Highland Lighthouse (also known as Cape Cod Light) is an active 66-foot brick lighthouse built in 1857, located within Cape Cod National Seashore at 27 Highland Light Road in North Truro, Massachusetts. It is the oldest and tallest lighthouse on Cape Cod. This guide covers opening hours, tower tour ticket prices, how to reach the site, parking, accessibility, and practical visitor tips.
Last updated: May 2026. In 2026, the lighthouse’s original rotating beacon was replaced with a new state-of-the-art LED beacon, which produces a five-second white flash rather than the familiar rotating motion visitors saw in previous years. Many existing guides still describe the rotating Fresnel light; that configuration is no longer in place.
Quick facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Tower tour season | Daily, 9am–5pm, 1 May–25 October 2026; last tour at 4:30pm |
| Grounds | Open year-round, dawn to dusk, free of charge |
| Adult tower tour | $10 |
| Senior tower tour | $8 |
| Student tower tour | $6 |
| Military tower tour | $9 |
| Under 48 inches tall | Not permitted to climb (no exceptions) |
| Address | 27 Highland Light Road, North Truro, MA 02652 |
| Telephone | 508-404-9117 |
| Nearest public transport | None — private vehicle required |
| Parking | Free, on-site |
| Typical visit duration | 45 minutes to 1.5 hours (tower tour + grounds + keeper’s shop) |
Highland Lighthouse opening hours
The lighthouse tower and guided tours operate daily from 9am to 5pm between 1 May and 25 October 2026. The last tour departs at 4:30pm. Tours may be cancelled without notice if weather conditions — particularly lightning — are deemed unsafe. Check with staff on arrival during unsettled weather.
The grounds, observation deck, and surrounding National Seashore land are open year-round from dawn to dusk at no charge. Visitors may walk the grounds and view the lighthouse exterior at any time of year, outside of the guided tour season. The Keeper’s Shop and exhibits are open during the same hours as the tower tours: daily, 9am–5pm, 1 May–25 October 2026.
Highland Lighthouse ticket prices
Tower tour tickets are sold at the Keeper’s Shop on-site. There is no advance online booking system for tower tours; tickets are purchased on arrival.
| Visitor type | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult | $10.00 |
| Senior | $8.00 |
| Student | $6.00 |
| Military | $9.00 |
| Children under 48 inches tall | Not permitted to climb — no exceptions |
Combined visit discount: Visitors who also visit the Highland House Museum (immediately adjacent, operated by the Truro Historical Society) save $1 on their lighthouse tower ticket. Ask at the Keeper’s Shop for details.
Tower tour ticket prices were checked on the official operator website and last updated in May 2026.
How to get to Highland Lighthouse
Highland Lighthouse is located on the Outer Cape, approximately 30 miles from the Sagamore Bridge (the main entry point to Cape Cod) and approximately 6 miles south of Provincetown. There is no public transportation to the lighthouse. A private vehicle is required.
By road from the south: Take Route 6 north (the Mid-Cape Highway) towards Provincetown. Take the exit for Highland Road / Cape Cod Light. Turn east on Highland Road, then right on South Highland Road, then left on Highland Light Road. The lighthouse will be visible ahead. Signs for “Highland Light” are posted from Route 6.
By road from Provincetown: Head south on Route 6 approximately 6 miles and take the Highland Road exit. Follow signs from there.
GPS: Enter 27 Highland Light Road, North Truro, MA 02652. Some GPS units may use “Highland Light Road” rather than the full address — this is the same road.
From Boston: Take the Southeast Expressway (Route 3) south to Route 6 east across the Sagamore Bridge. Allow approximately 2 to 2.5 hours from Boston, depending on traffic. Summer weekend traffic on Route 6 and the Sagamore Bridge can be severe; an early morning departure is strongly advisable from late June through August.
5 great Boston experiences to book
- ⚾ See why Boston has America’s most beloved baseball ground on a Fenway Park tour.
- 🚶 Get a history crash course on a small group walking tour along the Freedom Trail.
- 🌅 See the skyline from the water on a sunset harbour cruise.
- 🎓 Hear the stories behind America’s oldest university on a campus walking tour of Harvard University.
- 🍩 Indulge in Boston’s best donuts on a sweet treats walking tour.
Parking at Highland Lighthouse
Parking is free and available on-site in the gravel car park adjacent to the lighthouse. The lot is sufficient for most visiting periods. In peak summer months (July–August), it can fill during mid-morning; arriving before 10am substantially improves the chance of easy parking. Overflow parking is not formally designated; visitors who arrive to find the lot full should follow staff guidance.
