You're offline — showing cached data

Loading conditions…

Congaree NP Foraging Conditions — ForageIQ

🚗 Get Directions

Congaree NP

100–200 ft · SC🚗 Directions

A

Congaree National Park — 27,000 acres of the largest intact expanse of old-growth bottomland hardwood forest in the southeastern US. Champion loblolly pine, water tupelo, swamp chestnut oak, cherrybark oak, and bald cypress. Exceptional chicken-of-the-woods and oyster mushroom production; chanterelles on natural levees; lion's mane on hardwood snags. Boardwalk and Kingsnake trails for access.

Trees:Loblolly Pine Bald Cypress Swamp Chestnut Oak

Updated Jul 13, 4:17 AM MT

AI Conditions Report

AI-generated · verify in field

# Congaree NP Foraging Summary – July 13, 2026 Tier A holds because species diversity is broad and soil temp is ideal for fruiting, but you're fighting a moisture wall: 0.12 VWC across a sustained 7-day dry spell means the forest floor is desiccated despite recent light rain (2.41" in 7 days isn't enough for deep saturation in July heat). The 80°F soil temperature alone won't trigger flushes in these conditions—the wood-decayers (oysters, chicken of the woods, jelly ear) and the wood-substrate polypores (turkey tail, artist's conk) are your best bets since they're less moisture-dependent than ground-fruiting species, but even they'll be sparse and undersized. Stinkhorns and bird's nests are worth monitoring since they handle marginal moisture better than most, but don't expect volume. The real story is the lack of a moisture trigger: you need another inch or two in the next 48–72 hours to unlock the true Tier A potential here. **Hot tip:** Scout moist microclimates (low-lying streamside benches, north-facing seeps, root hollows) where VWC will be 0.15+ even in drought—that's where your puffballs and chanterelles will concentrate.

Generated by Claude (Anthropic) from the structured weather, soil, and phenology data on this page. The LLM can misread edge cases — treat this as a starting hypothesis, not a guarantee. Always verify conditions on the ground before committing to a long drive.

Foraging Potential80/100

❌Moisture

✅Soil Temp

✅No Freeze

✅No Drought

Precip 7d

Found something?

Log your find on iNaturalist to help the community and get expert ID assistance. Photos, location, and habitat notes all help with identification.

Log on iNaturalist View recent finds nearby →

Nearby Camping

Within(2)

Longleaf Campground

developed

NPS~1.7 mi from centerFee required/night

Bluff Campground

developed

NPS~2.2 mi from center

6 sites

⚠ Road Access Notice

Always verify road access is public before following GPS directions to mountain areas. Many forest roads are seasonal, gated, or require 4WD. Dispersed camping follows USFS/BLM rules (typically 14-day limit). Check ranger district offices for current road and campground conditions.

Viable Species

Confidence × Primordia state

MODERATEPrimed

Oyster Mushroom

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

MODERATEPrimed

Chanterelle

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

MODERATEPrimed

Chicken of the Woods

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

MODERATEPrimed

Black Trumpet

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

MODERATEPrimed

Wine Cap

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

MODERATEPrimed

Giant Puffball

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

MODERATEPrimed

Turkey Tail

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

MODERATEPrimed

Witch's Butter

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

MODERATEPrimed

Aspen Bolete

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

MODERATEPrimed

Indigo Milk Cap

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

MODERATEPrimed

Crown-Tipped Coral

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

MODERATEPrimed

Jelly Ear

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

MODERATEPrimed

Dead Man's Fingers

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

MODERATEPrimed

Parasol Mushroom

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

MODERATEPrimed

Shaggy Parasol

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

MODERATEPrimed

Fairy Ring Champignon

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

MODERATEPrimed

Artist's Conk

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

MODERATEPrimed

Birch Polypore

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

MODERATEPrimed

Tinder Fungus

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

MODERATEPrimed

Bird's Nest Fungus

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

MODERATEPrimed

Cinnabar Chanterelle

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

MODERATEPrimed

Berkeley's Polypore

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

MODERATEPrimed

Red-Capped Scaber Stalk

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

MODERATEPrimed

Old Man of the Woods

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

MODERATEPrimed

Frost's Bolete

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

MODERATEPrimed

Horse Mushroom

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

MODERATEPrimed

Mica Cap

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

MODERATEPrimed

Two-Colored Bolete

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

MODERATEPrimed

Smooth Chanterelle

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

MODERATEPrimed

Caesar's Amanita

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

MODERATEPrimed

Weeping Milk Cap

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

MODERATEPrimed

Green-Gill Lepiota

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

MODERATEPrimed

Bitter Bolete

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

MODERATEPrimed

Green Cracked Russula

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

MODERATEPrimed

Peppery Milk Cap

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

MODERATEPrimed

Coker's Amanita

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

MODERATEPrimed

Fool's Mushroom

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

MODERATEPrimed

Alcohol Inky

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

MODERATEPrimed

Fairy Inkcap

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

MODERATEPrimed

Yellow-Stainer

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

MODERATEPrimed

Red-Belted Conk

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

MODERATEPrimed

Thin-Walled Maze Polypore

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

MODERATEPrimed

Mossy Maze Polypore

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

MODERATEPrimed

False Turkey Tail

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

MODERATEPrimed

Northern Tooth

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

MODERATEPrimed

Snow Fungus

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

MODERATEPrimed

Wood Ear

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

MODERATEPrimed

Green Elfcup

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

MODERATEPrimed

Ivory Funnel

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

MODERATEPrimed

Aspen Oyster

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

MODERATEPrimed

Wolf's Milk Slime

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

MODERATEPrimed

Dog Vomit Slime Mold

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

MODERATEPrimed

Fluted Bird's Nest

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

MODERATEPrimed

King Alfred's Cakes

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

MODERATEPrimed

Dung Bird's Nest

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

MODERATEPrimed

Oak Mazegill

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

MODERATEPrimed

Golden Teacher

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

MODERATEPrimed

Ravenel's Stinkhorn

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

MODERATEPrimed

Elegant Stinkhorn

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

MODERATEPrimed

Lantern Stinkhorn

moisture marginal (today 0.12 VWC, 7d avg 0.12 — sustained dry)

Primordia readiness: Cold = mycelium dormant. Activating = soil warming, primordia building. Primed = 5+ sustained warm days at species threshold; fruiting imminent if moisture cooperates. Based on Schmidt 1983 / Mihail 2007.