Morel Foray in Great Smoky Mountains National Park - April 15, 2010

After some last-minute cancellations, 13 of us set off for the Big Creek area in the GSMNP on a bright sunny Thursday. The weather had continued dry since the Big Ridge foray the previous weekend and we had only modest hopes of finding morels.

Excitement immediately set in when two good yellow morels were spotted close to the car park, but the rest of the day yielded only a few more – perhaps 20-30 between all of us. Some young Dryad’s Saddle (Polyporus squamosus) was also collected.

The beauty of the setting and the carpet of yellow trillium and other woodland wildflowers under the stately tulip poplars made up for the lack of morels. It was worth the drive.

Charlotte Caplan
Foray leader