Find Wild Mushrooms in the Catskills

Step into the forest with a guide who knows what's growing under your feet. On this easygoing morning walk, you'll learn to spot, identify, and sustainably harvest wild mushrooms, and find out which ones are edible, which are medicinal, and which ones are vomit comits.

Catskill Fungi has been inspiring connection with fungi since 2014. Founder John Michelotti is a Certified Mushroom Forager and Guide, a mushroom identifier for NYC Poison Control, and chair of the North American Mycological Association's Medicinal Mushroom Committee. Every walk is a scavenger hunt of colors, shapes, and sizes, and the stories that surround each mushroom. 

You'll come away knowing:

• How to find mushrooms and tell some apart
• Common edibles and how to cook them
• Medicinal mushrooms and how they're used
• The hidden role fungi play in keeping forests alive
• Surprising history and fungal innovations

No experience needed. Curious kids, first-timers, and seasoned foragers are all welcome. Bring photos of mushrooms you've been wondering about, and we'll help you ID them.

How the morning goes
We meet at 10 am sharp at the Catskill Fungi Spore Space & Kitchen for a quick Fungi 101. Then we carpool to a nearby trail. Borrow a basket, bag, and field guide and head up an easy, wide path into the woods. Afterward, we head back to the Spore Space and spread out everything we found for a closer look and learn which ones are edible and how to tell them apart. While you're there, you can browse our mushroom extracts, books, and foraging gear, with a special discount just for walkers.

"One of the best things I've done in 10 years coming to the Catskill Mountains." — Evelyn

Only 20 spots per walk, and they fill up fast in peak season.

Details

Price: $40 per person (under 16 free)
Group size: 20 people max
Where: Catskill Fungi Mushroom Mural & Kitchen, 8553 NY-28, Pine Hill, NY 12465
When: 10:00am. Please arrive on time, since we leave together.
What to wear: Boots or sneakers and clothes for the weather. We walk rain or shine.
Optional: Water, bug/tick repellent, rain jacket, snacks
Bathrooms: One at the meeting spot, none on the trail
Kids: Under 16 walk free. Ages 16+ need a ticket. Up to 2 children per adult, and only kids in your care.
Pets: We love them, but please leave them at home.
Cancellations: Full refund if you email us at least 48 hours before the walk.

See you in the woods!