Hoping to go hunting for morel mushrooms in central Idaho this year? Here’s what to know.

As the area continues to recover from the 2022 Moose Fire, Salmon-Challis National Forest officials are anticipating an increased number of recreationists looking for morel mushrooms, which often fruit prolifically in the years after an area has experienced wildfire.

Forest officials are expecting commercial and personal use mushroom pickers alike to scour the area of the Moose Fire, which burned about 130,000 acres near Salmon, this summer as weather conditions allow, according to a press release from the U.S. Forest Service.

Do you need a mushroom hunting permit in Idaho?

There are a few things mushroom enthusiasts should know before they head out to the forest, officials say, including which permit may be necessary to pick mushrooms on public lands.

Permits and information pertaining to mushroom harvesting will be available at the forest’s district offices in North Fork, Leadore and the Public Lands Center in Salmon.

The type of permit required varies based on the amount of mushrooms that will be collected and whether the mushrooms will be sold commercially. According to the press release, three types of permits will be available for the 2023 mushroom season: Personal Use-Free, Personal Use-Charge and Commercial Use permits. Mushrooms may also be harvested at incidental use levels without a permit, according to the press release.

Personal-use permits are available now at the forest’s district offices in North Fork, Leadore and the Public Lands Center in Salmon.

Commercial mushroom permits will be available beginning May 1, and the commercial mushroom season will run from May 1 to June 30. Commercial mushroom harvesting, which is not permitted on Bureau of Land Management lands, is only authorized in a designated area of the Moose Fire. Commercial permits are only available at the Public Lands Center in Salmon.

Camps for commercial harvesters have been designated to help reduce resource impacts and manage sanitation issues, and certain restrictions apply.

Where can I get a map for designated routes while mushroom hunting?

Forest officials also urge visitors to stay on designated routes. Motor Vehicle Use maps are available at the Public Lands Center in Salmon or the local ranger district offices. The maps can also be downloaded online. Visitors should be aware that there are several seasonal road designations in the permit area outlined in the maps. These roads are closed by gates and are only open to motorized use during certain portions of the year, according to the Forest Service. That information is also available on the maps. The various roads (see list below) will open May 22 or as soon as road conditions allow gates to be safely accessed without road damage.

• Pine Creek Road #032 Gate
• Rapps Creek Road #330 Gate
• Stormy Peak Road #023 Gate
• Lost Princess Road #098 Gate
• Fenster Creek Road #127 Gate
• Bob Moore Road #128 Gate
• 170 Road #170 Gate
• Fan Gulch Road #183 Gate
• Lower Moose Creek Road #406 Gate

What else should you know before heading out to the Salmon-Challis National Forest?

Forest officials would like to remind visitors that there may be hazards associated with traveling adjacent to and entering burned areas from wildfire. Weather conditions such as precipitation and wind can rapidly change conditions on the ground. Wind can blow trees across roadways, and precipitation can wash debris across roadways, blocking access.

Visitors should also be prepared for snowy conditions. Some areas within the Moose Fire remain snow covered and inaccessible, especially at higher elevations, the press release said. Be prepared for spring conditions. Varying temperatures and melting snow can create hazardous driving conditions, and driving on saturated roads can cause long term damage to the road.