Hunting for the Healing Rocks of Michigan

If you happen to be planning for a trip to northern Michigan (and you should—have you seen my Petoskey Area Bucket List?), then finding yourself some Petoskey stones should be one fun activity not to miss. These rocks are not only intriguing in their appearance, but they’re said to have special healing powers.

And as far as affordable activities on a trip go, you can’t get a much cheaper one than a stone hunt—it’s free in most places! Which means more money for you to see more of northern Michigan during your travels.

What is a Petoskey Stone?

Often pebble-shaped, a Petoskey Stone is both a rock and a fossil, which was formed by a rugose coral that has fossilized. This coral, which is also known as Hexagonaria percarinata, turned into a fossil rock due to glaciation. That happened when sheets of ice plucked the stones from their bedrock, simultaneously grinding off their originally rough edges. The rocks eventually landed primarily in the Northwestern part of…