Superior Trailhead Beach

Minnesota

Find: Lake Superior Agates, exceptional amygdaloidal basalt AKA “galaxy stones”, porphyry

GPS: 47.79574, -90.12351

Nearest city: Thunder Bay, ON, Canada

Recommended Vehicle: Any

Summary:

Sadly, I hear from many people that they only get up to Grand Marais and then turn around when exploring the North Shore of Minnesota. I’ve spent many days on the beaches of the Big Lake and this is one of the most untouched locations I’ve found in Minnesota.

Access is easy from the highly-scenic HWY 61. I’d highly recommended visiting up here in the Autumn, it’s unforgettable.

This section of Lake Superior had extremely strong waves and riptides when I visited. I would not recommend venturing into the water beyond your feet. I’m confident in the water and the lake has a scary amount of power here.

 

Video Guide

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

Note: Many of the spots towards the end of the video are right near this spot. We drove around a little bit and found many little access points within 1-2 miles of this spot.

Here's what much of the coast North of Grand Marais, MN look like.

Here's what much of the coast North of Grand Marais, MN look like.

Here's a nice agate nodule we came across when poking around the dry rocks up here.

Here's a nice agate nodule we came across when poking around the dry rocks up here.

This was an exceptional amygdaloidal basalt, with its own built-in geode.

This was an exceptional amygdaloidal basalt, with its own built-in geode.

I was proud of this one.

I was proud of this one.

The amygdaloidal basalt up here was awesome. There's infinite variety tucked away in each piece.

The amygdaloidal basalt up here was awesome. There's infinite variety tucked away in each piece.

There's quite a few of these up here. They almost look like agates but don't show any banding.

There's quite a few of these up here. They almost look like agates but don't show any banding.

Here's a pretty one. I loved the red lacing between the quartz and basalt on this one.

Here's a pretty one. I loved the red lacing between the quartz and basalt on this one.

Many of the agates were dominated by quartz.

Many of the agates were dominated by quartz.

Sara found this really cool pale agate. A beautiful outlier!

Sara found this really cool pale agate. A beautiful outlier!

Porphyry on the North Shore is unbeatable. No two pieces are the same!

Porphyry on the North Shore is unbeatable. No two pieces are the same!

This piece almost looked like prehnite that you'd find somewhere like Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula, so it stuck out to me.

This piece almost looked like prehnite that you'd find somewhere like Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula, so it stuck out to me.