Best Places to Forage Mushrooms in Minnesota: 2025 Regional Guide
- Mike Kempenich | Gentleman Forager
- Apr 4
- 7 min read
By Mike Kempenich, Gentleman Forager
Minnesota’s wild food season really starts to buzz in the spring, when the morels show up and Minnesotans start shaking off the last of winter. In this guide, I’ll walk through the best places to forage mushrooms in Minnesota, based on years of experience in just about every corner of the state.
The Driftless Region (Southeast Minnesota)
Let’s start in the Driftless region of southeastern Minnesota. It’s a place shaped by deep valleys and fast-moving trout streams, where farmland gives way—sometimes abruptly—to stunning forested bluffs. One of my favorite spots there is Whitewater State Park in Altura. If you've never been, you’ll be amazed. You’re driving through flat farmland wondering if your GPS is broken, and then suddenly, you drop into this Eden-like valley. Trout streams wind through the forest and the small town at the base, wildflowers bloom in every direction, and the morels are often plentiful—if you're quick.
It's true that you won’t be alone out there, but that’s okay. If you manage your expectations, you’ll leave happy. You might come home with a handful of morels, but if you let yourself soak up the full experience—maybe throw in a little trout fishing or stop at the Mauer Brothers Tavern and Grill for a bite and a beer. They have some incredible turkey mounts to check out and a great vibe—it’ll be more than worth it. And don’t limit yourself to the park itself; the whole region is rich with public land and friendly landowners who are often open to letting someone look for a few mushrooms, especially if you share a few.
Superior National Forest
Head north and you’ll find yourself in the vastness of the Arrowhead Regions Superior National Forest. I’ve spent plenty of time there, from the Iron Range to the Boundary Waters, all the way over to Lutsen and west toward Detroit Lakes. The region can be remote—truly remote—and the landscape is pine-heavy forests with patches of mixed hardwoods.
Black morels (Morchella septentrionalis) love the young aspen groves that pop up after a cutting, and by summer into fall, the full cast of characters shows up: chanterelles, hedgehogs, porcini, black trumpets—you name it. There’s no shortage of mushrooms up here, but the real draw is the space. Thousands of acres of public land give you the chance to feel like you’re the only one around.
And like I always tell people, build a trip around the foraging. Look up a good burger joint—Palmers Tavern in Hibbing is a great choice—check if there’s a local festival or event happening, stop for a beer in a tiny town and talk to the locals. The mushrooms are a bonus.
Chippewa National Forest
Just west of Superior is the Chippewa National Forest, where the trees lean a little more toward hardwood but the pine is still plenty present. This is another mushroom-rich zone, and one that’s starting to get some well-earned recognition. Grand Rapids is now home to the Black Morel Hootenanny, happening this year May 16–18, 2025.
The morels around that region—especially the blacks—can be abundant, and the community is warm, welcoming, and very tuned in to the area’s logging and foraging history. Don’t overlook the season-long availability of all your favorites—plenty of chanterelles and boletes of many varieties. There’s a lot of other public land surrounding Chippewa, much of it owned and managed by the Blandin Paper Company, who are nice enough to make a great deal of it available for public use, making it a great base for a weekend of exploring, fishing, and mushroom hunting—especially if you can sneak away on a weekday.
Check out Rapids Brewing Company while you’re there—they often have wild mushroom elements on their menu and an incredible wood-fired domed pizza oven that is permanently set on “delicious.” My personal favorite is called Girl From The North Country, which has 3–5 species of mushrooms with wild rice gruyere and a touch of truffle oil.
The North Shore
Then there’s the North Shore. It’s a whole different kind of wild. If you've never stood at the top of Lutsen Mountain and looked out over Lake Superior, it’s worth the trip for that view alone. The terrain is dense, rugged, and dramatic, with fast streams, high ridges, and pockets of forest that feel like they haven’t changed in a hundred years. While pines are plentiful, it is a good deal more of poplar and other mixed hardwoods, which can result in bumper crops of honey mushrooms in the fall and a rich diversity of boletes during the season.
Because of the lake, the area tends to get a little more rainfall than other parts of the state, which can make it a good fallback spot in a dry year. Foraging pressure up here isn’t too intense, so you can often find some real treasures if you’re willing to do the walking.And the small towns are full of character—little shops, hiking trails, family vacationers (think John Candy and The Great Outdoors), and places serving up local fish like pan-fried herring that completely changed how I think about that ingredient. If you get the chance, stop by the South of the Border Café and have it for yourself—I highly recommend it!
