height, original lens, urban setting — makes it one of the strongest climb candidates on the route.
The tower was first lit in 1857 and decommissioned in 1933, but the site's lens is illuminated nightly. Restoration created a keeper's dwelling museum, an oil-house Fresnel exhibit and public grounds around the tower.
The location also corrects a common visual assumption about Atlantic City. The city's maritime history did not begin with casinos and boardwalk entertainment. Absecon was there to solve a shipping problem first.
Project-management note
If Absecon becomes the Saturday stretch goal, do not attempt it unless Tuckerton is complete with comfortable margin. Otherwise make it the Sunday 8 a.m. anchor. A major tower climb is easier to budget at the start of a day than as the last required stop before closing.
Worth noticing nearby
The Atlantic City Boardwalk and Inlet are nearby, and the lighthouse is within walking distance of major resort development. During the Challenge, that density is a traffic and parking consideration more than a sightseeing opportunity.
Stop facts
| Stop | 9 |
|---|---|
| Type | Lighthouse site |
| Address | 31 South Rhode Island Avenue, Atlantic City |
| Town | Atlantic City |
| First lit / built | 1857 |
| Climb | 228 visitor steps; original first-order Fresnel lens at the top |
| 2026 night climb | No |
| Default dwell | 40 min |
SOURCE NOTES
Site history drawn from federal, state and nonprofit sources cited in the field notes. Challenge hours, stamps and night climbs follow the organizer's 2026 pages; verify live addresses during event week.