According to experts, Humboldt County is the greatest place on earth for all things mushrooms. Go for a hike in many local forests, and you'll find a wide variety of mushrooms with different colors, shapes, smells, and sizes. Seasonal changes bring an additional diversity of mushrooms, but fall time is the best time! Pro tip: if your goal is to find a diverse amount of mushrooms, stay out of the redwood forests and look for hikes populated by spruce and fir trees.

Mushroom picking is illegal and heavily fined in National and State Parks, so always be aware of what is allowed where you are. Hoping to find mushrooms to collect and bring home? Mushroom picking is allowed in some National Forests, such as Six Rivers. And as always, never ever EVER eat anything that you haven't 100% identified as being safely edible.

Experts at the Humboldt Bay Mycological Society can help identity your discoveries. Pick up the book Mushrooms of the Redwood Coast by Noah Siegel and Christian Schwarz for an in-depth guide to local mushroom diversity. You can also book a stroll with a local mushroom hunter and rely on their knowledge of the locations, available species, and tips for a successful hike. Check out the many farmers markets around town for an opportunity to meet local growers and professional foragers.

MORE INFO: LocalCultureMushrooms.com.