JACKSON, Wyo. — Spring in Wyoming, as elusive as it may be, is a great time for morel mushroom gathering. If you time it just right and do your research, you could land a plentiful bounty of morel mushrooms, the perfect complement to a nice steak dinner.

Morels can sell for upwards of $30 a pound, making foraging a great way to enjoy these tasty morsels without breaking the bank. Not every outing will be successful but the thrill of the hunt is what makes it all worthwhile.

Step 1: Learn how to identify a morel
CAUTION: This is the most important part of hunting for Morels. There are false morels that can be poisonous so it is critical to know the difference. You can also reference this chart for how to identify a real morel mushroom.

Step 2: Timing & Location
Look for the first tree buds and a few warm days as a sign that the morel mushroom hunting season has begun. Treed areas are a great place to look as it’s believed that morels are mycorrhizal, meaning they form a mutually beneficial relationship with the tree roots. Burn sites are also a great place to look as morels thrive on the nutrients that burned trees release back into the soil.

When looking for a location remember that it is illegal to forage for mushrooms in Grand Teton National Park.

Step 3: Follow mushroom hunting etiquette

  • Always use a mesh bag for collecting your finds, not plastic or paper.
    Wild mushrooms spread by the dispersal of spores. The more spores you allow them to drop the better the chances of more mushrooms in the future!
  • Do not pick every mushroom you see.
    If you find a group of mushrooms leave a few so they can continue to drop spores and you and others can enjoy them for years to come.
  • Permits are not required for personal use
    Harvesters can collect up to three gallons for personal use. Anyone trying to collect more than that and/or sell mushrooms must have a commercial permit from the Forest Service.

Step 4: Be Safe

  • Bring a friend.
    It can be easy to get lost or disoriented when walking in the woods and always a good idea to have someone else to get help if you need it.
  • Carry Bear Spray.
    It is a good idea when walking around the woods in bear country to be bear aware and carry bear spray.

Happy hunting!

Shannon is a Wyoming-raised writer and reporter. She just completed a master's in journalism from Boston University. Jackson shaped her into an outdoorswoman, but a love for language and the human condition compels her to write. She believes there's no story too small to tell nor adventure too small to take.