2023 Mushroom Gathering Guidelines

Mushroom picking in 2023 is for personal use only. No permit required.

There will be NO commercial permits sold in 2023.

2023 Personal Use Harvesting

Personal use harvesting - applies:

Pursuant to 36 CFR 261.50 (e), the following persons are exempt from this order: (0402-00-50):

Persons may personal harvest up to 5 gallons of morel mushrooms per person and possess up to 10 gallons per person per day.
The mushrooms are used for non-commercial purposes.
Mushrooms are not to be sold for profit.

If you need further information about area, road or trail closures, go to the Alerts and Notices page. Boise National Forest Alerts and Notices page.

Locations and Best Times to Pick

The best times for successful mushroom gathering are dependent upon the picking area. Mushrooms emerge in the spring when moisture, soil, aspect, snow levels and temperatures are just right. Generally the season starts in late May and extends through June.

Most often the best location for mushrooms is in areas that were burned or the soil was disturbed the previous year. Sometimes there are mushrooms found two-three years after the burn, although usually the first year is generally the optimal season. The spring snow pack helps determine the amount and timing of mushroom growth. Snow melt can greatly influence when, and for how long, mushrooms survive.

Please use caution, because of this year's above normal snow pack, roads at elevations above 5000 feet may remain impassible due to snow and debris through June! Also rivers and creeks are running very high and can be dangerous.

Know Your Mushrooms!

Photo of group of morel mushrooms

Each year interest grows in harvesting wild edibles from National Forests around the country. In many places, it's bracken ferns or pine nuts, but locally the primary interest lies in wild mushrooms. Proper identification and determination of whether a mushroom is edible is solely the responsibility of the picker.

Reference Maps of Wildfires

2021 Wildfire Maps

1980-2020 - Boise NF - History map of large Wildfires

2010-2020 - Boise NF - History map of large Wildfires

Boise NF had only one fire over 100 acres in 2021 - Deer Fire +- 865 acres - The Fire was lightning caused, ignited July 28, 2021, located 3 miles north of Arrowrock Dam along the #268 road within Mountain Home RD.

Salmon Challis NF - Boundary Fire - threatened to cross into the Boise NF late in the fire season near Fir Creek Camground within the Lowman RD. The fire was lightning caused on August 10, 2021, located 24 miles NW of Stanley and within the Middle Fork RD of the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness.

2020 Wildfire Maps

1980-2020 - Boise NF - History map of large Wildfires

2010-2020 - Boise NF - History map of large Wildfires

Boise NF - Buck Fire +- 19, 474 acres - The Buck Fire was a lightning caused fire was ignited August 26, 2020, located 7 miles south of Yellow Pine within Cascade RD.

Boise NF - Grouse Fire +- 3999 acres - The Grouse Fire started September 6, 2020, the location was along the boundary of the Boise (Mountain Home RD) and Sawtooth National Forests about 6 miles northeast of Pine, Idaho, in the area of National Forest System (NFS) roads 166 and 166e.

Multiple agencies - Pumpkin Fire +- 438 acres - The lightning caused Pumpkin Fire, ignited August 6, 2020 and was a joint suppression between the Idaho Department of Lands, the USDA Boise National Forest, and the Bureau of Land Management. The fire was located ½ mile south of the Hawley Mountain Lookout, 7½ miles northeast of Horseshoe Bend and 8 miles southeast of Garden Valley.

Boise NF - Golden Fire +- 91 acres - The lightning caused Golden Fire located 3 miles southwest of Coulter Summit within the Idaho City RD started July 27.

Boise NF - Warm Fire +- 41 acres - The lightning caused Warm Fire located 3 miles south of Bull Trout Lake within the Lowman RD started July 27, 2020.

The Payette, Sawtooth and Salmon-Challis also had wildfires in 2020. Please contact the Forests for maps and information.

2019 Wildfire Maps

1980-2019 Boise NF - History map of large Wildfires

Boise NF - Canyon Fire +- 300 acres

Boise NF - Small Fires within Boise NF

2019 Wildfire Maps - Within Neighboring Forests

Payette NF - Nethker Fire +- 2,355 acres (off Burgdorf Road)

Salmon Challis NF -Shady Fire +- 4,109 acres,

Cove Creek Fire +- 5,013 acres, Vader Fire +- 400 acres,

Location map of Salmon NF Fires

The Pioneer Fire was approximately 188,000 acres within the Idaho City RD and Lowman RD. The area includes the Rough (4,130 acres) and Buck (1,255 acres) Fires.

2016 - View Payette National Forest Commercial Mushroom Permit News Release

2016 - View Payette National Forest Mushroom Brochure