Jasper Knob (Jasper Hill): Jaspilite & Jasper Rockhounding in Marquette County, Michigan
- Minerals reported
- 4
- Elevation
- 1,570 ft
- Best months
- April to October
Jasper Knob in Ishpeming is a bald hilltop made entirely of jaspilite, a 1.87-billion-year-old banded iron formation of alternating red jasper and silvery specular hematite. The folded, polished bands are among the best easily reached banded-iron exposures in North America. A short foot trail off Hill Street leads straight to the outcrop. Reported finds include jaspilite, jasper, hematite, specular hematite. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.
Plan your visit
Generally open to casual rockhounding
- County
- Marquette County
- State
- Michigan
- Nearest road
- Jasper Knob
- Postcode
- 48949
- Coordinates
- 46.48671, -87.65506
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.
Access note: Park near the Hill Street and Jasper Street intersection in Ishpeming and follow the stone-step trail uphill through the gap in the wall. The outcrop sits on city land and is best treated as a look-and-photograph landmark, so take only small loose float and watch for fenced drop-offs and old mine openings.
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 Jasper Knob (Jasper Hill)
Comfortable months (45 to 90°F highs)
Best months: April to October. Typical highs run 77°F in midsummer and 21°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 5°F.
Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, ISHPEMING WWTP station (2 mi away), adjusted for elevation.
Geology at Jasper Knob (Jasper Hill)
This spot sits on Menominee Group; Negaunee Iron-formation, mapped as banded iron formation that formed roughly 2500 to 1600 million years ago. Plutonic rock like this weathers slowly into grus and boulders, and the most productive collecting is typically in weathered zones and drainages.
- Mapped unit
- Menominee Group; Negaunee Iron-formation
- Age
- 2500–1600 Ma (Paleoproterozoic)
- Rock types
- banded iron formation
- Elevation
- 1,570 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.
Today's weather
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Get the appSources & 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:
- Michigan DNR, Rockhounding rules
- Michigan Geological Survey
- Isle Royale National Park, Rules
- Community submissions reviewed against published agency rules
Found at Jasper Knob (Jasper Hill)
Each name opens all spots that produce that material; the encyclopedia link opens the full ID and field guide.
Nearby rockhounding spots
Other rockhounding spots within driving distance of Jasper Knob (Jasper Hill).
- Rope MineMarquette County, Michigan · 4 mi awayGold, Pyrite, Chalcopyrite
- Lakeshore BeachMarquette County, Michigan · 14 mi awaySlag, Quartz, Granite
- Champion Mine DumpMarquette County, Michigan · 16 mi awayHematite, Sapphire, Sericite
- Mt. ShastaMarquette County, Michigan · 21 mi awayGarnet
- Michigamme MineMarquette County, Michigan · 21 mi awayChalcedony, Hematite, Jaspilite
- Bay Furnace RuinsAlger County, Michigan · 45 mi awaySlag, Hematite, Banded Iron Formation
- Escanaba Municipal BeachDelta County, Michigan · 59 mi away
- Torch Lake BeachHoughton County, Michigan · 59 mi awayFossil, Petoskey Stone
Across the state line from Jasper Knob (Jasper Hill)
Jasper Knob (Jasper Hill) is close enough to the Michigan border that the next-closest rockhounding spots are in a neighboring state. Worth knowing if you are already on the road.
- Pine River ReservoirFlorence County, Wisconsin · 54 mi awayQuartz, Kyanite, Hematite
- Area Near Jennings Falls trailheadFlorence County, Wisconsin · 56 mi awayAlbite, Beryl, Columbite-tantalite
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