After 4 years, the Hunting Island lighthouse is set to reopen. Save this date
The famous lighthouse on Hunting Island will reopen to the public in three weeks after four long years, marking the return of one of South Carolina’s most iconic coastal landmarks.
South Carolina State Parks made the long-awaited announcement Tuesday morning.
The department said a ribbon-cutting ceremony and lighthouse tours were planned for state officials, park representatives, community members, visitors and members of the press on May 26.
After that 11 a.m. ceremony, the lighthouse, located at 2555 Sea Island Parkway, will officially reopen to the general public, Jayne Baker, a spokesperson for SC State Parks, confirmed with the Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette Tuesday. The beloved landmark had been closed for a $3.2 million restoration since early February 2022 due to safety concerns over severe corrosion in its cast-iron staircase and structural damage.
The 136-foot-tall lighthouse, known for its distinctive black-and-white stripes, gives visitors who climb the 167 steps on its winding staircase stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean and barrier islands. An estimated 7,000 to 15,000 people climbed it each year before the lighthouse went dark.
The lighthouse’s structural issues
The lighthouse’s powerful light illuminated the waters 17 miles from shore and kept mariners from running around on shallow shoals until 1933, when it was decommissioned. Then it turned into a landmark and tourist attraction with its light still shining across the water from dusk until dawn.
Then structural issues with the stairs and other issues forced its emergency closure in 2022.
For the past four years, as the renovation proceeded, extensive scaffolding surrounded the lighthouse. The work was aimed at preserving the lighthouse for future generations and included repairs to the lantern room, windows, decks and rails. A key component of the project was the installation of new, large braces, designed in a style consistent with the historic cast iron, to support the stairs.
Hunting Island State Park, which attracts more than 1 million visitors annually, is one of the most popular parks in South Carolina. It’s home to five miles of beaches, thousands of acres of marsh and maritime forest, a saltwater lagoon and a variety of land and marine wildlife.
Perhaps its most famous feature is the lighthouse, which was built in 1859 and rebuilt in 1875 after it was destroyed during the Civil War. It was constructed with interchangeable cast-iron sections that could be dismantled if it needed to be moved. Severe beach erosion made it necessary to relocate the lighthouse 1.3 miles inland in 1889.
It was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.
Other renovations at Hunting Island State Park
In 2018, engineers assessed the integrity of the brick and cast iron structure, documenting cracks and corrosion and analyzing how much weight the historic staircase could safely hold. In response to recommendations from a report by Bennett Preservation Engineering in Charleston, the state previously said it planned to repair the facility, estimating the project could cost $3 million.
But the lighthouse rehabilitation work had yet to be scheduled when it was closed on Feb. 9, 2022 after new stresses were discovered during a routine inspection.
The overhaul of the lighthouse wasn’t the only recent big change at the Hunting Island state park.
In 2023, Friends of Hunting Island spearheaded a renovation of the Nature Center at the entrance of the park’s fishing pier on the southern tip of the island. The not-for-profit donated $75,000 for the work while the city of Beaufort chipped in a $30,000 state accommodations tax grant.
This story was originally published May 5, 2026 at 10:36 AM.
