But for agate hunting and rock picking, you've got to walk north and west from the campground beach. I have written entire articles which cover the rockhounding laws and regulations for nearly every type of public land you can think of. These unique and beautiful stones are usually light to dark green and have a turtleback pattern. All 50 States Answered, land and mineral ownership maps from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Agate, Adularia, Chalcedony, Chert, Jasper, Thomsonite, Keweenaw Agate, Adularia, Chalcedony, Chert, Jasper, Thomsonite, Adularia, Chalcedony, Chert, Jasper, Keweenaw Agate, Thomsite, Adularia, Keweenaw Agates, Chalcedony, Chert, Jasper, Thomsonite, Agate nodules, Carnelian, Quartz crystals, Hematite, Sapphite, Sericite, Specularite, Agate, Chalcedony geodes, Sandstone with calcite veins. Sediments started to settle above the Cambrian sandstones and continued to add new layers until the Jurassic period. One of our favorite rock hunting beaches for its length and its convenient access from the Woodland Park campground. Pyrite - also known as . The beach gravels of Lake Huron are world famous for their Petoskey stones, making the area a must-visit for rockhounds. Day 2: Tahquamenon Falls State Park, website. There are kilometers of pebbles on the beaches in rivers and lakes. Reply Report inappropriate content 2 replies to this topic 1-2 of 2 replies place for rockhounds. Michigan is one of the best states in the U.S. for rockhounding thanks to its proximity to the Great Lakes and recent geological history. Link to Central Upper Peninsula Agate Beach Map, Lake Superior Rocks & Minerals: A Field Guide to the Lake Superior Area, Recommended by a SuperiorTrails friend & rock hound, this new guide has actual photographs of various rocks and minerals found on Lake Superior beaches. enter without permission! and sandstone quarries harbor crystals and fossils. Igneous rocks can be found in Michigan at Harbour Horseshoe in Copper Beach and Black Rock Volcanic Formations in Presque Isle. specimens, as well as minerals from around the world. A "gem" that was first discovered by Erik Rintamaki along the Michigan shores of Lake Superior in 2017, Yooperlites are a Syenite rock that contain a highly fluorescent Sodalite throughout the mineral, causing them to glow a bright, campfire-coal orange and can only be seen when using UV light. Follow posted signage and always get permission from the landowner to collect. Ontario Travel, Black River Harbor Fall Color, Camping, Hiking & Waterfalls. Rock Collectors: ago and extends to 600 million years ago. Rock hunting on Lake Michigan can be very satisfying as you may find agates, corals, quartz, or obsidian. Phone 906-487-2572. And more adventuresome rock hounds can drive along West Wild Cat Road to access some good rock beaches even further west of the point. Significant goethite deposits are found in this county, particularly in Jackson Pit and on Cliffs Drive. This is the place where you can find Michigans official gemstone, the chlorastrolite, or the Isle Royale Greenstone. The downside of its remoteness is unless you want to handle the mostly sand road to Grand Marais, you'll have to retrace your path 27 miles back to Newberry. . Ancient igneous and metamorphic rocks are at least 3.5 billion years old. Upper Peninsula, Michigan Agate Festival attendees agate hunting and rock picking on the Beach at Muskallonge State Park Best Lake Superior Rock Picking & Agate Beaches - Michigan's Central & Eastern Upper Peninsula Guides to Other Lake Superior Agate Beaches - North Shore Agate Beaches - Wisconsin & Western UP Beaches - Keweenaw UP Agate Beaches Even though you cannot dig or collect rocks from this place, it is still worth visiting. Statewide in 2018, 49% of hunters harvested a deer in the UP. Share US-We love sharing the beauty of Michigan with you. world. The Detroit Salt Mine was opened in 1910 and is located 1,100 feet under Detroit. Like opening a gift, finding that perfect rock your collection can be built around is a thing of beauty. Start your search at one of these top three shoreline locations: Crisp Point Lighthouse Whitefish Point Muskallonge Lake State Park Tags: beaches, family fun, lighthouses, rock hunting, summer Duluth's Enger Park Tower provides a panaramic view of the city of Duluth. Motels & Hotel Directory Different varieties of schists appeared due to a series of factors like the mineral composition, intensity of metamorphism, and the chemical substances involved in the process. Rock and Gem amazgine called Rintamaki's Yooperlite finds, "A great discovery." Michigan was once covered by a warm saltwater sea and the colonial coral Hexagonaria Percarinata blossomed in the depths. How to recognize Lake Superior Agates and Beach Rocks. Pudding Stones