The Best Mushroom Foraging Guides for Edible Mushrooms in the Pacific Northwest
Written by: Ansley Roberts
Foraging for mushrooms is one of the most rewarding ways to connect with the landscapes of the Pacific Northwest. As fall rains breathe life into the forest floor, a remarkable variety of fungi emerge, offering a treasure trove of edible, medicinal, and downright intriguing species. But with mushrooms, there's no room for guesswork—especially in a region with such diversity. Whether you’re a seasoned forager or a curious beginner, having a reliable mushroom guide is essential for safe, successful, and enriching outings. Here, we’ll cover the best mushroom field guides for exploring the forests of Washington, Oregon, British Columbia, and beyond.
Our expert mushroom forager, Matthew Hale, showing how to identify polypore mushrooms during a Mushroom Foraging Field Course.
And so it begins … the obsession of a lifetime, mycology.
I remember finding my first mushroom identification book, All That the Rain Promises and More, in my local library when I was a kid and thinking to myself: I know nothing about mushrooms, and now I want to know everything. Lost in the colorful pages between two towering shelves of books, I daydreamed about going somewhere I could find all of the mushrooms in this book. You see, I grew up in the desert, a place where water is rare and seasonal. It wasn’t until studying forest ecology in college that I learned about how cool mushrooms really are.
For example:
Did you know that mycorrhizal fungi form vast underground networks sometimes called the “Wood Wide Web”? These networks act like an internet for trees and plants, allowing them to share nutrients, communicate about threats, and even “help out” their neighbors by directing resources to stressed plants. It’s a powerful reminder that even underground, forests are alive with connection and cooperation!
Anyways, here’s my top recommendation for a beginner friendly mushroom field guide:
All That the Rain Promises and More
Written by David Arora
All That the Rain Promises and More is a beloved classic in the foraging community, and with good reason. Author David Arora brings a wealth of knowledge to this compact yet information-packed field guide. This book is famous for its quirky, humorous writing style, which makes learning about mushrooms engaging and enjoyable. It also offers detailed information on identification, edibility, and potential lookalikes for both common and rare species, perfect for mushroom lovers of all skill levels. We love it for its portability (easily stashable in a backpack) and Arora’s memorable insights that stick with you long after you’ve left the woods.
Why We Love It: Easy-to-carry size, humorous and accessible writing, and practical details make this a go-to for quick reference in the field.
All That the Rain Promises and More is the pocket field guide that never leaves home without you.
Or rather … hopefully …you never leave without it.
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We also suggest visiting a local bookstore. They usually have a wide variety of field guides.
This big fella snuck into my life when I first started growing native plants in a greenhouse. I’d been looking for something more comprehensive regarding mushrooms. At this point, I’d spent many summers prodding around Northern Arizona and the Southern Colorado Plateau identifying plants, but mushrooms felt elusive. There had to be more information out there about these mysterious mushrooms! When I found Mushrooms Demystified on the library shelf, I spent my lunch breaks at work browsing a tome of information about mushrooms.
I love the descriptions in this book. They’re personal and sometimes witty. For example, David Arora explains that certain mushrooms, like the delicious golden chanterelle, give off a faint aroma of apricots when fresh. After moving to the Pacific Northwest, I found that chanterelles do indeed have a sweet scent, yet chanterelles smell more like fresh pumpkin to me. No spice, just pumpkin. That’s why I enjoy adding them to creamy wild mushroom squash soups.
Check Mushrooms Demystified out if you’re ready for a mycology textbook to occupy your bookstand:
Mushrooms Demystified
Written by David Arora
David Arora’s Mushrooms Demystified is the heavyweight champion of mushroom identification. This comprehensive guide is packed with over 800 pages of in-depth information on mushroom species across North America, including many found in the Pacific Northwest. While it may not be the most practical to carry on a hike, it’s an invaluable resource to keep in your car or at home for post-hike research. Mushrooms Demystified excels in its thoroughness, featuring extensive keys, spore print information, and detailed illustrations, making it a must-have for those looking to deepen their mycological knowledge.
Why We Love It: This isn’t a field guide for the faint of heart—it’s a guide for those who want to go all-in on mushroom identification. Arora’s thoroughness is unmatched.
Leave this one at home.
Mushrooms Demystified is best accompanied by a cup of coffee in the morning, preferably in front of the fire.
We also recommend supporting your local library!
Moving to the Pacific Northwest was a huge change for me. The desert to chapparal and mountain landscapes of the Southwest had been my home for 20 years, over two thirds of my life. I studied ecology in Northern Arizona and surveyed native plants in various national parks within the Southern Colorado Plateau network and southern Utah. Every plant, animal, river and rock were deeply engrained in my personal story. Before moving to Portland, Oregon in 2021, I’d never spent any time in the Pacific Northwest nor its forests aside from one family trip to Seattle as a kid to visit my aunt and uncle. Driving into the Columbia River Gorge that summer, I had no idea what I was getting into.
