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If you want to add Lake Superior agates, beryls, malachites, and azurites to your rockhounding collection, it’s time to plan a trip to Wisconsin. Due to glacial drift that occurred thousands of years ago, Wisconsin has a diverse assortment of rocks and minerals, and those who know where to look are sure to find all kinds of fascinating treasures.
The best rockhounding spots in Wisconsin are:
| Site | Public or Private | GPS Coordinates |
|---|---|---|
| Dresser Trap Rock Quarry | Private | 45.378862, -92.630426 |
| Ounce River | Public | 46.203381, -91.608314 |
| Montreal Mine | Private | 46.427457, -90.231052 |
| Wood County | Public | 44.442561, -90.024046 |
| Saxon Falls | Public | 46.535762, -90.379881 |
| Estabrook Park | Public | 43.097420, -87.902318 |
| Chippewa County | Public | 45.082340, -91.265557 |
| Oshkosh | Public | 44.014836, -88.518250 |
| Jackson County | Public | 44.313812, -90.689984 |
| Embarrass River | Public | 44.738230, -88.812236 |
| Great Lakes (Lake Superior and Lake Michigan) | Public | 46.668875, -91.741302 44.510800, -87.504344 |
Fortunately for rockhounds, Wisconsin has a wide range of rocks, minerals, and gems, including Lake Superior Agates, beryls, azurites, selenites, kyanites, jaspers, malachites, quartz crystals, soapstones, quartzites, diamonds, and plenty of metals such as copper and gold. Whether you are a fan of rocks, minerals, gems, or even fossils such as trilobites and crinoids, you’ll have many opportunities in Wisconsin to collect one-of-a-kind stones for your collection.
If you want to check out the best book about rockhounding in Wisconsin,, you can find it here (Amazon link).
Rockhounding Regulations & Laws in Wisconsin
Because every state has its own set of rockhounding rules, it’s best to take a look at Wisconsin’s regulations before you set out on your trip. In the following sections, we’ve gathered Wisconsin’s rockhounding rules and regulations so that you’ll know exactly what to expect during your adventures in the Badger State.
According to the state of Wisconsin’s Use of Department Properties, the main rockhounding rule to remember is, “Rocks, minerals or fossil materials may be collected for noncommercial purposes, such as educational uses and personal collections, by hand or using a hand held rock hammer or similar device in accordance with the terms of a written permit issued by the manager of the property on which the collecting is done.
A collector may not remove more than 5 pounds of rock, mineral, or fossil material per day from any property with a maximum total of 50 pounds per year. The permit may further limit the allowable methods and amounts of material collected.” Essentially, rockhounds can collect rocks, minerals, or fossils from private lands as long as the property manager provides a written permit.
Additionally, the document goes on to say, “Notwithstanding subd. 3., no person may collect rocks, minerals or fossil materials on state natural areas, state wild rivers, state parks, state trails, Havenwoods state forest preserve, state recreation areas, Point Beach and Kettle Moraine state forests, and any specific site which is designated as a noncollection site by the department.” So, while you can visit and admire the treasures in state parks and natural preserves, they are off-limits for rockhounding.
To summarize, the main rules to remember when rockhounding in Wisconsin are to avoid collecting on private lands (unless you have a written permit from the property manager), state parks, and natural preserves.
Best Rockhounding Sites in Wisconsin
In the following sections, we’ll go over the best rockhounding sites in Wisconsin. These must-see areas are known for their stunning rocks, minerals, gems, and fossils, so take a look below to see which ones are a good fit for your rockhounding itinerary.
Dresser Trap Rock Quarry
In between Poplar Lake and Interstate Falls, you’ll find the Dresser Trap Rock Quarry. Located in Polk County, this quarry is currently active and contains all kinds of minerals within basalts and pegmatites.
Whether you start at Osceola, St. Croix Falls, or one of the other surrounding areas, you’ll need to travel along State Highway 35 to reach this quarry, which is located near the Wisconsin and Minnesota border.
Along with quartz crystals from the quartz veins, rockhounds collect epidote, copper, calcite, hematite, and magnetite. There are plenty of other minerals at this site as well, such as augite, zoisite, chlorite, and bornite, but the most popular ones are listed below. You’ll find that these minerals are abundant in the quarry, so you’ll be able to find most of them with ease.
| Rocks & Minerals | Rarity |
|---|---|
| Quartz | Common |
| Epidote | Occasional |
| Copper | Common |
| Calcite | Common |
| Hematite | Common |
| Magnetite | Common |
Ounce River
In Douglas County, there’s a river that’s known by multiple names, including Owense River, Potogatic River, and Totogaticanse River, but it’s most commonly referred to as the Ounce River. This 25.2-mile-long river is a tributary of the Totagatic River, which is located in northwestern Wisconsin, so it carries plenty of fascinating rocks and minerals from the Totagatic into Douglas County.
