Beaver Bay: Lake Superior Agate & Thomsonite Rockhounding in Lake County, Minnesota
Updated July 2026
Beaver Bay sits on a stretch of North Shore where both Lake Superior agate and thomsonite wash into the beach gravel, a combination that has made it a long-standing favorite among Minnesota collectors. The surrounding basalt flows are part of the same billion-year-old rift volcanics that produced the state's agates and zeolites. Public shoreline access near the town lets collectors work the gravel after each storm. Reported finds include lake superior agate, thomsonite. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.
Beaver Bay photos
Public image records connected to this spot or its reported material.
Map showing Beaver Bay in Lake County, Minnesota
Quick details
- Access
- Public area
- County
- Lake County
- State
- Minnesota
- Nearest road
- Club Road
- Postcode
- 55601
- Coordinates
- 47.25733, -91.29577
Geology at Beaver Bay
This spot sits on Diabase and ferrodiorite, mapped as mafic hypabyssal and diorite that formed roughly 1200 to 1000 million years ago. Plutonic rock like this weathers slowly into grus and boulders, and the most productive collecting is typically in weathered zones and drainages.
- Mapped unit
- Diabase and ferrodiorite
- Age
- 1200–1000 Ma (Mesoproterozoic)
- Rock types
- mafic hypabyssal and diorite
- Elevation
- 620 ft
Geologic mapping via Macrostrat and the underlying state geological survey maps (CC BY 4.0). Bedrock at the surface can vary within a mapped unit.
Best time to visit Beaver Bay
Best months: April to October. Typical highs run 79°F in midsummer and 22°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 4°F.
Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, WOLF RIDGE ELC station (10 mi away), adjusted for elevation.
Land & collecting status
Generally open to casual rockhounding
Most public-tagged spots sit on BLM, U.S. Forest Service, or other federal land where reasonable hand collecting of common rocks and minerals is allowed. Confirm posted rules and active mining claims before you dig.
Public-land rules vary by agency, season, and field office. The RockHoundR app pulls live BLM, USFS, NPS, and tribal overlays so you can see exactly which agency manages the ground at this spot.
Sources & verification
Spot details combine the public RockHoundR location dataset, normalized mineral labels, agency land-status checks in the app, and community submissions. Coordinates are approximate until verified in the field.
Sources: RockHoundR public spot dataset, app land overlays, and local agency review before each trip.
Found at Beaver Bay
Each chip opens all spots that produce that material; the encyclopedia link opens the full ID and field guide.
Nearby rockhounding spots
Other rockhounding spots within driving distance of Beaver Bay.
- Gull RockLake County, Minnesota · 4 mi awayLake Superior Agate
- Little Marais RiverLake County, Minnesota · 14 mi awayThomsonite, Zeolite
- Kelsey BeachTop pick in MinnesotaLake County, Minnesota · 21 mi awayLake Superior Agate
- Knife River beachesTop pick in MinnesotaLake County, Minnesota · 31 mi awayLake Superior Agate
- French RiverSaint Louis County, Minnesota · 38 mi awayLake Superior Agate
- Thomsonite BeachCook County, Minnesota · 51 mi awayChlorastrolite, Lintonite, Thomsonite Nodules
- ElyTop pick in MinnesotaSaint Louis County, Minnesota · 52 mi awayJasper, Quartz, Chalcedony
- WintonSaint Louis County, Minnesota · 52 mi awayLake Superior Agate, Evergreen Jasper
Across the state line from Beaver Bay
Beaver Bay is close enough to the Minnesota border that the next-closest rockhounding spots are in a neighboring state. Worth knowing if you are already on the road.
- Big Bay Town ParkTop pick in WisconsinAshland County, Wisconsin · 45 mi awayLake Superior Agate, Jasper, Thomsonite
- Bayfield CountyTop pick in WisconsinBayfield County, Wisconsin · 48 mi awayAgate, Jasper
- Wisconsin PointTop pick in WisconsinDouglas County, Wisconsin · 51 mi awayLake Superior Agate, Jasper, Copper
- AnniconDouglas County, Wisconsin · 53 mi awayCopper
- Saxon Harbor County ParkTop pick in WisconsinIron County, Wisconsin · 63 mi awayLake Superior Agate, Jasper, Copper
- Little Girls Point County ParkGogebic County, Michigan · 64 mi awayBasalt, Granite, Unakite
Beaver Bay FAQ
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More rockhounding in Minnesota
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