Princes Bay Lighthouse Staten Island, NY 10309

"Mount Loretto Unique Area has many trails and one of them leads to the Princess Bay Lighthouse. Built in 1964, it used to be a working lighthouse with an attached cottage. The cottage is still there, but the lighthouse is just an empty tower. Today, around 4pm, the gates were closed and we couldn’t get near the structure. There is no cost to visit. Plenty of parking."

"Nestled atop a bluff in Mount Loretto, this hidden gem overlooks Raritan Bay . The lighthouse has been decommissioned and replaced with a metal beacon nearby."

"©This lighthouse was constructed in 1864 on the southern shores of Staten Island for $30,000. The attached lightkeeper’s cottage was completed in 1868. Perched atop an 85-foot hill overlooking Raritan Bay, it was deactivated in 1922 after the placement of lighted buoys in the bay made it redundant. The Mission of the Immaculate Virgin at Mt. Loretto purchased the lighthouse, the cottage and an additional outbuilding in 1926. The Mission already held a residence and school for seventeen-hundred orphans in the vicinity of the lighthouse. At some point, they placed a statue of the Virgin Mary where the lantern room once was. New York State and the Trust for Public Land co-purchased the lighthouse and 145 acres of surrounding land as well as 45 underwater acres from the Archdiocese of New York in 1999. Today, the property is known as Mount Loretto Unique Area and is managed by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Though the lighthouse grounds are not open to the public, hiking trails in the surrounding area provide great views."

"Although my pictures show a more beautiful place, Princess Bay Lighthouse was just a tower and I was disappointed. Tons of litter everywhere well. Not sure if it is from slovenly people who visit the beach here or slovenly people who throw their trash into the ocean and it washes up here? Unfortunately there was so much litter that it really did ruin the experience. Of course there was also some graffiti on the tower to help complete the experience. It amazes me what slobs people are for some reason I just don't understand it. I hope one day is a species we figure out that we should really not throw our trash everywhere."

"If you are exploring the Mount Loretto Unique Area, you should check this (deactivated) lighthouse out. You can't enter, but you can certainly admire the structure and the view from the top of the hill - the highest point on the south shore of Staten Island. Built in 1864 and active until 1922. A piece of Staten Island History that still exists today...enjoy!"