Reefer Creek Rest Area: Granite & Agate Rockhounding in Bayfield County, Wisconsin
- Minerals reported
- 5
- Elevation
- 630 ft
- Best months
- April to October
Reefer Creek Rest Area is a mapped rockhounding spot in Bayfield County, Wisconsin. Reported finds include granite, agate, banded iron formation, sandstone, prehnite. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.
Plan your visit
Generally open to casual rockhounding
- County
- Bayfield County
- State
- Wisconsin
- Nearest road
- State Highway 13
- Postcode
- 54865
- Coordinates
- 46.75649, -91.51251
Coordinates are approximate. Confirm the exact ground in the RockHoundR app, where land overlays show which agency manages the area.
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.
Best time to visit Reefer Creek Rest Area
Comfortable months (45 to 90°F highs)
Best months: April to October. Typical highs run 77°F in midsummer and 21°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 6°F.
Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, PORT WING station (6 mi away).
Geology at Reefer Creek Rest Area
This spot sits on Bayfield Group; Orienta Sandstone, mapped as arkose 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
- Bayfield Group; Orienta Sandstone
- Age
- 1600–1000 Ma (Mesoproterozoic)
- Rock types
- arkose
- Elevation
- 630 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.
Today's weather
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Get the appSources & 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.
- Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey
- Wisconsin DNR property rules
- Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest
- Community submissions reviewed against published agency rules
Found at Reefer Creek Rest Area
Each name 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 Reefer Creek Rest Area.
- Port Wing MarinaBayfield County, Wisconsin · 7 mi awayGranite, Agate, Banded Iron Formation
- HerbsterBayfield County, Wisconsin · 13 mi awayGranite, Agate, Banded Iron Formation
- Bayfield CountyBayfield County, Wisconsin · 14 mi awayAgate, Jasper
- AnniconDouglas County, Wisconsin · 17 mi awayCopper
- Amnicon FallsDouglas County, Wisconsin · 21 mi awayLake Superior Agate
- Wisconsin PointDouglas County, Wisconsin · 24 mi awayLake Superior Agate, Jasper, Copper
- Ounce CreekDouglas County, Wisconsin · 37 mi awayAgate, Azurite, Bornite
- Big Bay Town ParkAshland County, Wisconsin · 41 mi awayLake Superior Agate, Jasper, Thomsonite
Across the state line from Reefer Creek Rest Area
Reefer Creek Rest Area 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 beachesLake County, Minnesota · 18 mi awayLake Superior Agate
- French RiverSaint Louis County, Minnesota · 21 mi awayLake Superior Agate
- Kelsey BeachLake County, Minnesota · 21 mi awayLake Superior Agate
- Gull RockLake County, Minnesota · 33 mi awayLake Superior Agate
- Beaver BayLake County, Minnesota · 36 mi awayLake Superior Agate, Thomsonite
- CarltonCarlton County, Minnesota · 44 mi awayLake Superior Agate, Garnet, Greenalite
Reefer Creek Rest Area FAQ
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