Baraga’s Cross

Minnesota

Find: Thomsonite, porphyry, exceptional amygdaloidal basalt, possible Lake Superior Agates

GPS: 47.54316, -90.89176

Nearest city: Duluth, MN

Recommended Vehicle: Any

Summary:

Father Baraga’s cross is a historical marker near the town of Schroeder, MN. It’s got a nice little parking area similar to a boat launch. It has especially clear water in the Summer. It falls within a very small region of the North Shore where thomsonite can be found - a rare zeolite with circular green and orange eyes.

I recommend getting in the water here for the best finds, as its shores are frequently picked. If you visit the spot in October, you’ll have a chance to witness salmon head upstream from Lake Superior up into the nearby river.

Video Guide

Check out the video for a better look at what can be found when exploring this spot.

This spot is the 2nd spot marked in the timeline of the video.

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.