Itasca to Central Lakes Region
Central Minnesota, from Itasca State Park down toward Brainerd and over to Duluth, offers a different feel again. This is cabin country, full of vacationers, anglers, and families out enjoying the lakes. But there are huge stretches of hardwoods—especially oak—and they can be great for morels, boletes, trumpets, and other summer and fall mushrooms.
Around Crosslake and the Whitefish Chain, there are excellent trails and public lands nearby. Foraging doesn’t always get as much attention here, maybe because the fishing is so good. But that just means you might have the woods to yourself. I’ve hosted many events in this region, and we’ve always done well.
Twin Cities Day Trips
Closer to the Twin Cities, we’re lucky to have a solid lineup of state parks and public lands within easy driving distance—Frontenac, Lake Maria, Nerstrand Big Woods, Interstate, William O'Brien, and more. Sure, they get more foot traffic, but I don’t let that stop me. These are still great places to get out in spring, summer, and fall, especially when the timing and rainfall are on your side.
Even a pound of mushrooms, which I almost always score on, is more than enough for a great meal to share with a couple friends. So instead of obsessing over the haul, focus on the experience—time away from screens, walking in the woods, sharing the hunt with someone, and the knowledge that it’s right in your backyard. Whether you're planning a weekend getaway or looking for a quick afternoon in the woods, these are some of the best places to forage mushrooms in Minnesota, and they offer more than just mushrooms—they offer memories.
The Spirit of Morel Season
Morel season is something special in Minnesota. After a long winter, feeling the sun on your face and smelling the damp forest floor brings everything back to life. It’s about the treasure hunt, sure—but it’s also about recharging.
If you want a great way to kick off your season, I’d encourage you to check out the Black Morel Hootenanny in Grand Rapids. We’ll have guided hunts, great mushroom-focused food, excellent beers and cocktails from Rapids Brewing, live music Friday and Saturday, a forager’s market full of wild-inspired goods, mushroom ID and cooking classes, and more. Gentleman Forager will have a booth there too with our Headwater functional mushroom beverage and our new Forager’s Flour (enriched with lion’s mane), among other treats. You can even hop a shuttle to and from the woods and lodging, so you don’t have to worry about the drive. All the details are up at gentlemanforager.com.
No matter where you go, take the time to look around, talk to people, and enjoy what the land has to offer. The mushrooms are just one piece of the story.
A Note on Foraging Rules and Regulations in Minnesota
If you’re heading out to forage on public land in Minnesota, it’s important to know what’s allowed and where. Here’s a quick breakdown of the general guidelines:
State Parks: Mushroom foraging for personal consumption is allowed, but take care not to damage the habitat. Wildflowers, plants, and other resources are generally off-limits.
State Forests: State forests allow foraging for personal consumption, including mushrooms, berries, and nuts.
Scientific and Natural Areas (SNAs): These areas are off-limits for foraging, as they’re protected for conservation and research.
National Forests: Personal-use mushroom foraging is generally permitted without a permit, as long as you’re not collecting commercially.
Minnesota DNR-managed WMA’s allow foraging for personal use (e.g., berries, nuts, mushrooms) but prohibit harming protected plant species or commercial picking, with some local restrictions possible. Federal WMAs limit mushrooms to 1 gallon per person per day.
City and County Parks: Rules vary widely. Some allow it, some don’t. When in doubt, check the park’s website or give them a call. For certain, the Three Rivers District Parks and Dakota County Parks do NOT allow foraging.
Private Land: Always get permission. A friendly ask and a small share of your finds go a long way toward building trust and future opportunities.
As always, leave the forest better than you found it, and take only what you’ll use.
Getting Started: A Few Extras
If you’re heading out on your first foray, here are a few things I’d recommend bringing along:
A woven basket so your finds stay fresh and aren’t crushed by poor weight distribution, like in a bag.
A mushroom knife or small blade.
Bug spray and tick protection.
A good field guide (more on that below).
Water, snacks, and a phone with offline maps or a tracking app (just in case).
A Book I Recommend
If you're looking for a solid field guide for our region, check out Mushrooms of the Midwest by Kathy Yerich and Teresa Marrone. Kathy's been a longtime member of the Minnesota Mycological Society, and the book is easy to carry, well-organized, and beginner-friendly.
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