Guided Mushroom Tours Small-group foraging tours in four areas of the Washington Cascades
These are working foraging tours, not walks with a narrator. We go into the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, read the habitat together, work through whatever we find, and you take home what you pick — along with the part that actually lasts, which is knowing how to decide where to look next time.
Tours run in four areas across the Cascades, each an easy drive from the Puget Sound region: Everett, Seattle, Bellevue, Kirkland, Renton, Tacoma, and Olympia. No experience is needed, and beginners are the majority on most tours.
Choose an Area
Each area has its own terrain, its own drive, and its own season. Pick whichever fits your calendar — the tour format is the same in all four.
- Darrington~1 hr 30 min from SeattleSauk and Suiattle river valleys off the Mountain Loop Highway — big old stands and the quietest of the four areas.Next: Sat, Oct 10
- Skykomish~1 hr 15 min from SeattleThe US-2 corridor between Index and Skykomish — steep valley walls, deep moss, and the easiest highway access of the four.Next: Sun, Aug 30
- North Bend~45 min from SeattleThe Snoqualmie forks just off I-90 — the closest tour area to Seattle, and the one that stays productive latest into the fall.Next: Tue, Oct 6
- Greenwater~1 hr 30 min from Seattle · ~1 hr from TacomaSR-410 on the northeast side of Mount Rainier — the highest of the four areas, so it comes on early and freezes first.Next: Sat, Sep 12
Every Upcoming Tour
All four areas in one list, soonest first. If you’re picking a date rather than a place, book from here.
- SkykomishSunday, August 3012:00 pm – 3:00 pm
- GreenwaterSaturday, September 121:00 pm – 5:00 pm
- GreenwaterSunday, September 139:00 am – 12:00 pm
- North BendTuesday, October 610:00 am – 1:00 pm
- DarringtonSaturday, October 109:00 am – 12:00 pm
Don't see a date that works? Request a day and time — tours are scheduled around conditions, so new dates go up through the season.
What the Day Looks Like
Reading the Habitat
Why we stop where we stop. Tree associations, elevation, moisture, and the ground signs that tell you a patch is worth walking into — the part most guides skip.
Hands-On Identification
Every find gets worked through in the field: the features that actually matter, the ones that don’t, and how to move from “some mushroom” to a confident name.
Taking Some Home
Bring a basket. What you find is yours to keep, along with notes on cleaning, storing, and cooking it once you’re back in your kitchen.
Staying Safe
The poisonous species worth knowing cold, the look-alikes they get confused with, and the habits that keep a new forager out of trouble.
There’s a fuller walkthrough on the what to expect page.
What Guests Say
These tours are among the Pacific Northwest’s top-rated Airbnb experiences — and booking directly here costs less than booking them there.
“Jeremy’s workshop was fantastic! We walked away feeling confident being able to pick out chanterelles and porcini.” — Sarah, Seattle WA · October 2024
“Jeremy is so personable and knowledgeable. You can tell he has a passion for mushrooms!” — Jenelle, Seattle WA · June 2024
“He was so informative and answered all of our wide ranging questions. Highly recommend!” — Katheryn, Glen Ellyn IL · March 2024
Same tour, same guide — booking direct through this page costs less than on Airbnb.
Request a Date or Get Notified
Nothing on the calendar that works? Tell me roughly when you’d like to get out and which area suits your drive, and I’ll let you know as soon as something is scheduled. Groups can usually have a date built around them.
Gift certificates are available, and private tours can be arranged. Tours in other parts of the Cascades are possible by request.
Before You Go
Meetup: The exact meetup point is sent to registered guests 24–48 hours before the tour. Each tour lists its general area when you book.
Roads: Forest service roads are passable in low-clearance vehicles, but expect potholes and the occasional rock — just pick your line carefully.
Weather: Tours run rain or shine in typical Pacific Northwest conditions. If unsafe weather is forecast we reschedule or refund in full.
Dogs: Sorry, no dogs on tours in the national forest.
Bring: Shoes for off-trail walking, weather-appropriate clothing, a charged phone with offline maps, a basket or breathable bag, and water and snacks. A small folding knife and a hiking pole are nice to have.
Age & fitness: Suitable for teens and adults comfortable with off-trail walking. Minors must be accompanied by an adult.
Want the Classroom Half First?
A tour is the best way to learn this, but a two-hour evening class is the cheapest way to find out whether you’re going to enjoy it — and it makes the tour land much harder when you already know what you’re looking at. I’m running Intro to Mushroom Foraging in four cities this September, ahead of the October peak.
Keep going after the tour
Forayz overlays burn perimeters, soil moisture, snowline, and habitat data on a map of the Pacific Northwest, so the habitat reading you learn on the tour turns into actual spots to check.