Here’s Why There Are More Mushrooms Around Colorado This Spring
Colorado is a popular place to hunt for mushrooms, and many people do it as a hobby here. More than 5,000 species of mushrooms can be found in the Centennial State, ranging from edible to poisonous, and even several psychedelic kinds. Those who set out to find them in the wilderness know exactly where to explore, as well as the ideal season and habitat in which certain mushrooms can be seen.
But even locals who aren't active foragers are noticing more wild mushrooms popping up this spring - and they're not tripping, there actually are more 'shrooms than usual throughout the region right now.
Thanks to a wet winter and a spring that's already been full of lots of moisture, mushroom season is starting early in Colorado. Finding fungi can be as easy as walking out the front door and looking in your yard or neighborhood. The best time to forage for mushrooms is after a rainstorm because that's when they are most likely to fruit.
Mushrooms have been used for centuries for food and medicine. But even when they are not being collected for practical purposes, their unique colors and patterns make them fun to set out and search for just the same.