are conglomerates which were brought from Canada to Michigan by glaciation. Always be prepared and bring warm clothes that you can layer as the temperature begins dropping. Rockhounds can find exciting things all over the place, especially in the Upper Peninsula. See Our Reviews of the best guides to Lake Superior Agates and Beach Rocks. colors of Lake Superior agates all along the shore, with BJ's Lapidary and Collectibles: 31600 W Front St., Trout Lake, MI 49793, Gitche Gumee Landing Gift Shop: 202 Ontonagon St., Ontonagon, MI 49953, Keweenaw Gem and Gift, Inc.: 912 Razorback Dr., Houghton, MI 49931, Nature's Picks: 600 E Cloverland Dr., Ironwood, MI 49938, Prospector's Paradise: County Rd., Allouez, MI 49805. These unique and beautiful stones are usually light to dark green and have a turtleback pattern. Reviews of golf courses around Lake Superior. Different fossils, septarian brown rocks, or gray basaltic rocks. 90% of all geologic time. Pictures & Story from the So, if you look for these types of rocks, you should head towards the Upper Peninsula. Minerals, located at Gitche Gumee Landing, Located at the Iron Mountain iron Mine 9 miles east of Iron Mountain at W4852 Hwy US 2, Vulcan, MI. Especially popular pieces to collect retain elements of their original decoration including patterns, images and text. Petoskey stone Petoskey stones are fossilized colonial coral stones. A good time to rockhound along the beaches is between Some parts of the shoreline are remote and require a sense of adventure and some gumption, but there are several more accessible beaches to go rock hunting. These Southwest beaches offer beautiful stones to collectors. A: Yooperlites are found on the Lake Superior coast in Michigans Upper Peninsula. We've profiled some of the most accessible beaches, which while loaded with fine specimens aren't necessarily the best for finding an agate - because they are accessible and many rock hounds troll them. (Plus, you can satiate any late-night snack cravings you might get.). Copyright 2022 Rockhound Resource | Birch on Trellis Framework by Mediavine, Rockhounding & Prospecting: Upper Midwest, N shore and islands of Tobin Harbor, towards Blake Point, Manitou Island, beaches surrounding island, Rockhounding on Public Land: Laws and Regulations, Can You Collect Rocks in State Parks? February 16 - 23, 2023. Gem and mineral dealer Erik Rintamaki gave the name Yooperlite to this fascinating stone. Munising, Upper Peninsula North Star Hotel - Pictured Rocks 317 Reviews View Hotel Munising, Upper Peninsula Boarders Inn and Suites by Cobblestone Hotels - Munising 248 Reviews View Hotel Munising, Upper Peninsula to the Upper Peninsula Traveler Check the below table for some of the most important Michigan crystals and the places where you can find them. Good places for hunting shark teeth seem to be the area of Port Huron, Isle Royale, or Lake Michigans beaches. During the Pleistocene, this state was the home to huge animals like mammoths and mastodons, so there is no wonder that Mammut americanum remains were chosen as the states symbolic fossil. If you're lucky and happen to be stargazing during April, you may even catch a display of the Northern Lights. The Upper Peninsula beaches are best for finding agates, while the Lower Peninsula is the place to go for Petoskey Stones. Find out more about pebbles in the article below:All About Pebble Rocks: What Type of Rock, Forming & More. Muskallonge State Park is the site of the annual Rock On Lake Superior Agate Festival so is well known among Lake Superior Rock Hounds. Phone 906-884-6618. so I Ultimately, its up to your own preference. Nature. Who knows? So, pack your gear and head towards Michigan! These glow-in-the-dark deposits of sodalite can form various patterns, including sparsely spotted, geometric lines, and an all-over sort of pattern reminiscent of a galaxy somewhere in space. Here is another book recommended by a Superior Trails reader and rock hound who was able to identify over 50 rocks found on the beach using this guide by Kevin Gauthier and Bruce Mueller. If youd like to join the ranks of the elite prospectors when in the U.P., take a look at exploringthenorth.com, or simply call us at (906) 658-3314. serious collector and anyone who enjoys the beauty of Mother The shoreline from Grand Marais, Michigan going east to Whitefish Point offers some of the best agate finding opportunities around Lake Superior. However, permission is required before searching for rocks in these two places. Our favorite rock beaches in the Southwestern Lower Peninsula are Pilgrim Haven Natural Area, Deerlick Creek Park, and Pier Cove Park. If youre planning on heading to the field, make sure you have all the gear youll need! If you plan to travel Michigan in search of Yooperlite, use our map at the bottom of this post to find areas where Yooperlites have been found. and Lake Superior area has what youre looking for. Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Isle Royale National The following are the top 10 most searched rock hunting in upper peninsulas for 2022. A wide variety of gemstones can be found on Lake Michigans shorelines and other areas of the state. Greenstones, or chlorastrolite, are Within the park, over 100 miles of trail . 1. Empire Beach Lake Superior Rocks Greenstones are Michigan's State Gemstone and can be found in the Keweenaw Peninsula and along the shores of Isle Royale. amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; A: Yes, you can find Yooperlite during the day, but because you need a black light, its definitely more visible at night. The beach pictured above was taken during the 2013 Rock On Lake Superior Agate Festival. Slag is a by-product and artifact of the late 1800s iron industry which was dumped into the lake. Well help you book a motel room, reserve an outdoor rental, locate a guide, or request a quote. The Upper Peninsula is where you can find the Petoskey stones, the states official rock. A: What makes Yooperlites glow is the fluorescent sodalite included in the makeup of the rock. Bring batteries to replace any dead ones and rock(hunt) on! Hi Victoria! Agates are the well known favorites for rock hunters along the Lake Superior shoreline. Whether going on a rockhounding trip or just visiting with the family, you can find numerous Michigan attractions. As a bonus, there are fewer of those pesky mosquitos in spring! In the abandoned dumps of Holmes and Cliff Shaft Mine, you can find cuttable blue steel ore. Brown calcite crystals are present at Bayport, in Huron County. An interesting reddish type of chert is found in Charlevoix County, on the north side of Norwood. NOTE: All the locations listed in these tables are clickable, and will take you to the location on Google Maps. Creative writing has been a hobby and interest of Bellas since she was in elementary school and she is thrilled to be using her talents to highlight the Great Lakes State. And if you have come this far on a rougher road, you can continue on east to another top rock picking beach at Muskallonge State Park. The waterworks beach is about a 1000 feet long but you may be able to walk further either way even though private homes line the beaches. ground in the North Central States. The market is filled with so many best rock hunting in upper peninsulas that you might find yourself struggling to narrow it down. Leelanau State Park has over 50 rustic campsites and is one of the most quaint . While you're in the area, check out our many rental options. Phone 906-487-2572; fax 906-487-2949). Bring a bag with you to store your treasures in. Here are the five coolest rocks in Michigan that every rock hunter has to find in his or her lifetime. You can also upload your photos to our Winter Photo Crowdriff Collector below. Spectacular mineral specimens for the Greenstones are Michigan's State Gemstone and can be found in the Keweenaw Peninsula and along the shores of Isle Royale. Ceramics which are similar to beach glass in the process of formation come from a variety of original objects including plates, cups and tile. Through quite a bit of research and cross-referencing of available literature, I have compiled this list of some prospective locations in Michigan which I would recommend to people looking to do some rockhounding. TIP:It is always good to know where exactly is your favorite rockhounding location and how to come back to your car after rockhounding. Lets check where you can find some of these. You can get the landowners name and address by visiting the county records office. Galena. Map of Where to Find Yooperlite Rocks. discarded rock piles from abandoned mines near Rockland and Michigan is home to several fee-to-dig rockhounding sites thanks in large part to its extensive copper mining history. advert of the Dickinson County Healthcare System company and apply for it, so you can easily find the job you want. Though it is pollution it is quite popular to collect as it is a rather beautiful looking glass. It Depends How You Look, All About Pebble Rocks: What Type of Rock, Forming & More, What are Radioactive Minerals? The state's streams that contain placer gold are also important for the plant and animal communities they support. They are composed of a variety of smaller stones including quartz, red jasper, and black chert. Only Michigan has been discovered to contain emerald greenstone. Michigans official fossil is the mastodon. 