Wait, There Are 3 Lighthouses in This One New Hampshire Lake?

New Hampshire has a pretty short coastline.

In fact, according to the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, the Granite State has the shortest coastline in the United States at about 18 miles.

That means fewer lighthouses than Maine (over 60) and Massachusetts (over 40). You're looking at a simple two on the coast: Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse and The Isles of Shoals Light.

But hold up. You might be surprised to know that New Hampshire actually has three more lighthouses. They just all happen to be inland and on one particular lake.

How Many Lighthouses Are on Lake Sunapee?

The total lighthouses in New Hampshire is five, and three of those lighthouses are found on Lake Sunapee.

The three include Herrick Cove Lighthouse, Burkehaven Lighthouse, and Loon Island Lighthouse.

According to lakesunapee.org, these lighthouses were built during the grand steamboat era (1880s–1930s), when steamers carried passengers, luggage, mail, and tourists around the lake.

The website notes that once the use of the steamers on the lake ended, "the lighthouses were left to disintegrate."

Over the years, some of the lighthouses were damaged and rebuilt through community efforts, but questions arose about who was responsible for their upkeep.

Lakesunapee.org stated that Lake Sunapee Protective Association stepped in during the late 1970s to investigate and advocate for their care, and in the '80s, legislation was granted to give the organization the right to maintain the lighthouses and preserve them as historic landmarks. Ownership, however, remained with the state.

Can you visit the lighthouses on Lake Sunapee?

The lighthouses are all active and solar-powered, according to nelights.com. But can you visit them?

You can't go inside any of them as they are on rock formations and small cribs, but you can certainly see them from a boat, a kayak, or even the shore.

There's even a boat tour on Lake Sunapee that can provide you with another way to check out these historic landmarks.

READ MORE: This New Hampshire City Named One of the Most Underrated Destinations in the US

So if you're looking for an underrated lighthouse trip or want to check out some hidden gems, Lake Sunapee has you covered with three inland lighthouses that might just outshine their coastal cousins.

Got any weekend plans yet?