Mount Shasta Mushroom Calendar

Mount Shasta sits in the Cascades and has a damp, maritime-influenced climate, with roughly 42.6 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 April, though frost is still possible until about May 15. Like much of Northern California, summers around Mount Shasta run dry, and flushes show up only sporadically where localized rain falls; the season picks up again in October when the fall rains return. The first frosts around Oct 6 eventually close the main season, though hardy cool-season species hang on.

Best months April, May, and October
Ground warms ~April
Frost-free May 15 – Oct 6
Annual rain 42.6"
Driest July through September
Species tracked 8

What Fruits When Near Mount Shasta

JFMAMJJASONDMorelKing BoleteMatsutakeChanterelleHedgehogregOysterLobsterregLion's Mane / Bear's HeadBlewitregThe PrinceregShaggy ManeBlack TrumpetregCandy CapregChicken of the WoodsYellowfootreg

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 Mount Shasta

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

  • Red Fir18.7%
  • Douglas-fir18.6%
  • White Fir17.7%
  • Mountain Hemlock16.3%
  • Ponderosa Pine12.1%

Species to Know Near Mount Shasta

Morel Morel Peaks in May King Bolete King Bolete Peaks in May Chanterelle Chanterelle Peaks in October Photo: Jeremy Collison (CC BY-NC)

Common Questions

When is mushroom season in Mount Shasta?

Mushroom season near Mount Shasta comes in two waves: a spring window after snowmelt and a larger fall window with the first soaking rains. The strongest months in the local observation record are April, May, and October.

When do morels fruit near Mount Shasta?

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

What mushrooms grow near Mount Shasta?

8 species show up in the observation record within about 10 miles of Mount Shasta, including Morel, King Bolete, Matsutake, Chanterelle, Oyster, Lion's Mane / Bear's Head, Shaggy Mane, Chicken of the Woods. 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 Northern California

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