Hi fellow fungi fans. I am new to AZ -- I live in Sedona -- and I'm reading that the best chance for morels may be slightly north -- like Flagstaff. I am very experienced in the pursuit of morels -- having found many in Minnesota and many more in Virginia. Friends say I can smell when they are just about to pop out -- and my smeller is twitching. I saw my first lilac bush in full flower last week -- which has always been one of my early indicators. This year, in a whole new climate -- no poplar trees, which was where I used to look -- I'm a bit lost and would welcome some help. Better yet, if there's a group that goes out looking, I would be open to joining. As far as location -- I can keep a secret!
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We moved here 3 years ago from the Midwest and I can assure you..... You will have better luck finding gold than morels here..... If they are here, they would be up towards Flagstaff or in burn a reason the higher elevations. I go back every year to hunt the elusive mushroom. Chris Matherly had a foray in 2012 in Flagstaff, but I'm not sure much was found. I did hear chanterelles and hen of the woods grow here in the higher elevations as well..... Maybe in Payson??? There area quite a few large oak up there..... Keep your eyes open for payson diamonds too..!!!!
Morels are a rare treat here in Arizona. For the most part, they will be black morels in areas of recent forest fires up in the conifer forests above 6000 feet. They like a cold, wet winter, and we had an exceptionally warm and dry one this year. I have been looking since mid-April with no luck. I think it's a bust for this year.
Yellow morels can sometimes be found in riparian areas in the high desert, growing under cottonwood trees from late March to early May. Sedona is definitely a place you might find some in a good year, along Oak Creek and its tributaries, Spring Creek, or down at the Verde River in Cottonwood. They are pretty rare and serendipitous, and I have heard of none being found so far this year. I run the Arizona Mushroom Forum (www.arizona-mushrooms.org) and belong to the Arizona Mushroom Club (az-mushroom-club.org), so I keep pretty tuned in for news.
There is a small possibility that morels will appear sporadically later in the summer after the monsoon rains start. A modest quantity of yellows was found on the August 2012 foray of the Arizona Mushroom Club up on the Mogollon Rim above Payson at about 7500 feet.
I hope you like boletes, though, because we get them in abundance up in the high contry from July through September, once the monsoon rains start. Really delicious B. edulis and B. barrowsii especially. And dozens of other kinds of good edibles. The Arizona Mushroom Club runs forays to the Mogollon Rim and White Mountains and you should try to come along. Check out the web sites above for more information.
Yellow morels can sometimes be found in riparian areas in the high desert, growing under cottonwood trees from late March to early May. Sedona is definitely a place you might find some in a good year, along Oak Creek and its tributaries, Spring Creek, or down at the Verde River in Cottonwood. They are pretty rare and serendipitous, and I have heard of none being found so far this year. I run the Arizona Mushroom Forum (www.arizona-mushrooms.org) and belong to the Arizona Mushroom Club (az-mushroom-club.org), so I keep pretty tuned in for news.
There is a small possibility that morels will appear sporadically later in the summer after the monsoon rains start. A modest quantity of yellows was found on the August 2012 foray of the Arizona Mushroom Club up on the Mogollon Rim above Payson at about 7500 feet.
I hope you like boletes, though, because we get them in abundance up in the high contry from July through September, once the monsoon rains start. Really delicious B. edulis and B. barrowsii especially. And dozens of other kinds of good edibles. The Arizona Mushroom Club runs forays to the Mogollon Rim and White Mountains and you should try to come along. Check out the web sites above for more information.
I know you posted this a couple years ago and I hope you've had some success. We moved to the Scottsdale area and my wife is an experienced mushroomer from Seattle. We're looking for the same kind of guidance and where to start looking. have you had any luck and can you share a good starting point.
Hi GoBick! The mushroom hunting here is not up to Seattle standards, but it’s likely to be better than you expected. We had a pretty good morel season in late April and most of May. Our summer monsoon season is about to get started, and we’ll probably start to see some good edibles up in the mountains within three weeks or so.
A lot of discussion takes place on the Facebook group at:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/azmushroomforum
The Arizona Mushroom Society has almost 300 members. We’ve had four forays already, with two more on the schedule, and more ad-hoc forays sure to take place as the rains dictate.
https://arizonamushroomsociety.wildapricot.org
One of our longtime members is giving a lecture on Arizona mushrooms tonight at 6:30 at the Mesa Public Library. I expect a good turnout.
If you have any other questions you can reach me at ccmaymd --at-- gmail.com
Hope to see you out in the field!
A lot of discussion takes place on the Facebook group at:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/azmushroomforum
The Arizona Mushroom Society has almost 300 members. We’ve had four forays already, with two more on the schedule, and more ad-hoc forays sure to take place as the rains dictate.
https://arizonamushroomsociety.wildapricot.org
One of our longtime members is giving a lecture on Arizona mushrooms tonight at 6:30 at the Mesa Public Library. I expect a good turnout.
If you have any other questions you can reach me at ccmaymd --at-- gmail.com
Hope to see you out in the field!
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