On the banks of the Ounce River, rockhounds come across malachite, quartz, silver, agate, epidote, copper, and epidote. Of these minerals, quartz and agates are some of the most common finds, while epidote and malachite tend to be a bit rarer.
| Rocks & Minerals | Rarity |
|---|---|
| Quartz | Common |
| Agate | Common |
| Epidote | Occasional |
| Copper | Occasional |
| Silver | Occasional |
| Malachite | Occasional |
Montreal Mine
Formerly a copper mine that’s now a part of the Ottawa National Forest, the outskirts and surrounding areas of Montreal Mine are excellent places to find all sorts of neat treasures, especially copper.
During the 1800s, copper mining boomed in Wisconsin, and this particular mine was discovered by A. Randall in 1848. It operated until the mid-1900s as a part of the Wisconsin Gogebic Iron Mining District, but it is now a part of the Ottawa National Forest.
While you might not be able to collect rocks or minerals from the mine itself, the surrounding areas and dumps are great sites to explore. This mine is located right by Montreal, off Wisconsin Avenue. It’s also next to the Montreal River, which is another great rockhounding location.
Montreal is a mineral-rich area, so there’s plenty of colorful and shiny minerals to add to your collection, such as calcite, selenite, barite, copper, pyrite, and celestite.
| Rocks & Minerals | Rarity |
|---|---|
| Calcite | Common |
| Selenite | Common |
| Barite | Occasional |
| Copper | Common |
| Pyrite | Common |
| Celestite | Occasional |
Wood County
Wood County is known for its stunning rivers, forests, and lakes, all of which contain eye-catching rocks and minerals for rockhounds. As a matter of fact, there are 78 lakes and three main rivers that flow through this county, so you’ll notice plenty of waterways for rocks and minerals to travel into the area.
From the rivers, lakes, and gravels of Wood County, you can pick up agate, calcite, aventurine, and quartzite. The calcite from this area can come in multiple colors and with unique shapes, which makes it stand out in any rockhound’s collection.
| Rocks & Minerals | Rarity |
|---|---|
| Agate | Common |
| Calcite | Common |
| Aventurine | Rare |
| Quartzite | Common |
BTW: Do you want to know more about rock and mineral identification? The books listed below are the best ones you can find on the internet (Amazon links):
- Smithsonian Handbooks: Rocks & Minerals
- Gemstone & Crystal Properties (Quick Study Home)
- Ultimate Explorer Field Guide: Rocks and Minerals (National Geographic Kids)
Saxon Falls
If you want to go sightseeing and rockhounding in a single trip, Saxon Falls is your next destination! During the spring and summer, this gorgeous waterfall flows beautifully due to the melted snow from the previous winter, and all that water carries all kinds of rocks, minerals, and silt to the shores of the nearby waterways and rivers.
Located next to the Superior River and the Montreal River, you can reach these falls from West County Road B or W Wail Street, both of which lead to the falls along the Wisconsin/Michigan border.
From the surrounding areas of Saxon Falls, especially the Montreal River, you can bring home epidote, calcite, prehnite, thomsonite, and laumontite.
| Rocks & Mineral | Rarity |
|---|---|
| Epidote | Occasional |
| Calcite | Common |
| Prehnite | Occasional |
| Thomsonite | Occasional |
| Laumontite | Occasional |
Estabrook Park
While Wisconsin might not have as many geodes as other states, don’t lose hope! Geodes do exist in this state, and one of the places you can find them is Estabrook Park.
For this area, you’ll need to search outside of park boundaries, but there are some desirable rocks and minerals that are discovered on the outskirts of the park, including geodes, calcite, and millerite crystals.
There are plenty of backroads and highways leading to Estabrook Park, so your route will depend on which direction you are traveling from. This particular park is located next to three other parks: Atwater Park, Big Bay Park, and Hubbard Park, which is the closest.
| Rocks & Minerals | Rarity |
|---|---|
| Geodes | Rare |
| Calcite | Common |
| Millerite | Occasional |
Chippewa County
Since Wisconsin is one of the states that surrounds the Great Lakes, it makes sense that you can uncover Lake Superior Agates here, specifically in Chippewa County. There are a few other places where you can collect Lake Superior Agates as well, but Chippewa County is well-known because these agates pop up frequently in this area.
