The Shore Is Full of Treasure

The most prized find on the North Shore. Look for translucent red, orange, and yellow banding. Agates are often found in gravel bars and river mouths. Wet them to see the color pop.

A rare zeolite mineral found almost exclusively near Grand Marais, MN. Look for pink, white, and green eye-like patterns. Highly collectible.

The dark volcanic rock that forms the backbone of the North Shore. Often contains vesicles (gas bubbles) filled with minerals. Common and beautiful.

Michigan's state gem, also found on Isle Royale and occasionally the MN shore. Distinctive turtle-shell pattern in green and black.

Opaque red, yellow, and brown stones. Often found mixed with agate material. Smooth and satisfying to hold.

White to milky translucent stones. Chalcedony is the family that includes agates — look for waxy luster and slight translucency.

Some people call them Yooperlites — but their official name is fluorescent sodalite. Under normal daylight they look like ordinary gray or tan rocks. Under a special UV shortwave light, they come alive with a brilliant orange and yellow glow. They are found along the shores of Lake Superior, particularly on the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Hunting for them at night with a UV flashlight is an unforgettable experience — it feels almost like being on a pirate treasure hunt when the rocks light up on the beach.

One of our personal favorites and a truly rare find on Lake Superior shores. Officially called Omarolluk stones — sometimes affectionately known as Omars — these ancient stones were carried here by glaciers thousands of years ago from the Hudson Bay region of Canada. What makes them unmistakable are their rounded holes or pits — smooth, bowl-shaped cavities that look almost man-made but are entirely natural. They form when softer carbonate concretions inside the sandstone erode away over time from wave action and weathering, leaving behind those smooth circular cavities. Finding one is a genuine treasure — you are holding a piece of glacial history that traveled hundreds of miles to land at your feet.