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Cumberland Gap / SE KY Foraging Conditions — ForageIQ

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Cumberland Gap / SE KY

1,200–3,500 ft · KY🚗 Directions

S

Cumberland Gap National Historical Park and the southeastern Cumberland Plateau — sandstone gorges, rhododendron-laurel slicks, and mixed mesophytic coves where the Appalachians narrow into Tennessee and Virginia. Pine Mountain, Black Mountain, and the Pine Mountain SF corridor. Tulip poplar, white oak, hemlock (declining), basswood, and yellow buckeye in coves. Spring morels in disturbed flats and dying-ash drainages; ramps in upper coves; chanterelles, black trumpets, and hen-of-the-woods through summer/fall.

Trees:Tulip Poplar White Oak Yellow Buckeye

Updated Jul 13, 4:21 AM MT

AI Conditions Report

AI-generated · verify in field

This is a **full roster flush**—72 species cleared for high productivity. The S-tier call is earned: sustained soil warmth at 73°F paired with 4.88" over two weeks has built a stable 0.33 VWC that's stayed in the viable band for a full week. You're in the sweet spot where summer saprophytes, wood decomposers, and mycorrhizal partners all fruit simultaneously. Prioritize **Chicken of the Woods and Black Trumpets** for volume; both are prolific right now and command the best forage-to-effort ratio. The polypores (Artist's Conk, Birch, Tinder) are baseline—hit any standing dead wood. The real money is in **Indigo and Weeping Milk Caps plus the edible Boletes**—Aspen and Frost's especially—clustering under hardwoods in the 1,800–2,600 ft band where humidity holds longer. No limiting factor. No squeeze coming unless a hard dry spell hits, which the 7-day moisture trend doesn't signal. You're burning daylight on a three- to five-day prime window before summer heat stress kicks in. **Hot tip:** Scout north-facing talus slopes and seeps above 2,200 ft where cooler microclimates extend the Black Trumpet flush by a week while lowland specimens peak out.

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 Potential95/100

✅Moisture

✅Soil Temp

✅No Freeze

✅No Drought

Precip 7d

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Viable Species

Confidence × Primordia state

HIGHPrimed

Chicken of the Woods

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Black Trumpet

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Destroying Angel

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Wine Cap

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Giant Puffball

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Turkey Tail

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Witch's Butter

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Aspen Bolete

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Indigo Milk Cap

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Crown-Tipped Coral

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Jelly Ear

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Dead Man's Fingers

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Parasol Mushroom

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Shaggy Parasol

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Fairy Ring Champignon

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Artist's Conk

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Birch Polypore

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Tinder Fungus

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Bird's Nest Fungus

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Cinnabar Chanterelle

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Berkeley's Polypore

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Red-Capped Scaber Stalk

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Old Man of the Woods

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Frost's Bolete

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Horse Mushroom

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Mica Cap

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Two-Colored Bolete

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Smooth Chanterelle

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Blusher

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Caesar's Amanita

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Weeping Milk Cap

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Gem-Studded Puffball

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Green-Gill Lepiota

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Yellow Patches

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Cordyceps

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Bitter Bolete

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Green Cracked Russula

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Blackening Russula

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Peppery Milk Cap

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Grisette

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Coker's Amanita

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Fool's Mushroom

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Alcohol Inky

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Fairy Inkcap

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Yellow-Stainer

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Red-Belted Conk

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Thin-Walled Maze Polypore

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Mossy Maze Polypore

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

False Turkey Tail

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Northern Tooth

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Eyelash Cup

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Snow Fungus

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Wood Ear

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Crested Coral

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Green Elfcup

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Ivory Funnel

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Aspen Oyster

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Wolf's Milk Slime

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Dog Vomit Slime Mold

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Fluted Bird's Nest

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

King Alfred's Cakes

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Dung Bird's Nest

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Parasite Bolete

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Rooted Collybia

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

The Deceiver

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Oak Mazegill

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Ovoid-Spore Psilocybe

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Ravenel's Stinkhorn

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Elegant Stinkhorn

All conditions met (soil 73°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.32 — moisture sustained)

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.