Loading conditions…
Loading conditions…
900–6,643 ft · TN🚗 Directions
Great Smoky Mountains NP (TN side) and Cherokee NF. The most biologically diverse temperate forest in North America. Rich cove hardwoods with tulip poplar, basswood, buckeye, silverbell, and sugar maple. Stream bottoms and old-growth cove forests at 2,000-4,000 ft are prime morel habitat. NPS regulations apply inside park boundaries — check permit requirements.
Updated Oct 11, 5:10 AM MT
The Smokies are at Good for fruiting, with soil at 57°F, no drought, snowpack gone, and the moisture trigger met. VWC is holding at 0.29 today against a 0.27 seven-day average, so the moisture base is solid. The limiting factor is moderate desiccation risk: only 0.4" has fallen in 14 days, so you're riding on stored soil moisture rather than fresh rain. That favors mycorrhizal species with fully established mycelium, which are all at high confidence: Matsutake, Hedgehog, Saffron Milk Cap, Pacific Golden Chanterelle, Rainbow Chanterelle, Yellow Foot, the boletes (Bay, Painted, Chicken-Fat, Admirable), Lobster, Slippery Jack, Pig's Ears, Red Coral, Honey Mushroom, Bleeding Tooth, Sweet Tooth, and the Russula group. Saprobes and warmth-hungry species (Chicken of the Woods, Black Trumpet, Hen of the Woods, Lion's Mane, Ravenel's and Elegant Stinkhorns) are lagging, since soil has only recently crossed their thresholds or sits below them. Watch for a soaking rain: it would pull the moderate-confidence species forward, while another dry week would shut down shallow flushes and leave only the deeper, shaded mycorrhizal spots producing. Hot tip: Hunt north-facing, duff-heavy slopes and drainage heads at mid-elevation, where moisture holds longest, and check the hardwood-conifer transitions for the high-confidence mycorrhizal flush before it dries 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.
Precip 7d
Log your find on iNaturalist to help the community and get expert ID assistance. Photos, location, and habitat notes all help with identification.
12 sites
12 sites
12 sites
12 sites
12 sites
12 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.
0.40"
PRISM 4km · thru 10-09
Precip 14d
Observed precipitation from PRISM 4km gridded analysis, sampled at the region centroid through 2026-10-09. Used when no SNOTEL/SCAN station is mapped to this region.0.40"
PRISM 4km · thru 10-09
Soil Temp
57°F
SWE
Snow Water Equivalent — how much water is in the snowpack vs. normal. Declining SWE means snowmelt is adding moisture to the soil.0%
Drought
None
Snowmelt
complete
All conditions met (soil 57°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained)
soil temp marginal (57°F vs 60°F min, 0/7 days above), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
soil warming up (57°F today, only 3/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
soil warming up (57°F today, only 3/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
soil temp marginal (57°F vs 62°F min, 0/7 days above), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
soil temp marginal (57°F vs 58°F min, 1/7 days above), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
All conditions met (soil 57°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained)
soil warming up (57°F today, only 3/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
All conditions met (soil 57°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained)
soil temp marginal (57°F vs 58°F min, 1/7 days above), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
soil warming up (57°F today, only 3/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
soil temp marginal (57°F vs 58°F min, 1/7 days above), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
soil warming up (57°F today, only 3/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
All conditions met (soil 57°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained)
soil temp marginal (57°F vs 58°F min, 1/7 days above), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
soil warming up (57°F today, only 3/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
soil warming up (57°F today, only 3/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
soil warming up (57°F today, only 3/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
All conditions met (soil 57°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained)
soil warming up (57°F today, only 3/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
soil warming up (57°F today, only 3/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
soil warming up (57°F today, only 3/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
All conditions met (soil 57°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained)
soil temp marginal (57°F vs 58°F min, 1/7 days above), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
soil warming up (57°F today, only 3/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
soil temp marginal (57°F vs 58°F min, 1/7 days above), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
soil temp marginal (57°F vs 58°F min, 1/7 days above), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
soil temp marginal (57°F vs 58°F min, 1/7 days above), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
soil temp marginal (57°F vs 58°F min, 1/7 days above), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
All conditions met (soil 57°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained)
soil warming up (57°F today, only 3/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
soil warming up (57°F today, only 3/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
soil warming up (57°F today, only 3/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
All conditions met (soil 57°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained)
soil warming up (57°F today, only 3/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
soil temp marginal (57°F vs 58°F min, 1/7 days above), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
All conditions met (soil 57°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained)
All conditions met (soil 57°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained)
soil warming up (57°F today, only 3/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
soil warming up (57°F today, only 3/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
soil temp marginal (57°F vs 58°F min, 1/7 days above), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
soil warming up (57°F today, only 3/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
soil warming up (57°F today, only 3/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
soil warming up (57°F today, only 3/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
All conditions met (soil 57°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained)
soil warming up (57°F today, only 3/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
All conditions met (soil 57°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained)
All conditions met (soil 57°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained)
soil temp marginal (57°F vs 58°F min, 1/7 days above), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
soil temp marginal (57°F vs 58°F min, 1/7 days above), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
All conditions met (soil 57°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained)
All conditions met (soil 57°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained)
All conditions met (soil 57°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained)
All conditions met (soil 57°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained)
All conditions met (soil 57°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained)
All conditions met (soil 57°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained)
All conditions met (soil 57°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained)
soil warming up (57°F today, only 3/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
All conditions met (soil 57°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained)
All conditions met (soil 57°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained)
soil temp marginal (57°F vs 58°F min, 1/7 days above), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
soil warming up (57°F today, only 3/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
soil warming up (57°F today, only 3/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
All conditions met (soil 57°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained)
soil temp marginal (57°F vs 58°F min, 1/7 days above), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
All conditions met (soil 57°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained)
soil warming up (57°F today, only 3/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
soil warming up (57°F today, only 3/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
soil warming up (57°F today, only 3/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
soil warming up (57°F today, only 3/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
soil warming up (57°F today, only 3/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
All conditions met (soil 57°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained)
soil warming up (57°F today, only 3/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
soil warming up (57°F today, only 3/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
All conditions met (soil 57°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained)
All conditions met (soil 57°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained)
All conditions met (soil 57°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained)
soil warming up (57°F today, only 3/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
soil temp marginal (57°F vs 58°F min, 1/7 days above), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
All conditions met (soil 57°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained)
soil warming up (57°F today, only 3/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
soil warming up (57°F today, only 3/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
soil warming up (57°F today, only 3/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
soil warming up (57°F today, only 3/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
soil warming up (57°F today, only 3/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
soil warming up (57°F today, only 3/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
All conditions met (soil 57°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained)
soil warming up (57°F today, only 3/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
soil temp marginal (57°F vs 58°F min, 1/7 days above), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
soil temp marginal (57°F vs 58°F min, 1/7 days above), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
soil warming up (57°F today, only 3/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
soil warming up (57°F today, only 3/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
All conditions met (soil 57°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained)
All conditions met (soil 57°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained)
All conditions met (soil 57°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained)
All conditions met (soil 57°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained)
soil warming up (57°F today, only 3/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
soil temp marginal (57°F vs 65°F min, 0/7 days above), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
All conditions met (soil 57°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained)
soil temp marginal (57°F vs 60°F min, 0/7 days above), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — moisture sustained
soil temp marginal (57°F vs 60°F min, 0/7 days above), today 0.29 VWC, 7d avg 0.27 — 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.