Best Upper and Lower Peninsula Michigan Beaches for Rock Hunting

You'd have to be a real stick in the mud not to participate in the Michigan pastime of rock hunting. As a self-proclaimed curmudgeon homebody, even I have gone out and looked for some neat rocks, put them in a bucket, and display them in random spots around my home.

Of course, there's a significant difference in rock hunting in Michigan and Michigan Rock Hunting™. With 3,288 miles of shoreline to search, it doesn't take much luck to find a few rocks you might think are cool. But in all of that shoreline, only a few beaches along the Great Lakes shores offer the geodes everyone is hunting for.

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But it's less about luck and more about know-how. Sure, some special equipment and some quality experience help, but the most important factor is location, location, location.

Where are the Best Beaches to Look for Unique Michigan Rocks?

So you want to go rock hunting in Michigan the right way. Great, first question: Upper or Lower Peninsula? Both sides of the Mighty Mac offer unique finds. In the Upper Peninsula, you're looking for Yooperlites; In the Lower Peninsula, you're looking for Petoskey Stones.

Lower Peninsula Petoskey Hunting

Petoskey Stones, which you may recognize as the state's official stone, are easy to recognize thanks to it's unique coral-like patterns.

No doubt, the Petoskey State Park is a solid option, but if you want to heed some advice to find a less-crowded space to hunt for Petoskey stones, Bayshore West Park is the best choice.

West Park is approximately halfway between Petoskey and Charlevoix. The beach itself is very rocky, and since you'll have to hike a bit less than a mile from the parking lot to the beach to begin your hunt, it's usually a quieter area. Head in after a storm and start collecting Petoskey and Charlevoix stones in the Lower Peninsula.

Upper Peninsula Yooperlite Hunting

As for the Upper Peninsula, you'll need to pack some extra equipment to find Yooperlites along the shores of Lake Superior. So long as you head to the right spot, you should have some luck.

The Keweenaw Peninsula is home to several great spots for Yooperlite hunting, but the best may just be at the Agate Beach. The Keweenaw tourism website specifically mentions Agate Beach as the prime destination for Yooperlite hunting in the area.