Los Alamos Mushroom Calendar
Los Alamos sits in the Southern Rockies and has a drier, rain-shadowed climate — about 17.5 inches of rain a year. The ground warms and reaches early fruiting potential around April, though frost is still possible until about May 2. Los Alamos has a single mushroom-fruiting window, open only when temperature and precipitation are both suitable. Winter then shuts the season down hard and early.
Best months
July, August, and September
Ground warms
~April
Frost-free
May 2 – Oct 12
Annual rain
17.5"
Species tracked
6
What Fruits When Near Los Alamos
JFMAMJJASONDMorelKing BoleteMatsutakeregChanterelleHedgehogregOysterLobsterLion's Mane / Bear's HeadregBlewitregShaggy 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 Los Alamos
Dominant tree species within about 10 km — the hosts that shape which mushrooms grow here.
- Ponderosa Pine17.1%
- Oneseed Juniper14.4%
- Colorado Pinyon13.2%
- Douglas-fir13.1%
- Quaking Aspen11.1%
Track the Season as It Happens
This calendar shows typical timing. A free Salish Mushrooms account adds live environmental layers — soil moisture, soil temperature, snow cover, and recent precipitation — on the Forayz map.
Species to Know Near Los Alamos
Common Questions
When is mushroom season in Los Alamos?
Near Los Alamos, mushroom season peaks in mid to late summer, when summer rain meets warm soil, and winds down as the first hard frosts arrive. The strongest months in the local observation record are July, August, and September.
When do morels fruit near Los Alamos?
Morel reports near Los Alamos peak in April, June, and July. Timing tracks soil temperature, so south-facing slopes and lower elevations start earlier and higher ground runs later.
What mushrooms grow near Los Alamos?
6 species show up in the observation record within about 10 miles of Los Alamos, including Morel, King Bolete, Chanterelle, Oyster, Lobster, Shaggy Mane. 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.