Mohawk Island Lighthouse - Haldimand, Ontario, Canada
Posted by: 
Bon Echo
N 42° 50.038 W 079° 31.358
17T E 620742 N 4743436
A small island in Lake Erie
Waymark Code: WM15N7G
Location: Ontario, Canada
Date Posted: 01/25/2022
Views: 7
Mohawk Island is located in Lake Erie, just offshore from Rock Point Provincial Park in Haldimand County. The island is best known for the stone lighthouse ruins that can be viewed from shore (and even better by boat). The island is also a nesting bird sanctuary and is off-limits to the public during the nesting season (April 1 to August 31). It is classified as a National Wildlife Area and this managed by the Canadian Wildlife Service (a branch of Environment and Climate Change Canada)
The island site is listed in the Canadian Federal Contaminated Sites Inventory as Site 00002521 - Mohawk Island – Lighthouse. Toxic metals (metal, metalloid, and organometallic) were identified in surface soil on the island. Presently the site is listed as:
* Status: Detailed testing completed. No further action required.
* Site Status: Closed
* Classification: Medium Priority for Action
I could not find any publicly-available reports to shed more light on the contaminants found on Mohawk Island or what actions were taken to remediate the soil.
The best place to view the lighthouse if from the water - you can launch a boat near the mouth of the Grand River. Alternatively, if the lake is calm, you can launch a human-powered watercraft from the beach at Rock Point Provincial Park. Or, you can simply view the island and lighthouse from land: enter Rock Point Provincial Park, park near Beach 1 (see Additional Parking coordinates below), and make your way on foot to the easternmost tip of the park. Day-use fees apply for park access. During the off-season, visitors can also park at the end of Downey Road and walk into the park.
Further Reading:
Mohawk Island Lighthouse - Parks Canada Directory of Federal Heritage Designations (
visit link)
Mohawk Island National Wildlife Area (
visit link)
Mohawk Island Lighthouse History - The Dunnville Mudcat (
visit link)