While Chippewa County might not have a wide variety of rocks and minerals, the agates and quartz crystals that rockhounds discover are so lovely that they’re always mentioned in the local rockhounding community. If you want to add some beautiful Lake Superior Agates or quartz crystals to your collection, Chippewa County is the place to be!
| Rocks & Minerals | Rarity |
|---|---|
| Agates (Lake Superior Agates) | Common |
| Quartz crystals | Common |
Oshkosh
Because Wisconsin experienced glacial activity in the past, it’s no surprise that you can find fossils in a couple different places, including Oshkosh. The majority of the fossils in this area and this state are of marine life, specifically trilobites and crinoids.
If you want to collect minerals along with your fossils, then the Lutz Quarry in Oshkosh is the place to go; however, this area is now a park, so it’s best to stick to the surrounding areas rather than inside the park itself. In the surrounding areas, you can find calcite, galena, pyrite, sphalerite, and marcasite.
| Rocks & Minerals | Rarity |
|---|---|
| Fossils | Occasional |
| Calcite | Common |
| Marcasite | Occasional |
| Sphalerite | Occasional |
Jackson County
Iron dumps are great places to pick up all sorts of unique minerals, and you’ll come across plenty of them in Jackson County, Wisconsin. Wisconsin’s iron mining endeavors began in the 1850s, and many of the leftover mines in Jackson County contain biotite schists, which hold all sorts of minerals, such as sillimanite, biotite, kyanite, almandine, actinolite, magnetite, andalusite.
| Rocks & Minerals | Rarity |
|---|---|
| Sillimanite | Rare |
| Biotite | Common |
| Kyanite | Rare |
| Almandine | Occasional |
| Actinolite | Common |
| Andalusite | Occasional |
| Magnetite | Common |
Embarrass River
Want to collect beryl in Wisconsin? Head over to the Embarrass River! This river has three branches: the South Branch, Middle Branch, and North Branch, and the longest is the Middle Branch at 50 miles. While all three are excellent rockhounding spots, the South Branch is the most popular, and it’s where you want to go if you plan to collect beryl, quartz, bertrandite, and phenakite.
| Rocks & Minerals | Rarity |
|---|---|
| Beryl | Occasional |
| Quartz | Common |
| Bertrandite | Rare |
| Phenakite | Occasional |
Great Lakes (Lake Superior and Lake Michigan)
You can’t talk about Wisconsin without mentioning the Great Lakes. Wisconsin is fortunate to be bordered by two great lakes, Lake Superior and Lake Michigan.
The Great Lakes are known for washing up all kinds of fascinating rocks, including colorful Lake Superior Agates and glowing Yooperlites, both of which can be discovered in Wisconsin. Some other collectible stones you can find include pearls, jaspers, fossils, and Petosky stones.
| Rocks & Minerals | Rarity |
|---|---|
| Lake Superior Agate | Occasional |
| Fossils | Common |
| Pearl | Occasional |
| Petosky stone | Rare |
| Yooperlite | Rare |
| Jasper | Common |
TIP: Check out the article below for a complete guide on rockhounding on Lake Superior and Lake Michigan beaches:
Guide: Best Rock Hunting Beaches on Lake Michigan
Guide: The Best Rock Hunting Beaches on Lake Superior
Other Notable Rockhounding Spots in Wisconsin
Without a doubt, the rockhounding sites listed above are amazing areas to explore and collect, but there are a few more that didn’t quite make the list but deserve an honorable mention.
These areas do not have as large of a variety as many of the areas listed above, but they do have some rare minerals and gems, including gem-quality diamonds, sapphires, rubies, and gold.
| Site | Public or Private | GPS Coordinates | Common Rocks/Minerals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi River | Public | 43.684276, -91.164643 | Jasper, diamond, fossils, Lake Superior Agate |
| Werley | Public | 43.018520, -90.765877 | Dogtooth calcite, barite, sphalerite, smithsonite, marcasite, galena |
| Outagamie County | Public | 44.353991, -88.518484 | Gem-quality ruby and sapphire |
| Plum Creek | Public | 44.263579, -88.150293 | Diamond and gold |
| Saukville and Eagle | Public | 43.373182, -87.941828 and 42.876878, -88.476871 | Diamond |
Rockhounding Clubs in Wisconsin
If you enjoy rockhounding with a group, you’re in luck! There are plenty of rockhounding clubs in Wisconsin that are perfect for rockhounds of all skill levels.
The Badger Lapidary & Geological Society
The Badger Lapidary & Geological Society is a non-profit organization, and they explain their mission with these words: “This club is created to stimulate the interest of its members and the general public in the study of Mineralogy, Geology, Paleontology, and Archaeology.”
Located in Janesville, Wisconsin, this club charges $20 per family and $15 per individual yearly membership fees. They go on collecting and non-collecting trips, allowing members to truly experience the geological wonders of the state.
The Wisconsin Geological Society
Since 1936, the Wisconsin Geological Society has helped, “create an interest in the study of, provide the means for development of knowledge in, and disseminate information concerning all phases of geology.”
