Lighthouse to get new 500-foot walking path
Gravel walkway leading to the water should be done by early August.
The Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse will get a new walking trail within the next two months.
Peter Dewitt, project manager with the Bureau of Land Management, said the 500-foot path will be made of gravel and is expected to be done at the end of July or early August. It will lead to the water.
He said the project came about because of increasingly heavy use of a slope near the site’s historic cemetery. With more people using the slope and the surface runoff from the rain, Dewitt said oyster shells were starting to show.
Dirt will be brought in this week to help stabilize the slope and plants will be delivered in coming weeks to be planted around the path, Dewitt said.
“We are excited to provide more recreational activities to the community,” said Dewitt about the path.
The Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse has been around for more than 150 years. It’s owned by the U.S. Coast Guard and was first lit in 1860. It became an Outstanding Natural Area designation, an honor bestowed on only two other lighthouses in the United States, 10 years ago.
Currently, there are two guided tours at the lighthouse at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., but people can explore the grounds on their own from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission cost is $12 for adults, $10 for military veterans and seniors and $6 for children (ages 6-18).