I first heard about Yooperlite rocks years ago. Since then I have been actively trying to plan a trip to hunt for these magical rocks. This summer we were finally able to make our way to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula to hunt for these unique rocks. It did not disappoint and this is coming from someone who is not a rock hound of any sort. Yooperlites are some of the coolest rocks you’ll ever see.
What are Yooperlites?
Yooperlites are syenite clasts containing fluorescent sodalite. These rocks light up bright orange when you shine a black light on them.
Erik Rintamaki found these glowing, sodalite-rich syenite rocks while he was out rock hunting in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. And while these rocks were most likely known before his discovery, Erik Rintamaki pushed to have the orange mineral scientifically verified. He also gave the rocks their clever name, Yooperlites. The name Yooperlites comes from “Yooper” which refers to Upper Michigan residents & “lite” which refers to the rock’s fluorescent properties.
Today Erik offers Yooperlite tours where you can hang with him while you hunt for Michigan’s famous glowing rocks. I would have loved to do a tour with him as we had so many questions while hunting for Yooperlite rocks. However, we booked our vacation very last minute and weren’t able to.
Where to Find Yooperlite Rocks?
Yooperlites or syenite rocks have been found along the shores of Lake Michigan near Chicago & in Minnesota gravel pits, but they are most common along the rocky beaches of Lake Superior (Grand Marais, Whitefish Point, Sault Ste. Marie, Keweenaw Peninsula, Copper Harbor) in Michigan.
*I would look for them on any rocky beach along the shores of the Great Lakes. Again they are most common in the Upper Peninsula, but if you are at a rocky beach, why not look for Yooperlites?
Please be mindful of private property & rules and regulations. Look them up for your specific destination before you hunt for Yooperlites.
Here are a few general rules to keep in mind.
-According to Michigan’s DNR you are allowed to take 25 pounds of rock per person per year from a location unless otherwise noted. Hunting Yooperlite rocks is not allowed at Whitefish Point.
-Taking anything from a National Park or Shoreline is illegal (this includes Pictured Rocks)
How to Find Yooperlites
First, it is very important to become familiar with the location where you will be looking for Yooperlite rocks. You’ll want to do this before dark. Once the sun goes down it is hard to see and if you aren’t familiar with the area you may have a difficult time finding your way back to your car.
*We arrived at our location (Grand Marais) a half hour before sunset. This gave us plenty of time to get familiar with the location and also watch the beautiful sunset.
We found it best to hold the Ultraviolet light so that it shined slightly ahead of our feet while we walked. Walk slowly and in a pattern that works best for you. My family preferred to walk in a straight line and then when we turned around we moved over slightly so that we weren’t looking at the path that we had already searched. You’ll be amazed by how much stuff (rocks included) light up under a UV light. We spent a good half hour picking up every glowing rock because we weren’t sure what we were looking for. But once we found one we knew that that was what we were looking for. After we found the first one, spotting more was pretty easy. They glow bright (you’ll think everything that glows is bright until you see an actual Yooperlite), and most of the time they look like a tiny spec of glowing coals from a fire. Once you pick it up you’ll realize it’s a Yooperlite rock.
*Don’t hesitate to look in the same areas that you’ve already looked. Some of our Yooperlite rocks were found in areas that we had already searched.
*Yooperlites can also be found in water.
What do Yooperlites Look Like in Daylight?
Unfortunately, during daylight and to the naked eye, Yooperlite rocks look like every other rock along the shores of Lake Superior. This is why it is so important to use a black light UV flashlight to hunt for them. That being said, most of our Yooperlites look like gray rocks when they are not under a black light.
Can Yooperlites be found During the Day?
Yes, Yooperlites can be found during the day. If you are planning on looking for Yooperlite rocks during the day, I highly recommend using a very high-powered black light flashlight. Keep in mind that the more daylight there is the fainter the Yooperlites will glow.
Are Yooperlites Rare?
I wouldn’t consider them rare when looking along the Lake Superior shoreline. We went hunting for Yooperlites in the middle of summer when the beaches should have been well picked over and we found quite a few in a couple of hours. There were also a couple of other families searching for Yooperlites and they also found some.
Best Time of Year to Search for Yooperlite Rocks
While Yooperlite rocks can be hunted year-round, it is not recommended during the winter. Everything is frozen and covered in snow making it very hard to find anything buried. The best time to hunt for Yooperlites is early spring and fall. In early spring, after the snow melts, the beach is covered in new rocks that haven’t been hunted yet. Fall is also a great time because Lake Superior becomes more angry meaning it frequently pushes new rocks on the beach.
That being said we went in July and had great success. Our Yooperlite rocks were mostly small but among my family of 4, we found a total of 16 Yooperlites.
