Yooperlites - The Michigan Rocks That Glow

Move over, puddingstones...Yooperlite rocks are here.

These glowing rocks were discovered years ago, but it was Erik Rintamaki that gave the rocks their name while blacklighting along the shore of Lake Superior. When asked, he said he gave them the name “Yooperlite” because he was from the Upper Peninsula (a 'yooper') and the rocks gave off a glow.

You have probably walked down a Great Lakes beach that was covered with grayish-white rocks that looked like plain, nothing-fancy stones.....but when night comes and a blacklight shines on them, some of them come to life with different shapes, colors, and designs. These are Syenite rocks loaded with fluorescent Sodalite, a substance which makes the stones glow.

Many people from around the world buy these rocks from Michiganders.

Where to look: In the Upper Peninsula from Whitefish Point to Grand Marais. There are also many that have been found on the Keweenaw Peninsula shorelines.

See the photos below of a variety of Yooperlite rocks!