Grant Park: Fossil Hunting in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin
- Minerals reported
- 5
- Elevation
- 690 ft
- Best months
- April to November
Grant Park is a mapped rockhounding spot in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. Reported finds include fossilized coral, beach glass, sodalite, unakite, cold water agate. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.
Plan your visit
Generally open to casual rockhounding
- County
- Milwaukee County
- State
- Wisconsin
- Nearest road
- Grant Park Drive
- Postcode
- 53172
- Coordinates
- 42.91924, -87.84666
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 Grant Park
Comfortable months (45 to 90°F highs)
Best months: April to November. Typical highs run 80°F in midsummer and 30°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 16°F.
Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, S MILWAUKEE WWTP station (1 mi away).
Geology at Grant Park
This spot sits on ground mapped as Racine Formation that formed roughly 445 to 420 million years ago. Fossils here are typically found in fresh exposures, where erosion keeps bringing new material to the surface.
- Mapped unit
- Racine Formation
- Age
- 445–420 Ma (Silurian)
- Elevation
- 690 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
Is today a good day to go?
The app shows live weather, recent rain, and a daily rockhounding score for Grant Park.
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 Grant Park
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 Grant Park.
- Grant Park BeachMilwaukee County, Wisconsin · 1 mi away
- South Shore ParkMilwaukee County, Wisconsin · 6 mi away
- RacineRacine County, Wisconsin · 10 mi awayFossil, Calcite, Marcasite
- Windpoint LighthouseRacine County, Wisconsin · 11 mi awayFossilized Coral, Beach Glass, Sodalite
- Racine North BeachRacine County, Wisconsin · 13 mi away
- Estabrook ParkMilwaukee County, Wisconsin · 13 mi awayGeode, Millerite
- Doctors ParkMilwaukee County, Wisconsin · 17 mi away
- Alford ParkKenosha County, Wisconsin · 21 mi away
Across the state line from Grant Park
Grant Park 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.
- Glencoe BeachCook County, Illinois · 56 mi awayGranite, Coral, Brachiopod
Grant Park FAQ
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More rockhounding in Wisconsin
See all 92 Wisconsin spots →
Open Grant Park on the map
Use the RockHoundR app for live land overlays, weather, geology, directions, and saved finds.