How long to spend at Highland Lighthouse
Each guided tower tour takes approximately 20 minutes, including the climb, time at the top, and the descent. Combined with time in the Keeper’s Shop, a walk to the ocean observation deck, and a visit to the adjacent Highland House Museum, a typical visit runs 45 minutes to 1.5 hours. Groups planning to visit both the lighthouse and the Highland Links Golf Course should allow a minimum of a half-day.
Accessibility at Highland Lighthouse
The lighthouse tower is not wheelchair accessible and cannot be made so. The climb involves 69 steps on a narrow circular metal staircase, followed by two ladders near the top to access the Lantern Room. The climb is steep and strenuous and is not suitable for visitors with heart conditions, respiratory conditions, or difficulty with stairs or ladders.
The height restriction of 48 inches is strictly enforced with no exceptions. Children under 48 inches tall, regardless of age, will not be permitted to climb. Climbers aged 17 or younger must be accompanied by an adult aged 18 or older at all times. No visitor may be lifted or carried.
The Keeper’s Shop, exhibits, and outdoor grounds are accessible to visitors who cannot or choose not to climb. A free Junior Keeper activity booklet is available at the Keeper’s Shop for younger visitors who do not meet the height requirement; completing the booklet qualifies children as an official “Junior Keeper.”
The observation deck at the cliff edge provides extensive ocean views and is accessible without climbing the tower. Contact the lighthouse in advance for specific accessibility requirements: [email protected] or 508-404-9117.
Inside Highland Lighthouse: what to see
The tower exterior: The current 66-foot brick tower was constructed in 1857. An enclosed walkway connects the tower to the one-and-a-half-storey Queen Anne-style keeper’s dwelling. A boulder near the original site of the lighthouse marks where the structure stood before its 1996 relocation.
The tower climb and Lantern Room: The guided tour takes visitors up 69 narrow circular metal steps and two ladders to the Lantern Room at the top. The new LED beacon — installed in 2026 — produces a five-second white flash visible for up to 20 nautical miles at sea. This replaces the previous rotating motion of the earlier beacon. The Lantern Room itself houses the light mechanism; the gallery walkway surrounding it provides the primary viewing point.
Views from the top: The lighthouse stands on a 125-foot clay cliff, making the effective viewing height from the Lantern Room gallery approximately 190 feet above sea level. On a clear day, views extend along the Outer Cape shoreline in both directions, across the Atlantic, and towards Provincetown to the north. The former position of the lighthouse — now marked by a boulder — and the Highland Links Golf Course are visible below.
Ocean observation deck: A separate observation platform at the cliff edge, accessible from the grounds without a tower ticket, provides views of the Atlantic and the beach below. There is no beach access from this point — the cliff descent is steep and not open to visitors.
The Keeper’s Shop (in the keeper’s dwelling): The 1857 keeper’s house now operates as a museum shop selling books, maps, prints, gifts, and educational materials. It also houses interpretive exhibits on the lighthouse’s history. No ticket is required to enter the shop.
Key historical context visible on-site: A marker indicates the boulder that shows the lighthouse’s original 1857 position, approximately 450 feet east of where the structure stands today. The move was accomplished in 1996 using steel beams, hydraulic jacks, and large quantities of Ivory soap as a lubricant. It took 18 days and cost approximately $1.5 million.
Highland House Museum (adjacent, separate admission): Operated by the Truro Historical Society, the Highland House Museum is a short walk from the lighthouse and is housed in a former resort hotel. Exhibits cover Wampanoag history, Truro’s maritime past including shipwrecks and fishing, the Cape Cod railway era, and recreated early 20th-century rooms. Visiting it earns the $1 discount on the lighthouse tower ticket.
