Guided Mushroom Tours — Skykomish Foraging the US-2 corridor between Index and Skykomish
US-2 follows the Skykomish River east from Monroe, and the stretch between Index and Stevens Pass offers varying terrain with lots of areas to explore. Steep valley walls, heavy rainfall, and deep moss accompany some dramatic views and unique mushroom habitats.
It’s also relatively close if you’re coming from Seattle or the Eastside. Towns along highway two offer many options for a bite before or after the tour.
Upcoming Dates
- Friday, November 1312:30 pm – 2:30 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.
See every upcoming tour, class and event on the full calendar →
What the Day Looks Like
Reading the Habitat
Why we stop where we stop: the trees, elevation and moisture that make a patch worth walking into, and the signs on the ground that back it up.
Hands-On Identification
We work through every find in the field. You'll learn which features matter, which don't, and how to get from "some mushroom" to a confident name.
Taking Some Home
Bring a basket or breathable bag. Whatever you pick is yours to keep, whether that's dinner or a single specimen to study, and I'll cover how to clean, store and cook it.
Staying Safe
The poisonous species to know on sight, and the edible mushrooms they can be mistaken for.
What We Find Is Up to the Forest
Mushroom foraging is unpredictable, and that's just as true with a guide. Some tours come home with enough for dinner. Some find a handful. Some don't turn up any of the choice edibles at all. We're often walking an area for the first time that season, and I don't know what conditions will be like until we get there.
The places I can take a group have their limits, too. They need to be on public land, a reasonable drive away, and easy enough walking for a mixed group. That means other foragers can reach them as well, and sometimes a good patch is picked before we arrive.
What doesn't depend on the day is what you learn: how to read the forest, how to identify what we do find, and how to go looking on your own afterwards.
About This Area
The Skykomish and its forks — the Beckler, the Foss, the Tye — cut a set of side valleys off the main corridor, and each one holds a slightly different mix. Most of what we cover is second growth with pockets of older timber left in the steeper ground, which means a lot of edge habitat in a small area.
Elevation here sits between the high country at Greenwater and the low ground at North Bend, so the season tends to run down the middle: it comes on after the mountains and holds on after the passes have frozen.
What Guests Say
From guests at my in-person mushroom class, which is listed on Airbnb.
“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
Request a Date or Get Notified
Nothing on the calendar that works for you? Tell me roughly when you'd like to get out, and I'll let you know as soon as this area has dates. If you have a group, ask about scheduling a date around you.
Gift certificates are available, and private tours can be arranged.
Before You Go
Meetup: The exact meetup point is sent to registered guests 3 days before the tour. The general area is Index / Skykomish, WA.
Cancellations: Cancel at least 3 days before the tour for a full refund. That's when the exact meeting location goes out, so bookings can't be refunded after that point.
Roads: Forest service roads are passable in low-clearance vehicles, but expect potholes and the occasional rock — just pick your line carefully.
Parking: Roadside pull-outs don’t need a pass, but many trailheads do. Where we park changes from tour to tour and isn’t always settled until the day, so if you have a Northwest Forest Pass or America the Beautiful pass, bring it for your dashboard. Day passes are sold at recreation.gov and at ranger stations.
Restrooms: There will not be a public toilet once we’re in the forest. Bring some toilet paper and a plastic bag to pack it out.
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.
Other Tour Areas
Skykomish not the right drive for you? I guide in other parts of the Cascades too, each with its own timing.
Or see every upcoming tour date across all the areas in one list.
Keep going after the tour
Forayz maps burn perimeters, soil moisture, snow cover and tree species across the Pacific Northwest. Use it to turn what you learned about habitat on the tour into places to check on your own.