Carlton County Agate Pits (Soo Line Pit)
Moose Lake, Minnesota
lake superior agatesjasperbanded chertbasalt
Public land, rules apply · Fee
Carlton County Agate Pits (Soo Line Pit)
Carlton County opens retired gravel pit ground near Moose Lake to agate hunters under a permit that costs about the price of a coffee, because the glacial outwash here carried Lake Superior agates south and dropped them in workable gravel. The Moose Lake Area Chamber issues the permit and the map; you put the receipt on your dashboard and work the stockpiles. This is the sanctioned option in the area — Moose Lake State Park across town bans collecting outright, as do all Minnesota state parks.
The card catalog
| What you can find | lake superior agates, jasper, banded chert, basalt |
|---|---|
| Access | Public land, rules apply — Fee |
| Fees | Nominal annual permit: $5 for the first person plus $1 for each additional person in your group, plus a card fee. Bought online or in person from the Moose Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, which administers the permit on the county's behalf. Non-refundable, renewed each calendar year — your receipt is your permit, and it goes on the dashboard while you pick. |
| Season & hours | Permits run by calendar year; picking is practical from spring thaw to first snow. The Soo Line Pit is the designated picking location and the Chamber issues the map. Chamber office hours shrink off-season — roughly Mon-Fri 9-3 and Sat 9-1 from Memorial Day through Labor Day, and Monday/Wednesday/Friday 10-3 in winter — but buying online sidesteps the office entirely. |
| Kids | Family-friendly — Good family ground — you are surface-picking stockpile faces, not digging. The county's rules are firm and worth reading aloud to kids first: no climbing stockpiles, no touching machinery, no entering pits that are actively working. |
| Official source | Carlton County, Minnesota (official) |
| Last checked | Checked against its source August 16, 2026 |
Hours, fees, and access rules change. Verify with the operator or land agency before you go.
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Before you go
What does Carlton County Agate Pits (Soo Line Pit) cost?
Nominal annual permit: $5 for the first person plus $1 for each additional person in your group, plus a card fee. Bought online or in person from the Moose Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, which administers the permit on the county's behalf. Non-refundable, renewed each calendar year — your receipt is your permit, and it goes on the dashboard while you pick. Hours, fees, and access rules change. Verify with the operator or land agency before you go.
When is Carlton County Agate Pits (Soo Line Pit) open?
Permits run by calendar year; picking is practical from spring thaw to first snow. The Soo Line Pit is the designated picking location and the Chamber issues the map. Chamber office hours shrink off-season — roughly Mon-Fri 9-3 and Sat 9-1 from Memorial Day through Labor Day, and Monday/Wednesday/Friday 10-3 in winter — but buying online sidesteps the office entirely. Hours, fees, and access rules change. Verify with the operator or land agency before you go.
Is Carlton County Agate Pits (Soo Line Pit) good for kids?
Yes — Carlton County Agate Pits (Soo Line Pit) works for families. Good family ground — you are surface-picking stockpile faces, not digging. The county's rules are firm and worth reading aloud to kids first: no climbing stockpiles, no touching machinery, no entering pits that are actively working.