They host field trips and digs on a regular basis, and they explore multiple areas of the state rather than sticking to a single region. An individual membership is $21 per year, while a family membership is $26.10 per year.
Kettle Moraine Geological Society
As a member of the Midwest Federation of Mineralogical and Geological Society and the American Federation of Geological Societies, the Kettle Moraine Geological Society is a local non-profit organization that aspires to “support science education and a passion for rockhounding.”
They host field trips, annual shows, member lectures, class lectures, and even kids club events, so it’s a great fit for families.
TIP: If you want to know more about gold prospecting in Wisconsin, check out the complete guide in the article below:
Gold Prospecting in Wisconsin: 6 Best Locations & Laws
State Rock, Mineral, Gem, and Fossil of Wisconsin
While Wisconsin does not have a state gem, it does have a state rock, state mineral, and state fossil.
State Fossil
In 1985, Wisconsin designated the trilobite (Calymene celebra) as its state fossil. This interesting creature was related to lobsters, spiders, crabs, and shrimp, and it lived in the shallow waters that covered Wisconsin during the Paleozoic age. Because trilobites had to mold periodically, a single trilobite may have left multiple carapaces that eventually fossilized over time.
State Mineral
The official state mineral of Wisconsin is galena (lead sulphide). This mineral was nominated in 1971 as a part of a movement to promote awareness of geology in Wisconsin. The main reason Wisconsin chose Galena is due to its historical significance to the state. During the 1800s, many of the early settlers mined the ore, especially in the southern regions of the state.
State Rock
Red granite, known for its stunning color, was adopted as Wisconsin’s state rock in 1971. Just like the state mineral, this rock was also nominated as part of a movement to promote geology in Wisconsin. This movement was led by the Kenosha Gem and Mineral Society, and this organization was the one that proposed nominating red granite as the state rock.
Recommended Rockhounding Gear
While special gear is not required to find nice rocks and fossils, having the right tools will help you find more than what’s simply laying around on the open ground. Here are some of the more basic tools and safety gear for interested rockhounds.
Geological Hammer
This 22oz Pointed-Tip Rock Pick by Estwing (Amazon link) is recommended for its durability and shock-reducing grip.
A rock pick is essential when collecting mineral specimens from a hard substrate such as stone. The pick’s handle is shock-resistant, making it more comfortable for use for longer times in the field.
Geology Pick
The Geology pick by Estwing (Amazon link) is a good choice for those starting out in the hobby as well as seasoned professionals.
The hammer comes with a pointed tip on one side of the head and a chiseled end on the other. This pick is good for excavating interesting mineral and fossil specimens.
Mini Shovel
The Mini D-Handle Round Point Shovel by Stanley (Amazon link) pairs convenience with durability. Especially in areas of soft material such as sand or clay, it is nice to have a sturdy shovel that is easy to carry.
The D-shaped handle gives you more leverage when digging on your knees, which is something that similarly sized standard-handled shovels wouldn’t provide.
Heavy Duty Work Gloves by Ironclad
Working with your hands in rockhounding environments can be rough; it is easy to get cuts or abrasions when in the field. Protecting your hands is important, especially while working with sharp or abrasive rocks.
The Heavy Duty Work Gloves by Ironclad (Amazon link) protect your hands from sharp rocks and tools. They are machine washable, highly abrasion resistant, and durable.
Safety Glasses
Eye protection is a must when breaking up a rock or any sort of work where debris could cause injury to your eyes.
The 3M Safety Glasses (Amazon link) are anti-fog and have a corded earplug system, as well as a removable foam gasket. The clear, scratch-resistant lenses shield the eyes against harmful ultraviolet light as well as prevent eye injury from flying rock chips.
First Aid Kit
With its 299 pieces, the Only Emergency First Aid Kit (Amazon link) is a good one for rockhounds. Of course, it’s best to avoid injuring yourself but if things go wrong it’s good to be prepared.
Some of the items found in the kit include fabric and plastic bandages, painkillers, gauze and pads, cold packs, wound closers, and many more.
Conclusion
In addition to being known for its dairy products and farms, Wisconsin should be known for its amazing geology!
From common rocks and minerals like granite and galena to rare finds like Yooperlites and rubies, you never quite know what you’ll discover during your rockhounding experiences in this state. After reading this guide, you are now ready to get out there and discover all the geological treasures that reside within the Badger State!
TIP: With Lake Superior agates, diamonds, sapphires, kyanites, yooperlites, and more, it’s no wonder that Wisconsin is a popular place for rockhounds. Check out the most common rocks and minerals in the article below:
12 Common Rocks & Minerals You Can Find in Wisconsin