Green. It was green everywhere in all shades of green I’d never seen. Lichens dangled from the branches of shrubs and trees. Ferns and moss blanketed the forest floor. Ancient trees towered above sometimes so wide I couldn’t put my arms around them nor truly see their crowns. I spent 12 years living in the Southern Rocky Mountains in a ponderosa pine forest landscape. But here … I couldn’t even see through the forest more than 20 feet in front of me. I’ll admit, I felt a little claustrophobic at first; but, I was captivated by the rainforest who sleeps in the summer and comes alive in the fall.
Mushroom season was coming; and I was totally unprepared for it. Reading books about mushrooms in a library in Arizona was totally different than experiencing the reality of mushroom season. I quickly realized … again … that I KNOW NOTHING. So, I picked up a local book about mushrooms with great descriptions and pictures that didn’t list any common names, Mushrooms of the Pacific Northwest.
Mushrooms of the Pacific Northwest is a truly indispensable field guide specifically for our bioregion:
Mushrooms of the Pacific Northwest
Written by Steve Trudell and Joe Ammirati
If you’re foraging specifically in the Pacific Northwest, Mushrooms of the Pacific Northwest by Steve Trudell and Joe Ammirati is an indispensable companion. With more than 450 species covered, each entry includes detailed descriptions, high-quality photos, and information on edibility and toxicity. This guide focuses specifically on the ecosystems of Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia, making it highly relevant to the region’s unique biodiversity. The book’s layout is intuitive, with entries organized by gill color, making it easier for beginners to navigate and identify species.
Why We Love It: Beautiful photography and a region-specific focus make this guide ideal for Pacific Northwest foragers.
Turns out, mycology is such a new field of study that fungi were only recently classified as a separate kingdom from plants 50 years ago.
No wonder this book only lists scientific names … Some of them truly do not have other names.
If you’re looking for a great bookstore in Portland, Powell’s Books is the spot. They also have an online store.
After I met Matt and - by proxy - dedicated my life to foraging and studying mushrooms in the Pacific Northwest, I discovered so much more about the wonderful world of mycology. I’d been skimming mushroom books in the library in a desert and Matt had been intensely studying mushrooms in the rainforest for years. I mean … he not only runs up and down hills in search of these things, he reads TEXTBOOKS and scientific journals in his free time. If you’ve ever had the pleasure of attending one of Matt’s Field Courses about mushrooms or joined him for a Private Lesson, you’ll know you’re spending time with someone who dedicated their life to a trade.
We’d been on the lookout for this one since it came out and finally found it at a local bookstore when we were visiting Winthrop for one of the last sunny days this fall. Michael Beug is a renowned mycologist and educator with decades of experience studying and teaching about fungi in the Pacific Northwest. A former professor at Evergreen State College, he has authored numerous papers on mycology and is celebrated for his ability to make the science of mushrooms accessible to both experts and enthusiasts. His deep knowledge of the Cascadia bioregion shines in Mushrooms of Cascadia, a comprehensive guide that highlights the rich fungal diversity of this unique ecosystem.
Beug’s passion for fungi and their ecological roles makes Mushrooms of Cascadia an invaluable resource for foragers and mycology lovers alike.
Mushrooms of Cascadia
Written by Michael Beug
Michael Beug’s Mushrooms of Cascadia brings together decades of field experience and research from one of the Pacific Northwest’s foremost mycologists. This guide covers hundreds of species across the Cascadia bioregion, with a focus on the forests and unique ecological niches from Northern California to British Columbia. Beug’s attention to detail in identifying characteristics, habitat, and seasonal timing helps foragers hone in on what’s fruiting right where they are. It’s a fantastic resource for anyone wanting to understand the broader ecological context of mushrooms in this bioregion.
Why We Love It: This book is a taxonomic key to identifying mushrooms in the Pacific Northwest and makes an excellent companion to a field guide.
Wanna spend some time in the rainforest keying out mushrooms?
Pick up this book, drive to a trailhead, find some mushrooms, and go have fun.
You can also support and learn more about the author!
Many of the mushroom species in the Redwood Coastline extend as far north as British Columbia, so this book has been one of Matt’s very favorites for mushroom foraging in Oregon and Washinton, oddly enough. Plus, the authors recently released Mushrooms of Cascadia, so we find the two to be a complementary compendium of mushroom identification information for anywhere along the coast of Northern California into British Columbia.
If you’re in Southern Oregon or Northern California, Mushrooms of the Redwood Coast, is the best mushroom identification field guide out there:
Mushrooms of the Redwood Coast
Written by Noah Siegel and Christian Schwarz
Although the Mushrooms of the Redwood Coast focuses on California’s redwood forests, many of the species it covers are also found in the Pacific Northwest. Written by expert mycologists Noah Siegel and Christian Schwarz, this guide provides stunning photography and in-depth descriptions for more than 700 species, making it a valuable addition to any Pacific Northwest forager’s library. With clear, detailed information on habitat, spore prints, and mushroom morphology, this guide is perfect for the advanced forager who wants to explore the rich diversity of Pacific coastal fungi.
