Barnegat Lighthouse — Old Barney — was first lit in 1859 and remains one of the state's most recognizable coastal markers. The state restored its role as a formal aid to navigation in 2009, exactly 150 years after the original lighting, using a modern Coast Guard-approved lens.
The 217-step climb opens to a panoramic view of Barnegat Inlet, Long Beach Island and Island Beach. For non-climbers, the park's interpretive center uses cameras to provide live views from the top.
The site also makes visible the relationship between lighthouse and inlet. This was not a beacon sitting beside a random beach; it marked one of the coast's most consequential and difficult waterways.
Project-management note
This is the Day 1 schedule trap. A 217-step climb plus a queue can absorb the exact margin needed later at Tuckerton. Decide before arriving whether Barnegat is a priority climb. If not, see the base, park, inlet and interpretive material, then move.
Worth noticing nearby
The park itself has a short maritime forest trail and inlet views. Those are worthwhile if the schedule is green. The longer LBI detours are not.
Stop facts
| Stop | 7 |
|---|---|
| Type | Lighthouse site |
| Address | Barnegat Lighthouse State Park |
| Town | Barnegat Light |
| First lit / built | 1859 |
| Climb | 217 steps; interpretive center cameras for non-climbers |
| 2026 night climb | No |
| Default dwell | 30 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.