Practical visitor tips
| Tip | Detail |
|---|---|
| Confirm the 48-inch height rule before you visit | Children under 48 inches tall will not be permitted to climb under any circumstances. Measure children at home before your visit rather than discovering the restriction at the ticket desk. The free Junior Keeper booklet is available for those who cannot climb. |
| Arrive before 10am in summer | The parking lot fills during mid-morning in July and August, and tour group sizes are capped at 10–12 people. Earlier arrivals face shorter waits. |
| Leave bags, food, and drinks in your vehicle | Backpacks, tripods, food, and drinks are not permitted inside the tower. Leave them in your car before joining the tour queue. Closed-toed shoes are recommended; flip-flops are not allowed. |
| There are no restrooms at the lighthouse | The nearest restrooms are at the adjacent Highland House Museum during its operating hours. Plan accordingly before joining a tour. |
| The tour can be cancelled due to lightning | There is no shelter at the top of an open lighthouse in a thunderstorm. Tours are suspended immediately if lightning is detected nearby. Check the weather forecast before driving to the Outer Cape in summer. |
Frequently asked questions about Highland Lighthouse
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is Highland Lighthouse open year-round? | The grounds are open year-round, dawn to dusk, free of charge. The tower tours, Keeper’s Shop, and exhibits are open daily 9am–5pm from 1 May to 25 October only. The tower is closed in winter. |
| Is an America the Beautiful pass accepted at Highland Lighthouse? | The National Park Service does not charge admission to Cape Cod National Seashore, so no pass is needed for the grounds. However, the tower tour fee ($10 adult) is charged by the nonprofit operator America’s National Parks™ and is not covered by any NPS pass. |
| Is Highland Lighthouse suitable for children? | Children under 48 inches tall cannot climb the tower, with no exceptions. Taller children who meet the height requirement must be accompanied by an adult aged 18 or older. The free Junior Keeper activity programme is available for younger or shorter visitors. |
| Can I visit without taking the tower tour? | Yes. The grounds, observation deck at the cliff edge, and Keeper’s Shop are all accessible without a tower ticket. The ocean views from the observation deck are available at no charge during the tour season. |
| How is Highland Lighthouse different from other Cape Cod lighthouses? | Highland Lighthouse is the oldest (established 1797) and tallest lighthouse on Cape Cod. It is the only Cape Cod lighthouse that offers public tours in partnership with America’s National Parks™, a formal NPS nonprofit partner. It was moved 450 feet from its original position in 1996. |
Things to do near Highland Lighthouse
All five attractions are within a short drive of the lighthouse in North Truro and Provincetown.
- Highland House Museum (~1-minute walk): The Truro Historical Society’s museum in a former resort hotel, with exhibits on Wampanoag history, maritime heritage, and local history. Visiting earns a $1 discount on the lighthouse tower ticket.
- Highland Links Golf Course (~adjacent): Founded in 1892 and situated within Cape Cod National Seashore, this is the oldest golf course on Cape Cod. The course borders the lighthouse grounds directly and offers views of the Atlantic Ocean from several holes.
- Head of the Meadow Beach, Truro (~3 miles by road): A National Seashore beach on the Atlantic side, with lifeguards in season, a bike trail connection, and vehicle parking (fee charged in season by the National Park Service).
- Provincetown (~6 miles north by road): The town at the tip of Cape Cod, with art galleries, whale-watching boat tours, the Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum, restaurants, and access to Race Point and Herring Cove beaches within the National Seashore.
- Truro Vineyards of Cape Cod (~3 miles south by road): A working winery and spirits distillery on Route 6A in North Truro, offering tastings and tours of its vineyard and production facilities.
What to visit tomorrow: other lighthouses within two hours on Cape Cod and nearby
- Nauset Lighthouse, Eastham (~20 miles south by road): A red-and-white striped lighthouse relocated to the National Seashore in 1996, adjacent to Nauset Light Beach. The restored keeper’s house and oil house are maintained by the Nauset Light Preservation Society; tours are offered on Sunday afternoons in season.
- Chatham Lighthouse, Chatham (~35 miles south by road): An active twin-light station (now a single tower) overlooking the Chatham break and the Atlantic. Guided tours by the US Coast Guard Auxiliary are offered on Wednesdays from late June through August.
- Race Point Lighthouse, Provincetown (~12 miles north, then walk or 4WD): An 1876 lighthouse at the far tip of Cape Cod, accessible via a 45-minute walk over dunes from Race Point Beach or by over-sand vehicle. The keeper’s house offers overnight accommodation. Tours are offered twice monthly June through September.
- Nobska Light, Falmouth (~60 miles southwest by road): A lighthouse at the entrance to Vineyard Sound with views across to Martha’s Vineyard. Recently renovated, with a new on-site museum in the keeper’s house. Tours are available in season.
- Brant Point Lighthouse, Nantucket (~2 hours by ferry from Hyannis): The shortest lighthouse in New England (26 feet), located at the entrance to Nantucket Harbor. The ninth lighthouse on this site; the current structure dates from 1901. Accessible on foot from the Nantucket ferry terminal; grounds open year-round.
More Massachusetts travel
Other Massachusetts travel articles on Planet Whitley include:
- What to expect at the Salem Witch Museum.
- Guide to visiting Hopkinton State Park.
- Tackle the key sites on the Freedom Trail: The Old South Meeting House, the Old State House, Paul Revere House and the Old North Church.
- Use the Boston CityPass to visit the New England Aquarium, Museum of Science, Franklin Park Zoo and View Boston observation deck.
- Planning guide to the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History.
