Bayfield County: Agate & Jasper Rockhounding in Bayfield County, Wisconsin
Updated July 2026
The Lake Superior shoreline of Bayfield County, along the State Highway 13 corridor between Port Wing and Cornucopia, is a classic stretch of public agate beach. Town and county beaches at Port Wing, Herbster, and Cornucopia present gravel and cobble that yield Lake Superior agates, jasper, and basalt, concentrated after storms. Collecting is legal on these municipal beaches, unlike the neighboring Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, where it is prohibited. Reported finds include agate, jasper. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.
Bayfield County photos
Public image records connected to this spot or its reported material.
Map showing Bayfield County in Bayfield County, Wisconsin
Quick details
- Access
- Public area
- County
- Bayfield County
- State
- Wisconsin
- Nearest road
- D Street
- Postcode
- 54847
- Coordinates
- 46.56842, -91.42026
Geology at Bayfield County
This spot sits on Oronto Group; Freda Sandstone, mapped as arkose and siltstone that formed roughly 1600 to 1000 million years ago. Tough silica like agate, jasper, and chert typically weathers out of beds like these and collects as float in drainages and on deflation surfaces.
- Mapped unit
- Oronto Group; Freda Sandstone
- Age
- 1600–1000 Ma (Mesoproterozoic)
- Rock types
- arkose and siltstone
- Elevation
- 1,060 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 Bayfield County
Best months: April to October. Typical highs run 77°F in midsummer and 20°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 2°F.
Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, BRULE RS station (8 mi away).
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 Bayfield County
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 Bayfield County.
- AnniconDouglas County, Wisconsin · 9 mi awayCopper
- Ounce CreekDouglas County, Wisconsin · 25 mi awayAgate, Azurite, Bornite
- Wisconsin PointTop pick in WisconsinDouglas County, Wisconsin · 30 mi awayLake Superior Agate, Jasper, Copper
- Btwn Spider Lake & Lost Land LakeSawyer County, Wisconsin · 34 mi awayKyanite
- General AreaAshland County, Wisconsin · 38 mi awayCopper
- Big Bay Town ParkTop pick in WisconsinAshland County, Wisconsin · 40 mi awayLake Superior Agate, Jasper, Thomsonite
- Ashland CountyAshland County, Wisconsin · 41 mi awayAgate, Jasper
- Saxon Harbor County ParkTop pick in WisconsinIron County, Wisconsin · 47 mi awayLake Superior Agate, Jasper, Copper
Across the state line from Bayfield County
Bayfield County is close enough to the Wisconsin border that the next-closest rockhounding spots are in a neighboring state. Worth knowing if you are already on the road.
- Knife River beachesTop pick in MinnesotaLake County, Minnesota · 31 mi awayLake Superior Agate
- French RiverSaint Louis County, Minnesota · 32 mi awayLake Superior Agate
- Kelsey BeachTop pick in MinnesotaLake County, Minnesota · 35 mi awayLake Superior Agate
- Gull RockLake County, Minnesota · 45 mi awayLake Superior Agate
- Beaver BayTop pick in MinnesotaLake County, Minnesota · 48 mi awayLake Superior Agate, Thomsonite
- CarltonCarlton County, Minnesota · 48 mi awayLake Superior Agate, Garnet, Greenalite
Bayfield County FAQ
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More rockhounding in Wisconsin
See all 77 Wisconsin spots →Open Bayfield County on the map
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