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Pine Creek / North-Central PA Foraging Conditions — ForageIQ

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Pine Creek / North-Central PA

800–2,400 ft · PA🚗 Directions

S

Pine Creek Gorge ("PA Grand Canyon"), Tioga and Tiadaghton state forests in north-central PA. Mixed northern-hardwood / Allegheny hardwood forest — sugar maple, black cherry, beech, white ash, and hemlock in the cool gorges. Wellsboro, Slate Run, and the Pine Creek Rail Trail provide access. Closes the gap between the Allegheny NF and the Poconos. Spring morels in disturbed bottoms; chanterelles and black trumpets in summer; chicken-of-the-woods, hen-of-the-woods, and Hericium on big hardwoods in fall.

Trees:Sugar Maple Black Cherry Eastern Hemlock

Updated Jul 13, 4:21 AM MT

AI Conditions Report

AI-generated · verify in field

**Pine Creek S-Tier: Perfect Storm, but Watch the Dry** You're sitting in a textbook fruiting window—70°F soil, seven straight days of sustained moisture above threshold, and 0.28 VWC holding steady across a two-week stretch. That's why everything is live. The breadth here is exceptional: *Chicken of the Woods* and *Black Trumpets* alongside *Parasol* and choice boletes (*Aspen*, *Two-Colored*, *Frost's*), plus the wood-decomposers (*Turkey Tail*, *Artist's Conk*, *Reishi*) are all firing simultaneously. The only friction: moderate desiccation risk creeping in. You've only had 2" over two weeks—enough to trigger the current flush, but not enough cushion if we see sun-baked days ahead. The window is open *now*, not in three days. Priority the high-biomass, fast-maturing species first—*Giant Puffball*, *Wine Cap*, *Chicken of the Woods*. Boletes under hardwoods will hold longer than meadow species. Polypores and woody decay fungi are evergreen, so no rush there. **Hot tip:** Hit the south-facing slopes early morning; they'll dry fastest by afternoon, so grab the *Parasol*, *Cinnabar Chanterelle*, and exposed boletes before 11 AM, then pivot to north-facing ravines for the afternoon push on *Black Trumpets*.

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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Nearby Camping

Within(0)

No campgrounds within 10 mi. Try widening the radius.

⚠ 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 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Black Trumpet

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Wine Cap

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Giant Puffball

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Reishi

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Turkey Tail

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Witch's Butter

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Aspen Bolete

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Indigo Milk Cap

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Crown-Tipped Coral

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Jelly Ear

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Panther Cap

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Dead Man's Fingers

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Parasol Mushroom

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Shaggy Parasol

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Fairy Ring Champignon

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Artist's Conk

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Birch Polypore

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Tinder Fungus

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Bird's Nest Fungus

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Cinnabar Chanterelle

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Berkeley's Polypore

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Red-Capped Scaber Stalk

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Old Man of the Woods

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Frost's Bolete

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Horse Mushroom

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Mica Cap

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Two-Colored Bolete

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Smooth Chanterelle

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Caesar's Amanita

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

The Prince

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Weeping Milk Cap

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Green-Gill Lepiota

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Bitter Bolete

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Chicken-Fat Bolete

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

The Sickener

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Green Cracked Russula

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Peppery Milk Cap

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Coker's Amanita

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Fool's Mushroom

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Alcohol Inky

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Fairy Inkcap

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Yellow-Stainer

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Red-Belted Conk

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Thin-Walled Maze Polypore

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Mossy Maze Polypore

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

False Turkey Tail

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Northern Tooth

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Snow Fungus

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Wood Ear

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Green Elfcup

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Ivory Funnel

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Aspen Oyster

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Wolf's Milk Slime

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Dog Vomit Slime Mold

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Fluted Bird's Nest

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

King Alfred's Cakes

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Scaly Wood Mushroom

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Dung Bird's Nest

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Oak Mazegill

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Ovoid-Spore Psilocybe

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Blue-Foot Psilocybe

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Ravenel's Stinkhorn

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Elegant Stinkhorn

All conditions met (soil 70°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.24 VWC, 7d avg 0.28 — 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.