The western slopes of the Cascades offer a variety of habitats for spring mushrooms. Darrington is a small town 30 miles east of Arlington near the confluence of the Sauk and Suiattle rivers, and is surrounded by public land at varying elevations and ease of accessibility.
Mushroom conditions in Darrington are similar to other western Washington towns like Concrete, Gold Bar, Skykomish, Granite Falls, North Bend, Enumclaw, Ashford, and Randle. Key factors for mushroom habitat are climate, weather, tree species, elevation, and soil. Most western Washington forests share many of these characteristics.
What mushrooms can you find in Darrington right now?
The most notable edible mushrooms fruiting in Darrington and other west side forests are morels, verpas, and oyster mushrooms.
Other interesting mushrooms ranging from poisonous to edible that you could likely find in the area right now include:
Suillus, puffballs, various jelly and cup fungi, Gyromitra, Amanita, Helvella, woody polypores, small gilled decomposers like mica caps and Hypholoma, and Pluteus or deer mushrooms.
amanita-aprica
helvella-mushroom-march
veiled-polypore
ganoderma-oregonense-polypore
suillus-mushroom-slippery-jack
puffball-mushroom
spring-oyster-mushroom-on-tree
gomphidius-mushroom
morel-in-darrington
gyromitra-californica
gyromitra-disc-mushroom
alpine-jelly-cone-mushroom
gyromitra-esculenta-mushroom
spring-orange-peel-mushroom
bonfire-cup-mushroom
amanita-panther-cap
Recent weather conditions near Darrington
The daily average temp has remained fairly consistent over the past month the area has received regular precipitation. Rapid warming over the coming week could provide the necessary warmth to prompt rapid fruitings of a variety of mushroom species by mid-May. These conditions could be shortlived with above average temps and little rain forecasted.
Late Spring and Summer Outlook
Spring mushroom season tapers off in Snohomish County as rain becomes less consistent. Mushrooms are more scarce over the summer months and are not abundant again until consistent rain returns in September or October. During the dry summer months, you might focus your mushroom foraging-and-finding in areas that have some moisture. Streams, high-elevation areas that catch the clouds, and even late snowmelt can all provide better conditions for mushroom fruiting when rain is less reliable.