The Sonoma and Mendocino coast, through the year
Short answer: on the Sonoma and Mendocino coast, wild mushrooms run from November to March, when the rains come. The tideline and sea vegetables run April to October, on the minus tides. Clamming goes year-round, and Sierra morels are an April-to-June trip inland.
This is the wet season, and it is what the coast is known for. Rain is the trigger: the forest needs a proper soaking and then a few mild days. A dry November means a late season, and nothing anyone writes in advance changes that. Our Advanced Mushroom Hunt runs November to March for exactly this reason.
Rain on the day does not cancel a foray. Rain is the point.
As the mushrooms finish, the ocean opens up. The Coastal Harvest runs April to October and is tide-dependent: it needs a minus tide, which is why the dates move through the month rather than sitting on fixed weekends. Sea vegetables, mussels and the rocky-shore species are the draw.
Inland and up in elevation, spring brings burn morels to the Sierra. It is a different landscape, a long day, and a different kind of hunting. The Sierra Morel Expedition is listed for April to June.
The Bay Clam Dig runs year-round on Tomales and Bodega Bay, tide-dependent like the coastal days. The Forage Walk & Wild Tasting at The Sea Ranch also runs year-round and is the easiest start — there is something to find in every month, even if it is not the month's headline.
If you want mushrooms, come between November and March and accept that the rain decides. If you want the tideline, come between April and October and let the tide pick your date. If you are not sure, the year-round walk is the honest answer — you will learn the coast, and you will know what to come back for.
Can you promise we will find something? No. A harvest is never guaranteed on a wild foray; it depends on the conditions on the day. What you are booking is the hunt, the teaching and the tasting.
What is the minimum age? Six on the Forage Walk, with an adult. Twelve on every other experience.
Do I need a permit? For coastal shellfish and clamming, anyone 16 or over needs a California sport-fishing licence. For mushrooms, some of the public forest we use is Jackson Demonstration State Forest, where CAL FIRE requires every person picking to carry their own permit — $20, mail only, and CAL FIRE asks you to allow 10 to 14 days. The full detail is on the FAQ.
When do dates open? Dates open with the November rains and are booked through Airbnb. We do not publish a calendar here.