The Strand (Lutsen Resort)
Minnesota
Find: Lake Superior Agates, amygdaloidal basalt, thomsonite
GPS: 47.63649, -90.70806
Nearest city: Duluth, MN
Recommended Vehicle: Any
Season: Accessible year round, Winter is likely to have significant snow, ice, and frigid temperatures.
Summary:
UPDATE: This location may be inaccessible. A fire damaged the hotel property in February of 2024 and I have not tried to return since.
NOTE: This is one of the few spots I have listed that is private property. I visited the Lutsen Resort in Fall of 2022, and received permission to access the beach through the property after getting a bite to eat.
This spot is accessible by any vehicle. I found some nice small agates here, including a little amethyst geode agate.
3 Helpful Tools
Chest Waders
Chest waders are great to stay dry if you want to get in the lake.
Agate Scoop
An agate scoop is helpful to pick things up faster and farther away from you.
Classifier
A classifier is fun to sit with if you’re a fan of small agates and stones. One with a larger, 1-inch mesh would be what I’d pick.
Amethyst geode agate with some small fragments of what appeared to be thomsonite behind it.
Waves pouring over the boulders along the edges of the shore.