3 legal places to look for agates in Michigan — fees, seasons, and official sources below.
Hours, fees, and access rules change. Verify with the operator or land agency before you go.
Grand Marais, MI
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Public land, rules apply · Free · Free public township beach with parking and a boardwalk — no permit and no entry fee. Burt Township publishes the access rather than collecting rules; what governs how much you carry off is Michigan's statewide cap of 25 pounds of rock, mineral, or invertebrate fossil per person per year from state-owned land and Great Lakes bottomlands.
Checked against its source August 16, 2026
Fisherman's Island State Park Shoreline
Charlevoix, MI
petoskey stonescharlevoix stonesfossil coral
Public land, rules apply · Fee · No collecting fee. A Michigan Recreation Passport is required for vehicle entry: $15 a year on a resident plate renewal ($29 for two years), or $42 annual / $12 daily on out-of-state plates, plus a $5 convenience fee if you buy outside a plate renewal. Rustic campsites cost extra.
Checked against its source August 16, 2026
Ironwood, MI
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Forest Service collecting area · Free · Free, and no permit or special permission is needed for hand collecting for personal enjoyment. A mineral material permit is required only if you are taking rock for landscaping. Nothing collected may be sold, bartered, or traded.
Checked against its source August 16, 2026
Start with the 3 legal places listed on this page — each shows what you can find, its fees, and its season, with a link to the official source. Hours, fees, and access rules change. Verify with the operator or land agency before you go.
Treat Michigan's historic mines as history, not destinations. Most sit on private land or active mining claims, and old workings are dangerous even to walk. The state page's mineral record tells you what the ground holds — the directory tells you where you are welcome to look for it.