23879 County Road 407 Newberry, MI 49868, Winter Haven Motel & Pine Stump Junction Rentals. Some of the hot spots where you can look for these stones are Petoskey State Park, Magnus City Park Beach, and Bay Front & Sunset Park. Resources Center, is world-class. State Rock. Pictured Rocks National Park and Boat Cruises. Yooerplite is made up of mostly syenite rock, which is similar to granite, which means the rock looks like any other dark stones or typical gray rock, but theres a twist. (Pictures and Guides to Identifying Lake Superior Beach Rocks, Minerals, and Agates, SuperiorTrails.com - Reinhold Development - 2022, SuperiorTrails Agate Hunting & Rock Picking Directory, Michigan Upper Peninsula Travel Directory Page, Minnesota North Shore Travel Directory Page, Wisconsin South Shore Travel Directory Page, Bayfield Wisconsin - Travel attractions & events, Superior Wisconsin - things to see and do, Michigan Upper Peninsula Travel Directory. Antiques, Rocks, Minerals, Fossils, & Specimens, PO Box 99, N7017 AuTrain Lake Road, Do not TIP:Are you looking for tips on what to buy for your loved passionate rock seekers? Other gemstones found in Michigan are chrysocolla, beryl, hematite, malachite, quartz, jasper, and diamonds, just to name a few. The specimens glow under a black light and after being examined at a Michigan Tech laboratory, it was . The best time to go rock hunting is during low tide, when the rocks are more visible. A: Yooperlites are a relatively unique formation of the common element, fluorescent sodalite. However, rockhounds can find, photograph, and appreciate many specimens including agates, thomsonite, onyx, quartz, and Michigans state gemstone Chlorastolite, colloquially known as Isle Royale Greenstone. October 10, 2022 by Arnold. This Six-pack of Duracell Batteries is just the right amount to keep you charged on your hunt. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Be sure to wear sturdy shoes and clothes that can get wet and muddy, as the rocks can be slippery and the terrain can be rough. Previously a part of the Mabry Ranch, one of the coolest aspects of this tract is the private drive . Veteran rock pickers and agate hunters have their favorite beaches, some of which are kept secret. See more on the Museum and Rock Picking/Agate Hunting on Grand Marais, Michigan beaches. I use this mesh bag with a drawstring for swimming, and its pretty druable, so I bought an extra one for rock collecting. Different types of rocks, gemstones, crystals, or fossils can be found in this state. Tour Map, Tahquamenon Falls Aune-Osborn campground is a city-run campground that offers water and electric hookups, picnic tables, and fire rings for their 24 waterfront and 76 non-waterfront sites. The result is shorelines filled with a wide variety of beautiful stones. The museum has the world's finest display of minerals from From Grand Marais, go east on Highway H58 about 10-12 miles. 2 Our 10 Favorite Campgrounds in the UP. Walking along the coast at night with a black light or UV light begins to feel otherworldly as the luminescence hiding in plain sight becomes revealed. The Best Central UP Rock Picking Beaches Lets see what are the most exciting locations, from a geological point of view. Other minerals present on the island are porphyrite, barite, calcite, datolite, natrolite, prehnite, epidote, and many more. 2.1 1) Straits State Park - St. Ignace. Exploring Huronian, Keweenawan) They are referred to collectively as Alongside fishing, hunters bring in around $11.2 billion every year for the state. Upper Peninsula of Michigan. amzn_assoc_linkid = "449ea551b1326ba1099098f322f2d915"; There are too many old copper mines to count and they produce a wide variety of copper-associated minerals. Through the power of the internet, we've found an expert that was able to identify a Michigan woman's once in a lifetime find on the shores of Lake Huron. Be safe, never go underground, and make sure to get permission from the landowner to search for and collect specimens. Apart from the previously mentioned rocks and minerals, you can also find fossils, ores, septarian brown rocks, geodes, chalcedony, granite, and many more. beaches, in gravel pits, on leftover mine ore dumps and PRO-TIP: Place them away from the water so they dont get washed away into Lake Superior. While the shoreline is stunning, the sky offers its own brilliant display. 