Wilcox-Palmer-Shaw Preserve: Chert & Quartz Rockhounding in Antrim County, Michigan

Plan your visit

Generally open to casual rockhounding

County

Antrim County

State

Michigan

Postcode

49629

Coordinates

44.92483, -85.39862

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 Wilcox-Palmer-Shaw Preserve

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 17°F.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, OLD MISSION 3SSW station (6 mi away).

Geology at Wilcox-Palmer-Shaw Preserve

This spot sits on Ellsworth Shale, mapped as shale that formed roughly 385 to 360 million years ago. Tough silica like agate, jasper, and chert typically weathers out of beds like these and collects as float in drainages and on deflation surfaces.

Mapped unit

Ellsworth Shale

Age

385–360 Ma (Late Devonian)

Rock types

shale

Elevation

610 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.

Sources & 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.

State guidance last verified: April 1, 2026

• Michigan DNR, Rockhounding rules
• Michigan Geological Survey
• Isle Royale National Park, Rules
• Community submissions reviewed against published agency rules