Petoskey Stone Hunting

The Petoskey Stone is Michigan's state stone.  It is the fossilized remains of a type of coral that lived about 350 million years ago.  Our area was covered with a shallow sea, which favored the growth of the coral.   

Each cell represents a tube in which a small animal lived waving its tentacle to secure food.  The "eye" is actually the mouth of the animal.  When dry, the stones are gray, but when wet, the "eyes" magically appear.

Petoskey Stones are found wherever rocks turn up throughout the area, and are most easily found when wet.  However, the best hunting places are the beaches at Petoskey State Park and Magnus City Park. No license required.