The 2026 Lighthouse Challenge

The 2026 Lighthouse Challenge will take place on Saturday and Sunday, October 17th and 18th.

We'll be celebrating the 250th birthday of our country and honoring Sandy Hook Lighthouse, which was the only New Jersey lighthouse standing during the Revolution.

The souvenir this year will be a map of colonial New Jersey with a pocket for each of the sites on the Challenge. Collect a wooden token at each site to fill the pockets and complete the Challenge.

Well, the best laid plans... Unfortunately, we couldn't find wooden nickels that are nickel size. Who knew? The result was a map that would be too big to carry. We've decided instead that the souvenir will be a book with stories of incidents that took place near each site during the Revolution. Some are inspiring, some are funny, some are scary, but all are really interesting.

See you in October.

Need to Plan Your Route?

For those of you who like to look at maps, us included, here's a map of the sites on the Challenge. You can view it in Google Maps using this link:

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1TyUOEMQIjL-ykfTkqWgvui6A9HxO6yA&ll=39.69419276297427%2C-74.75912584999999&z=9

Frequently Asked Questions

Please reach us at lhchallengenj@gmail.com if you cannot find an answer to your question.

When is the Lighthouse Challenge?

The Lighthouse Challenge of New Jersey is always the third full weekend in October.

How do I register for the Challenge?

There is no pre-registration. You register at the site where you start and you can start at any of the sites. It only takes a few minutes. We ask for your home state and how many are in your party. And then, of course, we collect your registration fee.

What does it cost to do the Challenge?

The cost is $10 to register. For that, you'll get your souvenir holder, this year a large map of colonial New Jersey with a pocket for each of the Challenge sites. At each stop, you'll wooden token with a drawing of that site. Collect them all and fill the pockets to complete the Challenge.. There is no other cost unless you decide to climb the lighthouses. Some of the lighthouses do charge a fee to climb. (Children 11 and under are free to climb with an adult.)

Do I have to climb every lighthouse to complete the Challenge?

No, climbing is not required. You just have to visit each site. Good for you if you do manage to do that though!

How do you do the Challenge?

The object is to visit all the sites on the Challenge. There 11 lighthouse sites, 4 lifesaving stations, and 1 museum. It adds up to 16 sites but only 15 stops since one stop has two lighthouse sites. You have from 8 am on Saturday until 6 pm on Sunday to complete the Challenge. Sites are open from 8 am to 6 pm both days, with three sites (Tinicum, Tuckerton and Twin Lights) offering night climbs from 6 to 8 pm on Saturday only. You can start and finish at any of the sites, so you can plan your own route. There is a list of places to stay and places to eat along the way under the Eat & Stay tab in case you decide to stay over Saturday night (or Friday night so you can get an early start).

What happens if I complete the Challenge?

If you complete that Challenge, at your last stop, let them know that you've completed. They will check to see if you've visited all the sites. You'll receive a completion award and your name will be entered into a drawing for a prize basket filled with lighthouse goodies. There are 3 prizes with the grand prize worth more than $500.

The 2026 Lighthouse Challenge

Need to Plan Your Route?

Frequently Asked Questions

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