This website can help you, but a single source alone can never safely answer this question for you. I recommend you check several sources, collect and examine the specimen several times, and get an expert opinion before you eat a wild mushroom, especially when consuming it the first time.

See how to practice Safe Eating every time.

This resource exclusively focuses on how to find and identify common and choice culinary mushrooms in the PNW. My target audience is beginner/amateurs and as such I do not help you learn scientific terms or processes. I also do nothing to help you identify the thousands of inedible and poisonous mushrooms outside of how to distinguish them from their edible look a-likes.

The subjects I don't cover are infinitely interesting and I encourage you to learn about them! There are many excellent resources that exhaustively cover what I do not, my favorites are listed here: https://www.pnwfungiforager.com/blog-and-resources/resources.

I have long been frustrated by the usability of existing resources for beginners. Generally they assume an advanced level of understanding when suggesting potential look a-likes, they make you hunt around to see those look a-likes, they make you parse every possible mushroom when identifying, and they use a vocabulary of scientific names and descriptions that can be daunting to overcome. Add all that to an unwillingness from experienced hunters to share their knowledge or their favorite spots and it's no wonder I almost gave up so many times! I wanted to create a resource that is easy to use in the field, approachable for beginners that simplifies the language and identification process, with a focus on why most people first show interest in mushrooms. Hopefully I can help get you hooked and act as a gateway to more advanced understanding, love, and desire to protect the environments these amazing fungi thrive in.

No. I'm an enthusiast who has been finding and eating mushrooms in the Pacific Northwest for 20 years, who has also made a successful career making complex information easy to understand.

PNW Fungi Forager my attempt to simplify foraging for beginners.

Generally no.

I never use AI to create identification or instructional content or photos.

I do occasionally use AI to spell/grammar check or to unstick writers block for blogging and social posts.

I have seen some AI generated websites and identification content in the wild, beware!

The mission of this website is to help you find and identify choice edible mushrooms in Washington and Oregon. To make that information easy to navigate I only describe the common poisonous mushrooms, edible mushrooms, and mushrooms that look like edible mushrooms.

Most mushrooms are neither edible nor poisonous, and many edible mushrooms are uncommon in our area or not considered 'choice'.

There are many excellent books and websites that attempt to cover all mushrooms, my favorites can be found on the Resources Page.

The Pacific Northwest (PNW) is a lush, forest-filled region in the northwestern corner of North America, known for its towering evergreens, rainy weather, and incredible wild mushrooms. While definitions can vary a little, here’s what’s usually included:

📍 States & Provinces in the PNW

• United States:

  • Washington State (the rainy green one, not D.C.!)

  • Oregon State

• Canada:

  • British Columbia (especially coastal B.C. and Vancouver Island)​​

🗺️ Major Cities

• Seattle, WA – The heart of the tech-meets-forest vibe

• Portland, OR – Known for eco-conscious culture & food scene

• Eugene, OR – A university town surrounded by green

• Olympia, WA – Washington’s capital and gateway to wild lands

• Vancouver, BC – A coastal city nestled between ocean and mountains

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⛰️ Geographic Highlights

• Cascade Range – A dramatic mountain range inc. Mt Baker, Mt. Rainier, and Mt. St. Helen's

• Olympic Peninsula – Home to temperate rainforests, Olympic Mountains, and wild coasts in Washington

• Columbia River Gorge – A massive river canyon between WA and OR

• San Juan Islands – A misty maze of forested islands off the coast of Washington

• Puget Sound – A maze of water and forested islands in WA

My collection or Wikimedia Commons. Licenses are typically listed next to each photo. If you would like to help make mushroom hunting easy by sharing photos I'm not currently able to find please reach out to me!