Equipment Needed to Find Yooperlites
What Blacklight UV Flashlight Should I use to Find Yooperlite Rocks
There are so many UV Lights to choose from that choosing one can be overwhelming. We were so thankful that we stumbled across the video below because they were so helpful in breaking everything down in an easy and understandable way. We chose to use this UV flashlight after hearing their recommendations. It was exactly as they described it and worked beautifully. I highly encourage you to watch the video below and then choose the UV flashlight that works best for you. Whatever flashlight that you choose, make sure that it is a 365-nanometer UV flashlight. The rocks glow best under this wavelength.
What to Wear When Yooperlite Hunting
Warm Clothes –
Temperatures can fluctuate a lot in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. For this reason, I’d always opt for comfortable layers and having the top layer a windproof jacket. We went in mid-July, the temperatures were warm during the day but when the sun went down the wind picked up and it got cold. My family wore lightweight long sleeve shirts and pants and we froze! Being from Michigan and living along a lakeshore, we should have been better prepared, but we weren’t. So here’s your warning, wear or bring warm clothes so you don’t freeze as we did.
Closed Toe Shoes or Rain Boots –
I highly recommend closed-toe shoes because it’s easy to trip over all of the rocks along Lake Superior beaches. Having a closed-toe shoe will help protect your toes if you trip. Rain boots are necessary if you plan on searching the water for Yooperlites.
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Conclusion
Whether it’s your first time or your tenth time searching for Yooperlites, you are sure to have some fun. While you are hunting, keep your eyes peeled for Lake Superior agates & other types of fluorescent minerals. Oh and don’t forget to look up every once in a while. You’ll see an incredible starry sky, and you might even spot the milky way galaxy. These fluorescent rocks are a great addition to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
Have you searched for Yooperlite rocks before? Let us know in the comments!
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Greetings. My name is Shawn Carlson, and I am the mineralogist who identified what Erik Rintamaki’s rocks were, and published that finding in the journal Mineral News. Here is the link to my paper on Mr. Rintamaki’s main sales page:
https://www.yooperlites.com/img/Yooperlite_Sodalite_Discovery_Paper.pdf
Your article gets a couple things wrong. First, Michigan State (University) had absolutely nothing to do with the analysis of these rocks. And second, Mr. Rintamaki was not actually the first person to discover them. In fact, they had been known in Michigan and even sold in some gift shops for decades before Mr. Rintamaki entered the picture. What Mr. Rintamaki did, is to push for a full scientific verification of what the orange glowing mineral was (sodalite). Prior to this time, sodalite had long been suspected or “known” in a lay sense to occur in Michigan, but never actually verified. After this verification, sodalite became a mineral officially listed in Michigan’s geographic mineralogy, and I had to give credit for that to someone, so I gave credit to Mr. Rintamaki.
Hope this helps,
Shawn M. Carlson
Mineralogist
Thank you for giving me a heads-up on my inaccuracies. You are right it was not MSU it was Michigan Tech. As for my paragraph about Eric Rintamaki discovering the Yooperlites, I have reworded it in hopes to remove any confusion. I appreciate you taking the time to read through my article and provide feedback. It is extremely valuable to have first-hand information from someone who identified what Erik Rintamaki’s rocks were.
I am thrilled to read this article about Erik Rintamaki and his discovery of Yooperlites. It’s amazing to see how a simple hobby of rock hunting can turn into a successful business venture. I can relate to Erik’s passion for finding unique rocks along Lake Superior’s shoreline, and his discovery of Yooperlites is truly remarkable. For those who are unfamiliar with Yooperlites, they are rocks that contain Sodalite from the Syenite family of minerals. What makes them unique is their ability to glow fluorescent orange under a black light. Since their discovery, Yooperlites have become quite popular among rock hunters and collectors. If you are interested in learning more about yooperlites and the best places to find them, I invite you to visit my website. As an avid Yooperlite hunter, I have compiled a wealth of information and resources that will help you get started on your own Yooperlite hunting adventure. Happy hunting!
I can’t believe you’re allowed to take 25 pounds of Yooperlites per person!Sounds like a lot!
25 pounds of rock per person per year is a lot! Between my family of 4, we only found a couple of rocks. Nowhere near 25 lbs.
Ok I’m obsessed! I never heard of them before and I’d love to see them at night!
I’ve never heard of Yooperlite rocks before. I would love to do a tour with Erik. I’m sure it will be so interesting and informative!
How cool. Seems like a fun family activity or even a great idea for a date night!
Wow I’m sad I didn’t know about this when I lived in Michigan! I’ve been itching to go to the UP anyway so guess I have to add this to my list of things to do
I have never heard of Yooperlite Rocks! Wow. They are so cool. Need to add this to the list of places to visit and things to search for on hikes. Thank you so much for sharing. My kiddos would love these.
Wow! That is so very interesting and I had no idea about these rocks! Thank you for sharing!