Ashford Mushroom Calendar

Ashford sits in the Cascades and one of the wetter corners of the region, with roughly 82.6 inches of annual rainfall, most of it falling in the cool months from fall into spring. The ground warms and reaches early fruiting potential around May, by which point the average last frost (May 22) has usually passed. Rain barely lets up even at the height of summer, so something is usually fruiting, though the heaviest push still comes with the fall rains. Winter then shuts the season down hard and early.

Best months September, October, and November
Ground warms ~May
Frost-free May 22 – Oct 3
Annual rain 82.6"
Species tracked 10

What Fruits When Near Ashford

JFMAMJJASONDMorelKing BoleteMatsutakeChanterelleHedgehogOysterLobsterBear's HeadBlewitregThe PrinceShaggy Mane

Shading shows when each species typically fruits within about 10 miles, not abundance. Based on iNaturalist observation trends. reg = pooled from the surrounding area where local sightings were sparse.

The Shape of the Season

All species combined — local observations within about 10 miles, by month.

Weather Through the Year

Average daily high–low (°F)

Average monthly precipitation (inches)

The Forest Around Ashford

Dominant tree species within about 10 km — the hosts that shape which mushrooms grow here.

  • Douglas-fir44.4%
  • Western Hemlock34.7%
  • Red Alder11%
  • Western Redcedar5.3%
  • Bigleaf Maple4.1%

Species to Know Near Ashford

Lobster Lobster Peaks in October Photo: Drew Henderson, Mushroom Observer (CC BY-SA) Matsutake Matsutake Peaks in October Shaggy Mane Shaggy Mane Peaks in October Photo: Jeremy Collison (CC BY-NC)

Common Questions

When is mushroom season in Ashford?

Near Ashford, most mushroom activity arrives with the fall rains. The strongest months in the local observation record are September, October, and November.

When do morels fruit near Ashford?

Morel reports near Ashford peak in April and May. Timing tracks soil temperature, so south-facing slopes and lower elevations start earlier and higher ground runs later.

What mushrooms grow near Ashford?

10 species show up in the observation record within about 10 miles of Ashford, including Morel, King Bolete, Matsutake, Chanterelle, Hedgehog, Oyster, Lobster, Bear's Head. The calendar above shows when each one typically fruits.

Want live conditions instead of climatology? The Forayz map layers soil moisture, soil temperature, snow cover, and recent burns over the same area.

Nearby Calendars in Washington

Climate normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020). Season-onset timing is an air-temperature proxy, not a soil reading.