I have never found a Petoskey stone 🪨 have you?
and I'm a native Michigander 😭 but the Great Lakes are so huge and there's so much to be explored.
Find prints of this illustration at A Cup of Cloudy
Painting by Carolyn Tantanella
As someone who grew up in Michigan, I’ve always been fascinated by the Petoskey stone—a unique fossilized coral that’s become a symbol of the state’s natural heritage. Despite searching many shores around the Great Lakes, I’ve never managed to find one myself, which makes the discovery feel even more special when others share their finds. Petoskey stones are most commonly found along the northern shores of Lake Michigan, particularly in places like Petoskey State Park. These stones are about 350 million years old and often show a distinctive hexagonal pattern, a remnant of ancient coral colonies. For a first-time hunter, locating them requires patience and a careful eye, scanning through countless ordinary rocks and beach stones. My experience searching for Petoskey stones has taught me to appreciate the slow thrill of fossil hunting and the beauty of Michigan’s vast Great Lakes coastline. Beyond stones, the state offers scenic views, peaceful parks, and inspiring natural art, as beautifully captured in Carolyn Tantanella’s Michigan Parks + Places Series. If you’re planning your own stone hunting adventure, bring along a sturdy bag, practice sustainable collecting by only taking stones you find on your side of the waterline, and enjoy the peaceful connection to nature this activity fosters. Even if you don’t find a Petoskey stone right away, the journey along the beach and surrounded by such rich natural history is rewarding in itself. And who knows? Maybe your next shore walk will uncover one of Michigan’s treasured fossils.
