You're offline — showing cached data

Loading conditions…

Hocking Hills Foraging Conditions — ForageIQ

🚗 Get Directions

Hocking Hills

650–1,150 ft · OH🚗 Directions

S

Hocking Hills region in SE Ohio. Deep sandstone gorges with mixed mesophytic forest — tulip poplar, white oak, sugar maple, and beech. Sheltered ravines create early microclimates. Premier morel destination in Ohio.

Trees:Tulip Poplar White Oak Sugar Maple

Updated Jul 13, 4:07 AM MT

AI Conditions Report

AI-generated · verify in field

# Hocking Hills – S Tier: Full Bloom Window You're looking at textbook midsummer conditions across the board: soil temps locked at 74°F for a full week, sustained volumetric water content at 0.30–0.31, and zero drought stress. This is why 60+ species are firing simultaneously. The limiting factor is actually *manageable*—moderate desiccation risk means fungi will fruit hard but the window won't extend indefinitely once the moisture breaks. Prioritize the ephemerals: Chicken of the Woods, wine caps, and puffballs will peak within 48–72 hours. The polypores and jelly fungi are anchored and will hold longer. If you're after chanterelles or boletes, today and tomorrow are your shot before afternoon heat stress kicks in. Watch the forecast closely—a three-day dry spell incoming would compress this window fast. The 1.6" in the last week is still moving through the soil, but it's the *maintenance* rain that keeps this tier alive. **Hot tip:** Hit the wet-substrate zones (north-facing ravines, seeps) first; they'll fruit earliest and sustain longest under desiccation risk.

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

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(4)

Old Man's Cave Campground

developed

State~0.7 mi from center

Hocking Hills State Park Family Walk-In Campground

developed

State~0.9 mi from center

Hocking Forest Horse Camp

developed

OH DNR~4.7 mi from center

watertoilet

Camp Beckoning Trails

developed

Girl Scouts of America~9.5 mi from center

⚠ 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

HIGHPrimed

Chicken of the Woods

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Black Trumpet

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Wine Cap

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Giant Puffball

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Turkey Tail

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Witch's Butter

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Aspen Bolete

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Indigo Milk Cap

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Crown-Tipped Coral

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Jelly Ear

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Dead Man's Fingers

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Parasol Mushroom

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Shaggy Parasol

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Fairy Ring Champignon

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Artist's Conk

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Birch Polypore

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Tinder Fungus

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Bird's Nest Fungus

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Cinnabar Chanterelle

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Berkeley's Polypore

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Red-Capped Scaber Stalk

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Old Man of the Woods

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Frost's Bolete

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Horse Mushroom

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Mica Cap

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Two-Colored Bolete

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Smooth Chanterelle

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Caesar's Amanita

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Weeping Milk Cap

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Green-Gill Lepiota

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Bitter Bolete

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Green Cracked Russula

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Peppery Milk Cap

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Coker's Amanita

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Fool's Mushroom

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Alcohol Inky

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Fairy Inkcap

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Yellow-Stainer

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Red-Belted Conk

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Thin-Walled Maze Polypore

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Mossy Maze Polypore

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

False Turkey Tail

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Northern Tooth

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Snow Fungus

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Wood Ear

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Green Elfcup

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Ivory Funnel

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Aspen Oyster

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Wolf's Milk Slime

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Dog Vomit Slime Mold

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Fluted Bird's Nest

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

King Alfred's Cakes

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Dung Bird's Nest

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Oak Mazegill

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Ovoid-Spore Psilocybe

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Banded Mottlegill

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Willow Shield

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Common Stinkhorn

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Ravenel's Stinkhorn

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Dune Stinkhorn

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Elegant Stinkhorn

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Lantern Stinkhorn

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.30 — 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.