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 coast that produces, thomsonite - 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 from Lake Superior up into the nearby river.

Only now did I realize that in my hyper-fixation on the rocks, I didn’t take a picture of the cross itself. It’s beautiful and overlooks the water!

 

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 YouTube video.

This is what I believe to be a Lake Superior Agate nodule in the basalt host rock.

This is what I believe to be a Lake Superior Agate nodule in the basalt host rock.

The real gem of this region is thomsonite, one of my personal favorite minerals. This is a low-grade piece, without complete circular features.

The real gem of this region is thomsonite, one of my personal favorite minerals. This is a low-grade piece, without complete circular features.

Here's an example of a higher grade thomsonite, partially polished. The nearby Thomsonite Inn was nice enough to pull this piece out of their collection to show me.

Here's an example of a higher grade thomsonite, partially polished. The nearby Thomsonite Inn was nice enough to pull this piece out of their collection to show me.

Porphyry is abundant up here. The red feldspar grains in this one were huge!

Porphyry is abundant up here. The red feldspar grains in this one were huge!

Here's a salmon headed upstream at Baraga's Cross from my first visit in Fall of 2021.

Here's a salmon headed upstream at Baraga's Cross from my first visit in Fall of 2021.

And a fisherman I met who knew all about the salmon here long before I did!

And a fisherman I met who knew all about the salmon here long before I did!