McLain State Park
Michigan
Find: Lake Superior Agates, prehnite, copper ore, unakite, amygdaloidal basalt
GPS: 47.239492, -88.601207
Nearest city: Houghton, MI
Recommended Vehicle: Any
Summary:
Initially, I figured this spot would be one of the more picked over places in the Keweenaw. But I’ve been here multiple times, and have always come across great finds. It’s one of the best rock beaches I’ve found in the Keweenaw Peninsula and is typically enjoyably quiet.
Michigan is one of the few states that allows rockhounding within its State Parks (up to 25lbs per year).
I would recommend hiking North as the area to the South of the campground is mainly larger boulders and stones.
Video Guide
Check out the video for a better look at what can be found when exploring this spot.
If I could only bring 3 tools…
Chest Waders
Chest waders were the single best investment I made for exploring the shores of Lake Superior.
Agate Scoop
An agate scoop is helpful for both keeping dry and picking up rocks faster. You don’t need a fancy one. Mine is a golf club welded to a kitchen scoop.
Classifier
A classifier is helpful if you’re a fan of small agates and stones. One with a larger, 1-inch mesh would be what I’d pick.