Guided Mushroom Hunting
What is a foray, anyway?
Inspire and feed your curiosity in the mushroom world with private and small group guided mushroom forays! With PNW Mushroom Mama, you’re not only getting information about how to safely and confidently identify choice edible mushrooms, but you will be immersing yourself fully into the forest. Ever heard of the trendy term “forest bath”? You’ll learn about it here :)
As we walk and talk as a group through the luscious green foothills of Mount Hood, we learn key identification characteristics, natural and prime fruiting habitats, and look-a-likes of many seasonal choice culinary mushrooms of the Pacific Northwest.
Our goal with PNW Mushroom Mama is for each foray member walk away with the confidence and knowledge needed to continue their journey into the forest in their future mushroom hunting endeavors.
General Information
Hike duration: 2-3 hours
Difficulty level: Adult hikes are moderate hikes; general debris and downed trees, slippery rocks, sometimes sand and hills can be expected.
Family hikes are beginner and open to all levels; forest debris and gentle hills are to be expected.
Drive time: from Damascus, all hikes are within 2 hours; generally 1-2 hours of drive time.
Cost: starting at $120 per person (children under the age of 10 are $50/ea)
Expectations: Hiking time 2-3 hours. Mushroom tasting after our hike is included!
Mother Nature is a tricky gal—she loves throwing curve balls! Mushrooms need rain, and Ma Nature doesn’t always turn on the hose, so we cannot guarantee finding mushrooms. However, we are always scouting prime locations that will put us near the best possible chances at finding what we are looking for.
You can expect to gain the knowledge needed to begin selecting your own locations, and foraging on your own after one foray with us.
Weather: again, that Mother Nature gal—she’s sneaky! We do hike in wind and rain, but if it looks miserable for our foray date, we will sometimes postpone. We want this to be a fun day for all!
More Details: upon registration, further details will be e-mailed (what to wear/bring, how to prepare, further expectations)
Sample Itinerary
9:00am - meet at local meeting spot in order to caravan together to hunting location (brief meet & greet, walkie talkie distribution)
10:30am - arrive at hunting location, gear up, have a little talk about what the heck we are searching for
10:40am - walk and talk and hunt!
1:00pm - venture back to our vehicles, review our bounty, enjoy a mushroom snack, return all gear
1:30pm - say our goodbyes/exchange contact info for future ventures
Questions? Shoot us an email at: pnwmushroommama@gmail.com
Seasonally | Starting at $120Upcoming Events
Book Your Own Private Foray!
Can’t make any of our listed forays? We would still love to explore the forest with you and yours! Please click registration button below to connect with us, and give us some dates and deets that work for you and your crew! 4 people minimum, 8 maximum. Starting at $120/person.
“There are a lot of mushroom guides out there, and honestly I only trust RENEE! Each time I have gone, it has been a positive experience and she really cares about giving each person a good experience. Renee is the type who will go out of her way to scope and scout and do her upmost best to ensure her group does not go home empty handed but a bounty of mushies!!! I’ve never tried another guide but have heard scary things, glad I found Renee!”
- Amy C.
“Thanks Renee. Sure was fun! My friend Susan had such a good time, she wants to fly in for one later this fall!”
-Mary B.
“Going on a mushroom forage with Renee was equal parts education and adventure. It gave me an appreciation for the work it takes to bring these beautiful organisms to market and to the foodie world. I can’t wait to go again!”
-Veronica D.
“Thanks for the delicious sounding recipes, and another fun and highly educational foray!”
- Claudia R.
“Our family had an incredible experience foraging for morels with PNW Mushroom Mama! I took my husband and our two children, and it ended up being one of the most memorable outdoor adventures we’ve had together. Renee, the owner, was absolutely phenomenal. Her knowledge of mushrooms, the forest ecosystem, and safe foraging practices was impressive, and she shared it in an engaging, easy to understand way. She made the entire trip feel both adventurous and safe, which was really important for us as a family.
What I appreciated most was how welcoming and patient she was. She made sure everyone felt included, answered all our questions, and helped us actually find morels, which made the experience even more fun, rewarding, and delicious.”
- Bailey F.
“Renee is the best guide, she always makes sure we have mushrooms to take home! She freely gives tips to finding as well as tips for storing and cooking with the mushrooms we find! I keep coming back because it is so much fun!”
-Gretchen S.
“That was so much fun! Thank you for the opportunity. You are such a charming guide!”
- Mary B.
“If you’re curious about mushroom foraging or just want a unique outdoor experience in the Pacific Northwest, I highly recommend PNW Mushroom Mama. We’ll absolutely be going out again!”
-Bailey F.
“Renee is a superb teacher! Her passion for mushrooms is undeniable and inspiring. Not only will she teach you about all the PNW edible mushrooms, she will go beyond the classroom (foray) with her wealth of information. Her arsenal of knowledge provides the best uses for recipes for the mushrooms you will, no doubt, learn to find. I cannot speak highly enough of her helpfulness with a plethora of questions she’s helped me answer throughout the years!”
-Yana S.
“I went on a wonderful mushroom foraging trip with Renee. She was so good at describing what to look for that everyone in our group found mushrooms! It was really a great morning.
- Susan A.
“I have been on 3 foraging group outings with Renee so far, and I’m already looking forward to more fun days in the woods this year! Every season brings a wide variety of edible and interesting mushrooms, and Renee knows exactly where to go to make sure everyone goes home with a basket full of treasures! She shows us the types of fungi we are foraging for, explains the soil types, ground cover and tree species that form the habitat those fungi need to flourish. There’s enjoyment and information for every level of forager from beginner to advanced. Renee and her trusty sidekick, Juneau, know the territory like the back of their hand, and are great at forging camaderie in the group, while encouraging individual feelings of accomplishment. The overall experience is educational, super enjoyable, and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in foraging!
- Claudia R
Refund Policy
As much as we want to provide them, unfortunately due to the nature of this business, refunds cannot be issued 7 or less days prior to your foray. If you have notified us 7 or more days prior to your foray date, you will be permitted to apply your funds to a future foray.
Thank you for letting us know if you will not be joining us—you’re always welcome to reallocate your spot to a friend! Just let us know who will be joining us on our upcoming foray!