Charles Mears State Park Beach: Fossil Hunting in Oceana County, Michigan

Plan your visit

Generally open to casual rockhounding

County

Oceana County

State

Michigan

Nearest road

North Lakeshore Drive

Coordinates

43.73433, -86.47290

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: The state park is in Pentwater on the Lake Michigan shore, and a Recreation Passport is required to park. Collecting is limited to 25 pounds per person per year on state land, and the park is also an open metal-detecting area.

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 Charles Mears State Park Beach

Comfortable months (45 to 90°F highs)

Best months: April to November. Typical highs run 81°F in midsummer and 30°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 17°F.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, HART 3 WSW station (5 mi away), adjusted for elevation.

Geology at Charles Mears State Park Beach

This spot sits on Coldwater Shale, mapped as shale that formed roughly 360 to 325 million years ago. Sedimentary layers like these are where fossils are typically preserved, and fresh exposures after rain or in active cuts tend to produce best.

Mapped unit

Coldwater Shale

Age

360–325 Ma (Mississippian)

Rock types

shale

Elevation

580 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