2.5 5) Aune-Osborn Campground - Sault Ste. A simple walk on one of Lake Michigans beaches might turn out into treasure hunting. Red Barn Make your way through the Upper Peninsula and enjoy the views. Winter - Sault Ste Marie. during the winter. Beach glass is broken shards of glass that have been smoothed due to years of tumbling and rubbing against rocks and sand in freshwater. The Upper Peninsula, also known as the UP, is a peninsula in the northwestern United States that is part of the state of Michigan. for a great collection of rocks and minerals. That's a great find - Congratulations. Yooperlites were discovered in 2017 by Erik Rintamaki, who gave them their regional northern Michigan name. Black Rocks in Presque Isle Park is the perfect place to go cliff jumping in Michigan. Black Rocks Marquette is one of the best summer things to do in the Upper Peninsula! pattern. Great Lakes GeoScience, Hubbell, Michigan. This site is devoted to sharing my love of rocks with you. The museum has the world's finest display of minerals from the Lake Superior Copper District. From Houghton, south on M-26 to the town of Toivola. The best places to rockhound in Michigan are the Keweenaw Peninsula, Isle Royale, Manitou Island, Marquette County, and the shorelines of Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. Aune-Osborn Campground. These glowing stones can be found on the shores of Lake Superior in Michigan's Upper Peninsula . 1. However, Michigan is the only place where chlorastrolite can be collected. An interesting fact is that the Petoskey stone, the states official rock, is actually a fossilized coral. The beach in front of the historic blast furnace that produced pig iron in the 1800s offers opportunities to find slag samples left over from the operations of the furnace. 5-DAY Upper Peninsula Road Trip Itinerary DAY ONE: Munising, Michigan Morning Drive The Upper Peninsula Road Trip Itinerary starts off with what most road trips dohopping in the car! Please continue reading! Upper Peninsula Region, MI Hunting Land for Sale - 1-25 of 38 Listings Sort 360 acres $695,000 Voelker Lake Rd , Ishpeming, MI, 49849, Marquette County The Voelker Lakes are legendary in Marquette County and the main lake is totally private. Just heard about these unique rocks. See our Directory of our favorite Upper Peninsula Scenic and Recreation areas. The 2021 13th Annual Rock On Agate Festival will be held held in Sept 11 & 12 at the Community Center in Grand Marais, Michigan. Michigan: Source Petoskey Stones Marquette County is the home of many bismuth, cadmium, cobalt, copper, and gold mines. Placoderms, antiarchs, arthrodires, ptycodonts, or acanthodians are included in the sedimentary rocks of Michigan. While you may just admire the stones you find and others may turn them into art, most everyone agrees that the best part of the process is hunting for them! The country's largest outcropping The beaches near the Grand Marais area, as well as in the Keweenaw Peninsula and Whitefish Point are great for searching for Yooperlights. Build a Hospital based general practice in Michigan's Central Upper Peninsula! Similar to Petoskey stones, storms cause disruption that can make new rocks surface. amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; Upper Peninsula Travel information and precise directions. Water/Snacks: Its never a bad idea to have food and water on you, especially when outdoors, and even more so when exploring at night. Our next general . Whether youre a veteran or someone who is just getting into rock collecting, the U.P. Furthermore, if you visit the right places, you may stumble upon some ancient fossils. More Southwestern Lower Peninsula Locations Northeastern Lower Peninsula She grew up in the Detroit suburb of Westland and later attended Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo where she majored in Communication Studies and minored in English: Writing. (Open Mon-Fri, 9am to 4:30 pm, Sat from 12 noon to 4pm July to October. deposits for which Michigan is justly Day 4: Pictured Rocks: Grand Portal Arch and Chapel Loop Trail. Duluth Canal Park Brewery Beer Garden - Canal Park. These sites will allow you to search for and collect your own mineral specimens in a safe and controlled environment. Rockhounding in Michigan will generally involve either searching the shorelines of the Great Lakes for agates and Petoskey stones or scouring through the tailings and dumps of old mines. Specimens may become depleted from other collectors, the location may have been built on or altered, locality information in literature may be inaccurate, and property ownership may have changed hands. We used this Rechargeable, LED Wide Beam Headlamp with a Motion Sensor. Generally you should find good rock picking here and because H58 is unpaved the beach won't have the competition for prized specimens that other top beaches have. Thanks! best rock and agate picking beaches along the michigan keweenaw peninsula L LuAnn Marie 20 followers More information best rock and agate picking beaches along the michigan keweenaw peninsula Michigan Vacations Michigan Travel Michigan Beaches Michigan Girl Pure Michigan Camping Places Beach Camping Camping Cabins Rock Identification Pictures The 3 Best UV Lights for Rockhounding These are the top-performing UV lights you can find on the market. PRO-TIP: If youre a serious rockhound, you might think about purchasing a C8 The Petoskey Stone Convoy C8 365nm UV LED Flashlight with Patented Glass Filter, which is waterproof, too. Lake Superior Rocks & Minerals Field Guide. An interesting fact about igneous rocks is that they contain different beautiful crystals, a real treasure for rockhounds. Springtime is the prime season for the activity, as the newly melted ice can sometimes shift fossilized rocks and other materials up onto the beach. TIP:Finding rocks is satisfactory. Continue north on Route 203 to historic Calumet, take in the sights and get lunch. . Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 1951 Pictured Rocks Munising Upper Peninsula Michigan Postcard LL Cook Vintage at the best online prices at eBay! Use our hashtag #uptravel for an opportunity to be featured on our social media, website or in our marketing materials. There are a few tools that will help you in your search for Yooperlite; some are specific to finding these elusive rocks and others are equipment that will help keep you safe during your search. Depression Glass, China, Rock Hounding - Upper Peninsula of Michigan. For more variety, the area around Presque Isle has been known to produce nice agates, beautiful veined sandstone, and even chalcedony geodes. amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; the iron formations and the copper-bearing rocks. See more recommendations on guides and books on Lake Superior Rocks, Minerals & Agates, Minnesota's State Gem: The Lake Superior Agate, Rock Identification Key - By Don Peck on Rockhounds.com. jobs near me, remote jobs,You can find all the details of the Physician - Otolaryngology - Live your best life! This sand dipper/rock scoop has an adjustable handle. Wisconsin Travel Present on Lake Superiors shorelines and in the Upper Peninsula, this is a gemstone that any collector appreciates. State Mineral. Rock Hunting in the Upper Peninsula Richard and Andrew Marek had great father and son bonding time on the piles. mines and rockpiles. Leelanau State Park. Precambrian. Located between Port Moller and Cold Bay on the Alaska Peninsula, this area has some of the best genetics . Among the many beautiful gem and mineral deposits or rocks in Michigans beaches, such as Petoskey Stones and Charlevoix Stones to Lake Superior Agates, the Yooperlite glow stone is one of the most unique. Check the below table to see what sedimentary rocks you can find in Michigan and where. Day 3: Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, website. If youve already found a rock and youre not sure what it is, I would highly recommend checking out my Practical Rock Identification System. Read on to discover more about Yooperlite glow rocks and use this guide to finding Yooperlites to make your own discoveries! - Eastern UP Agate Beaches (here), SuperiorTrails Agate Hunting & Rock Picking Directory (Pictures and Guides to Identifying Lake Superior Beach Rocks, Minerals, and Agates). To protect stream and streamside habitats, the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) administers the Hydraulics Code (RCW 75.20.100).This requires that any person or government agency desiring to use, divert, obstruct, or change the natural flow or bed of any . The Precambrian age begins at some We're located near the three major rockhounding trailheads around Lake Superior, meaning an entire weekend of rock collecting can be in your future. You can also find chlorastrolite, agates, beach glass, gold, geodes, amethysts, pudding stones, topaz, beryl, tourmaline, quartz, shark teeth, and other fossils. Glow Sticks: Glow sticks make fantastic navigational tools. Do you know what are the most common radioactive rocks? Lets see what metamorphic rocks are in Michigan and where they can be found. You bet Im gonna be out there looking the next time Im along the shoreline. Always be prepared! It is the responsibility of each rockhound to obtain permission from a landowner to search and/or collect on a piece of property. Each stone is unique and may even host a mix of patterns of the fluorescent sodalite, adding to the ever-growing list of what makes this glowing rock so magnificent. Director, Gitchee Gumee Agate & History Museum, has created this comprehensive tutorial to finding agates. (Archean, Here are 10 spectacular campgrounds in the UP. Sparky's guide covers what north shore beaches to comb, a bit of history on the formation of the various rocks found on beaches, and helpful information and pictures on identifying beach rocks and minerals. While in the area, Van Buren State Park and Grand Mere State Park are worth visiting for a dune hike. In addition to the Pictured Rocks, the lakeshore also offers 12 miles of beautiful beaches, nearly five miles of enormous sand dunes, several waterfalls, and lighthouses.