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Where to Find Lake Superior Agate in Minnesota

The Lake Superior agate is Minnesota's state gemstone, and the best collecting follows the gravel pits, river bars, and glacial moraines south and west of Duluth. The North Shore beaches from Two Harbors to Grand Marais yield small, water-worn agates with red-brown and gray fortification banding, and the gravel pits around Carlton and Pine counties produce larger nodules from the original Keweenawan basalt source rock. Farther south, agate turns up in farm field gravels through Mille Lacs and Aitkin counties, carried there by the Superior lobe of the Wisconsin glaciation. Red, orange, and tube agates are typical; eye and ruin patterns are rarer prizes.

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Every lake superior agate spot we track in Minnesota

Standout lake superior agate spots in Minnesota

Hand-picked from the full list above, with the reason each one earns a trip.

Best counties for lake superior agate in Minnesota

Ranked by the number of mapped lake superior agate spots. County links open the full rockhounding page for that county.

Before you go

Read the lake superior agate identification guide so you know what a keeper looks like in the field: Lake Superior Agate in the encyclopedia.

Lake Superior Agate in Minnesota FAQ

Where can you find lake superior agate in Minnesota?+
The mapped spots concentrate in Saint Louis County, Lake County, and Carlton County. Known collecting areas include North Shore gravel beaches (Lake County), Moose Lake area pits (Carlton County), and Aitkin County glacial gravel. Every spot on this page is on the map, and each spot's own page has its coordinates and access notes.
How many lake superior agate spots are mapped in Minnesota?+
32 spots across 17 counties. The RockHoundR app keeps the same spots on an offline map with public land overlays, geology layers, and your saved finds.
Is it legal to collect lake superior agate in Minnesota?+
Hand collecting of common rocks and minerals in small amounts for personal use is generally allowed on BLM and U.S. Forest Service land, with limits set by the local field office. National parks, most state parks, and tribal land are closed to collecting. 31 of the 32 mapped spots here sit on land marked public. Always confirm current rules with the managing agency before you dig.

Where else to find lake superior agate

More minerals to hunt in Minnesota

Hunt lake superior agate in Minnesota with the map in your pocket

RockHoundR puts these spots on an offline map with BLM and Forest Service overlays, geology layers, and a log for your finds.

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