Wild Berries
Personal Use Wild Berry Picking
Wild Berries are an important source of food for animals. Always keep an eye out for wildlife while foraging for wild berries.
(USDA Forest Service photo.)Berry picking season on the Olympic National Forest begins in July and extends through September. Personal use is allowed and free. Berries may be consumed while visiting the Olympic National Forest or taken home for processing.
A person may pick up to one gallon of berries per day and up to three gallons of berries per year. Berries cannot be sold or bartered.
Equipment
Prepare for a safe and efficient trip by carrying the following:
- Extra food, water and clothing
- Compass and map of the area
- Whistle
- Field guide for plants
- Bag or bucket to carry berries.
Safety Recommendations
- Wear orange vests or other garments to increase your visibility to hunters and other forest visitors.
- Know the conditions of your permit, including the permissible harvest locations and other relevant boundaries.
- In case of an emergency dial 911! Notify them of your situation and location, including the road number.
- Be careful of large trucks and other vehicles when travelling on logging roads. Always use your headlights and ask a forest district office where active logging is occurring.
Prohibitions & Regulations
- Commercial use berry picking is not permitted on the Olympic National Forest.
- Harvesting rare, threatened or endangered plants is illegal.
- Harvesting is prohibited in National Forest designated Wilderness, botanical, and natural research areas.
- Please contact any Olympic National Forest office with questions.
Berry Types on the Olympic
Both red and blue huckleberries are among the most popular wild fruit on the Peninsula. Various species are found from low wet forests to the alpine slopes of the Olympic Mountains. The berries ripen first at lower elevations. Peak months are August and September. Look for them on relatively open forestland and on cutover timberlands and burned areas.
The Himalayan, a large seedy fruit, is the most abundant berry; the Evergreen blackberry is much smaller and more difficult to find. Blackberries begin to fruit in June and will continue through September. They are found in wooded areas, but most often are found along roads, railroad tracks, in vacant lots, cutover forests and by the sides of streams.
Red and blue elderberries are quite common on the Olympic Peninsula; however, only the blue should be eaten. Blue elderberries ripen from late July through September. Generally found along roads and cutover areas.
Salal berries are abundant, easy to pick, but often ignored. The berries ripen from mid-July through mid-September. Look for them in wooded areas. They are ideal for jellies.
Never consume any wild berries you have not positively identified as non-poisonous.
- Oregon Grape - Best mixed with other berry jellies; should not be eaten fresh because of a laxative effect.
- Wild Strawberries - Small, sweet berries with good flavor. Grows along roads and in cutover areas.
- Black Caps and Raspberries - A red or black small-seeded berry. Grows in areas similar to blackberries.
- Salmonberry - A yellow or reddish, mushy berry about the size of a raspberry. They are one of the earliest berries to ripen (May-June).