Tacoma Mushroom Calendar

Tacoma sits in the Puget Lowland and a damp, maritime-influenced climate, with roughly 40.8 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 March, by which point the average last frost (Mar 8) has usually passed. Summer fruitings stay confined to pockets of moisture — irrigated urban ground can be one — and the real abundance arrives with the fall rains in September. The first frosts around Nov 14 eventually close the main season, though hardy cool-season species hang on.

Best months April, October, and November
Ground warms ~March
Frost-free Mar 8 – Nov 14
Annual rain 40.8"
Driest July and August
Species tracked 11

What Fruits When Near Tacoma

JFMAMJJASONDMorelKing BoleteMatsutakeChanterelleHedgehogOysterLobsterBear's HeadBlewitThe PrinceShaggy Mane

Shading shows when each species typically fruits within about 10 miles, not abundance. Based on iNaturalist observation trends.

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 Tacoma

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

  • Red Alder58.6%
  • Bigleaf Maple22.8%
  • Douglas-fir18.6%

Species to Know Near Tacoma

Shaggy Mane Shaggy Mane Peaks in November Photo: Jeremy Collison (CC BY-NC) Morel Morel Peaks in April

Common Questions

When is mushroom season in Tacoma?

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

When do morels fruit near Tacoma?

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

What mushrooms grow near Tacoma?

11 species show up in the observation record within about 10 miles of Tacoma, 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.