What we’re about
Welcome to our Santa Cruz, Monterey, San Jose hiking and friendship group. Make friends and sweat 💦😅😋😊👍.
We offer an array of outdoor activities, with a focus on moderate to challenging hikes. Our hikes are also a place to learn some of the natural history of our area. Some hikes will go slowly enough to identify and photograph plants and mushrooms, and the occasional newt or bird (or mammal, of course). Other hikes are more focused on getting a good workout in a beautiful environment, in the company of other pleasant people. Most of our hikes are a mix of the two. Please be compassionate and mindful of everyone during our hikes.
We also sponsor a smaller number of indoor activities, be it (optionally) getting together at a pub or restaurant after a hike, or our monthly, roving trivia night. We sometimes refer to these events, affectionately and mirthfully, as "Connect Indoors".
Please join us!
Upcoming events (1)
See all- Interest Page: Mushroom Hikes, ID Resources, Fairs, & Far Flung Forays [2024-25]Needs location
————— Latest Updates ————
—> Mostly in comments. Still coming:April 12, SCFF’s Wine & Mushrooms.
5:30 — 8:30pm, Scotts Valley, $21-$30
“The mushrooming crowd brings appetizers, finger food and desserts, mostly containing mushrooms. The winemakers bring their best, and we all benefit!”May 3-4, Santa Cruz Mountain Mushroom Festival
————————————————————“Oh no!”, you say, “The mushroom people are back.” That’s right, but we will continue with “normal” hikes, plus special events for mushroom season.
Not familiar with an “Interest Page”? See description below. We update continuously, as mushroom info pours in. RSVP for updates!
What Is An Interest Page?
- An “Interest Page” is somewhat different from a standard “Event Page”. It is meant to extend through time (mushroom season, in this case), rather than being a one time event.
- Through this page we can share information about fungi related events and resources — I’ll post things as I learn of them, so pass along anything worth sharing!
- Mushrooms may only bloom / fruit for a few days before getting old / buggy. If we share where they are plentiful, in the comments, more people can enjoy them and, perhaps, we can schedule a hike there.
- Find mushroom friends for more impromptu hikes / forays that fit your schedule. I’ll add a Google docs sheet for member suggestions soon.
- Rapid mushroom response team!Guided Fungal Forays
Dec —> 2/2/2025, Guided mushroom walks on the Sonoma Coast, 2.5 hours north of San Francisco.
Julia’s Vegetarian Restaurant
January —> Feb Foraging classes & (optional) dinner.May 3-4, Santa Cruz Mountain Mushroom Festival
Watch for: Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History February Forays with Phil (sold out very quickly). Phil was lead ID for the Fungus Fair. 2023 link.
Information and Links:
- Video of Christian Schwarz’s presentation, Mushrooms of the Bay Area.- How to recognize the deadly Amanitas, what are a few of our most iconic local species, how to find Morels in our region, and where to find mushrooms in our wider region.
Fungus Fairs:
Jan 10-12, 2025 Santa Cruz Fungus Fair!
January 12, 2025, The 18th Annual BAMS / Point Reyes National Seashore Fungus Fair, Mushrooms at Point Reyes National Seashore
Calendar of California Fungal Festivities
Identification Keys, Tools and Guides
How to photograph fungi for ID. (Mushies have many look alikes, so you often need all this info for a correct ID.)
MycoWeb list of keys by genus.
Agaricus: Overview & Key @mushroomexpert.com
All About Crust Fungi: (Great Article), (Pictoral Key)
Waxy Caps (or waxcaps) include many brightly colored and semi-translucent mushrooms of genus Hygrocybe, but sometimes refers to members of the family Hygrophoraceae. Please let us know which keys are better, the first is more recent:
Waxcaps & Allies (Hygrophoraceae) of the Pacific Northwest
Overview & Key to 131 N. American Waxy Caps
Hygrphorus of Pacific NW (updated?)Foraging Permits
Soquel Demonstration Forest (just above Nisene Marks) Mushroom Foraging Permit Application.Jackson Demonstration State Forest. Apply 15 days in advance to receive via snail mail, CAL FIRE JDSF permit application. Include stamped return envelope, vehicle info & signed form.
Please be good trustees of the forest & carry out trash when you see it.
JDSF maps and other helpful information
Avenza works w JDSF map.———————————————————
Some of what we did this season (past):- Dec 8, 2024 Our first mushroom hike of the season: Fall Creek
1/4/2025, Loch Lomond Fungus Foray. Sadly, it is already full. If you got in, please tell us!
1/5/2025 Mushroom Walk at UCSC
1/8 — 1/12/25, Volunteer for a free pass to the Fungus Fair! Filling up…
1/10 — 1/12 Santa Cruz Fungus Fair!
1/9/25, 7:00 - 8:30 pm (Online)
Fungi Fundamentals: Top 10 Mushrooms of the Bay Area. Christian Schwarz, co-author of Mushrooms of the Redwood Coast. Bay Area’s top mushrooms, critical ID tips and look-alikes, flavor profiles and culinary ideas.1/31/2025, 6-9pm Berkeley. Mycologist Christian Schwarz + Tacos Foraging tips + build myco-olfactory vocab beyond “it smells mushroomy” and be better equipped to answer “Can I eat that?”. Small venue will sell out quickly!
- 2/1 - 2/2 Tilden Fungus Fair:
- Tilden Nature Area 600 Canon Drive Berkeley, CA
Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History
2/7/2025 Fungus First Friday (SC Museum)
2/2025 All Fungus February Events- 2/8 Land Trust Mushroom Walk
- 2/8 Saturday Intro Mushroom Hike!
- 2/15 Mushrooms of Antonelli Pond
2/19/2025 6:30pm, Free mushroom ID @ Fungus Federation of Santa Cruz General Meeting, & Wilderness Safety
2/28 6pm, Naturalist Night: Fluorescent Fungi & Bioluminescent (DNA) Barcodes
3/15 10am, Workshop w Maya Elson: ABC’s of mushroom hunting
Felton, CA Register here
![Interest Page: Mushroom Hikes, ID Resources, Fairs, & Far Flung Forays [2024-25] cover photo](https://secure.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/5/4/2/7/event_524961543.webp "Interest Page: Mushroom Hikes, ID Resources, Fairs, & Far Flung Forays [2024-25]")
