Ballast Point Light

Ballast Point Light was a lighthouse in San Diego Bay featuring a square wooden tower connected to the keeper's dwelling at the harbor channel entrance. Today an automated light system mounted on a water piling continues to send signals, flashing white every four seconds to guide ships into the bay.

The lighthouse was built in 1890 and operated with a steady white light until its deactivation in 1960. Its construction marked a turning point in making the harbor's entrance safer for maritime traffic.

The lighthouse marks the spot where Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo first landed in 1542 and named the harbor San Miguel before Vizcaino changed it to San Diego.

The lighthouse sits at the bay's channel entrance and is visible from various waterfront vantage points. Best views of the light are from Sunset Cliffs or nearby beaches during low tide when water levels drop.

The original fifth-order Fresnel lens from Ballast Point Light is preserved and on display at the Cabrillo National Monument museum. Visitors can see the glass optical device that once magnified and projected the light signal across the water.

Location: San Diego County

Inception: 1890

Height: 10 m

GPS coordinates: 32.68639,-117.23250

Latest update: December 11, 2025 18:01