Mushrooms are such a delicious way to spruce up your cooking, and what’s more rewarding than scavenging for them yourself? The prized morel mushroom grows right here in Arizona, and this spring is prime time to go looking.

While edible mushrooms aren't as prevalent in Arizona as, say, the Pacific Northwest, they do pop up every now and then.
Flickr/Terry Priest
The best time to forage is from late March through mid-April, particularly after a cold and wet winter (like the one we just had).
One of the most coveted mushrooms among foragers is the morel, known for its distinct nutty flavor and umami texture.
Flickr/Kent Wang
Luckily, this prized delicacy can be found right here in the Grand Canyon State.
Morels—particularly yellow morels—love the riparian climate of the high desert, with most sightings in areas above 6,000 feet.
Flickr/Kevin Dooley
Think places like Rim Country and the White Mountains!

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Black morels also grow in Arizona, usually in the wake of forest fires.
Flickr/Olympic National Park
The Sedona area is your best bet for stumbling upon these rare gems.
In a good year, Oak Creek is another great place to go searching for morels.
Flickr/Giuseppe Milo
You can also find them along the Verde River in Cottonwood.
Even if you aren't successful in foraging for morels, rest assured there are plenty of boletes to go around.
Flickr/Bernard Spragg. NZ
A meaty mushroom similar to the portabella, this delicious fungi grows all over the world—and it's particularly abundant in the high country of Arizona!
You'll have another opportunity to forage for both morels and boletes in late summer after monsoon season is well underway.
NPS/Stewart Holmes
Look for them in the same areas mentioned previously!

Please remember to use the utmost caution when foraging wild mushrooms. Many edible varieties look similar (in some cases, even identical) to their poisonous counterparts. Here’s a good resource for edible mushroom identification, and we highly recommend doing your research before consuming anything you gather.

Have you ever foraged for morel mushrooms in Arizona? If so, where did you find them? Let us know in the comments section, and check out our previous article to learn more about wild mushrooms in Arizona.

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