The 103-foot Crooked River Lighthouse stands among tall pines west of Carrabelle. Its square skeletal framework is painted white on the lower half and deep red above, a daymark chosen to keep the tower visible against both forest and sky.
Three earlier lighthouses on nearby Dog Island were destroyed by storms. After years of delays, work on a safer mainland station began in 1895, and the new iron tower was completed that August. The lighthouse was electrified in 1933 and automated in 1952. The Coast Guard decommissioned it in 1995, just before its centennial. Ownership transferred to the City of Carrabelle in 2001, and the Carrabelle Lighthouse Association led a major restoration. The tower was relighted in 2007 with a replica fourth-order bivalve Fresnel lens.
The lighthouse is just off U.S. 98 west of Carrabelle Beach. The surrounding park is open to the public, and the keeper’s house museum and tower climbs follow posted hours. Closed-toe shoes and advance confirmation are recommended for climbing.
The City of Carrabelle owns the lighthouse, and the Carrabelle Lighthouse Association manages the museum and visitor program. The restored tower operates as a private aid to navigation and is regularly open for public climbs.
