Beavertail State Park in Rhode Island, USA - map and visitor information

Research checked: 2026-10-27. Check linked official notices before travel.

Beavertail State Park in Jamestown, Rhode Island, centers on rocky coastal views and the lighthouse at the entrance to Narragansett Bay. Four overlooks make the scenery a reason to visit in its own right. Plan an outdoor visit separately from museum entry: the lighthouse museum has a seasonal schedule.

Coastal views and maritime landmarks

• Choose an overlook for a view without making a shoreline scramble part of the outing.
• The 1856 lighthouse adds a maritime-history focus to a coastal walk.
• The aquarium offers seasonal marine education. Fort Burnside adds a separate, appointment-only coastal-defense museum.

Plan around the coast and museum calendar

Fees, hours, and seasonal access

Safety by the water

During storms, stay away from the shoreline rocks. DEM warns that waves can knock onlookers and anglers into deep water; wet, slippery rock adds to the danger. Use the overlooks and follow posted access restrictions rather than approaching the surf for a photograph.

Leave the shoreline clean

Carry your litter out of the park, including picnic waste. The state’s carry-in, carry-out policy applies here.

Group visits and museum arrangements

Organized groups, schools and events must arrange park use in advance. Special Use Permit applications must reach the state at least 30 days before the event. Call 401-884-2010 about space and group scheduling. The museum separately requests at least two weeks’ notice for tours of no more than 25 people; confirm that a tour can be arranged within its current operating schedule.

Finding Beavertail in Jamestown

Use Beavertail Road in Jamestown as the park destination. A lighthouse visit and a museum visit involve the same coastal setting, but building access follows the museum schedule.

Nearby parks

• Fort Wetherill State Park is another Jamestown stop, with a former coastal-defense site on Conanicut Island.
• Brenton Point State Park is on Ocean Drive in Newport. Treat it as a separate road outing to Newport, not as a walk across the bay.

Walk, observe and explore the light station

Build a short outing around the overlooks, photography and a walk through the coastal landscape. The park also supports birding and marine-science activities; check scheduled programs if interpretation is the main goal.

For a scheduled tower climb, visitors must be at least 4 feet tall. The route has 49 spiral steps followed by a 7-foot ladder, and both hands must remain free. Small children and pets cannot be carried. Join the line at least half an hour before closing; choose footwear more secure than flip-flops.

Light-station facilities

Composting toilets are beside the light station. The museum gift shop does not sell refreshments. Fort Burnside’s museum requires an appointment, so an outdoor park visit does not guarantee access to both museums.

A coast shaped by navigation and defense

Lighthouse and defense history

The lighthouse dates to 1856. Fort Burnside began as a coastal-defense installation in 1942. The state later worked with Jamestown to create the park from federal surplus land, combining conservation with the site’s maritime and military history.

Park and museum contacts

For park information, use the official Beavertail State Park page or call 401-423-1771. For the light station, call 401-423-3270 and consult the museum visitor information.