Why We Love It: Stunning photography and comprehensive coverage of coastal fungi make it an excellent choice for serious foragers along the coast of Northern California into Oregon and Washington State.
Picture this: You’re driving along the coast on Highway 1 with the windows down, a light mist blowing into your hair …
You stop the car at Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park to look at wonders both big and small.
Just you, the trees, and this book.
Nothing - I mean NOTHING - compares to a new book. We just got this one so we’re still doing a deep dive into the book, but we loved Mushrooms of the Redwood Coast so this one - so far - is just as fantastic!
Mushrooms of Cascadia
Written by Noah Siegel and Christian Schwarz
Mushrooms of Cascadia by Noah Siegel and Christian Schwarz is an essential guide for mushroom enthusiasts exploring the diverse fungal ecosystems of the Cascadia bioregion, which stretches from Northern California to British Columbia. Featuring over 1,000 species, this comprehensive field guide includes detailed descriptions, high-quality photographs, and essential information on identification, habitat, and edibility. Siegel and Schwarz, both accomplished mycologists, bring their deep knowledge of the region's mushrooms to life, making this book a valuable resource for both beginner and advanced foragers. Whether you’re hiking through lush forests or exploring coastal areas, Mushrooms of Cascadia is the perfect companion for anyone looking to better understand the fascinating world of fungi in the Pacific Northwest.
Why We Love It: The exceptional photography and meticulous detail make it a top pick for anyone interested in coastal fungi and the unique ecosystems of the West Coast.
Don’t have time to venture south to visit the redwoods?
Catch up with your mycological favorites throughout the Cascadia bioregion.
This one is so new, it’s harder to find in local bookstores. Consider shopping online or asking a local store to order it if they can!
Since we are located in Skagit County and spend a lot of time in the North Cascades, we find that the British Columbia plant and mushroom books are actually super helpful. We found this book at a local bookstore in Winthrop, as well and have been really impressed with it so far. Some of the common names are different than the ones we used. Those barely matter anyways, so we love using this as a reference on the trail.
If you’re in the northern part of Washington or anywhere in British Columbia, Mushrooms of British Columbia should be your go-to field guide for mushroom foraging and identification:
Mushrooms of British Columbia
Written by Andy MacKinnon and Kem Luther
For those exploring the northern reaches of the Pacific Northwest, Mushrooms of British Columbia is a fantastic guide that’s both practical and user-friendly. Authors Andy MacKinnon and Kem Luther bring a scientific yet accessible approach, ideal for foragers at all levels. The book includes detailed photos and descriptions for over 350 species, emphasizing safety and accuracy. With insights on the unique ecosystems of British Columbia, this book is perfect for those who want to expand their knowledge of fungi in Canada’s lush forests.
Why We Love It: A fantastic regional guide with detailed photos and a user-friendly layout, ideal for foragers in Northwestern Washington and British Columbia.
Live in Northern Washington or British Columbia?
This is your new best friend.
If you really want to get to know mushrooms better, you’ll have to know their ecological counterparts. Some mushrooms decompose dead or dying trees - these are known as saprotrophic fungi. Other mushrooms are mycorrhizal, which means they grow symbiotically with the roots of trees and plants. Identifying what kind of substrate the mushroom is consuming might help you determine which mushroom is in front of you.
Knowing the difference between trees could help you identify a delicious edible from a deadly toxic mushroom. For example, oyster mushrooms grow on deciduous trees 99% of the time, whereas angel wings only grow on conifers. Even if your tree ID isn’t at its best, you can pretty easily tell whether or not a tree (or the forest around the fallen log) is composed of trees that lose their leaves (deciduous) or evergreen needles (conifers).
The only plant identification book you need for mushroom foraging in the Pacific Northwest:
Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast
Written by Pojar and MacKinnon
While not strictly a mushroom guide, Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast is an invaluable resource for any forager in the region. Written by Jim Pojar and Andy MacKinnon, this guide covers the vast array of plants found alongside fungi in Pacific Northwest forests. Understanding the plants and trees in an ecosystem can greatly aid mushroom hunters, as certain mushrooms tend to grow in specific plant communities. This guide’s thorough botanical information and ecological insights make it a must-have for any serious forager looking to deepen their knowledge of the interconnected forest ecosystem.
Why We Love It: Comprehensive coverage of Pacific Northwest plants makes this an essential companion guide for understanding mushroom habitats.
The plant bible for Cascadia, commonly referred to as “Pojar”.
Read it and remember that MacKinnon also wrote this book.
Whether you're out on a misty morning searching for chanterelles or studying up at home before a big foray, having a reliable mushroom guide by your side can make all the difference. From David Arora's humorous insights to Michael Beug's ecological expertise, these guides represent the best of what the mushroom foraging community has to offer. Equipped with one (or a few!) of these books, you’ll be ready to safely explore the rich fungal diversity of the Pacific Northwest.
These are our favorite mushroom field guides for hunting edible mushrooms in the Pacific Northwest.
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