Santa Cruz is blessed with some of the finest foray habitat on the West Coast. Fungal enthusiasts, whether taxonomist, dye artisan or edible collector, can choose from hundreds of species available in the area. 

With this bounty so close at hand and popular, many intrepid FFSC members heed the call of far-away places as they venture away from the Central Coast. FFSC members adventure up and down the West Coast and to points farther afield as they participate in FFSC’s long-distance forays, private ad-hoc forays, and organized events with other mycological groups. 

FFSC's long-distance forays are usually 2- to 4-day group trips, and we stay at campgrounds or rustic cabins. We allocate at least one day for organized activities, such as a group meeting before we all go out to hunt, a delightful potluck dinner and mushroom ID assistance. Other activities vary per location and season.

Before joining any foray, we ask that you review the Collection Ethics and Etiquette page and familiarize yourself with our Must-Know to Participate in Long-Distance Forays guidelines.

Costs

For most long-distance forays, the fee (if any) covers your accommodations. We may add a small surcharge to help the club defray our annual operational costs (insurance, etc.). Meals are bring-your-own and potluck, unless otherwise specified. These forays are organized and led by our club ministers, who are volunteers.

You must be an FFSC member to sign up for and participate in our long-distance forays. (We also offer one-day local forays in the Santa Cruz area, for both members and non-members.)

Popular Long Distance Forays

Our long-distance foray calendar is subject to change each year depending on environmental factors (weather, fires, and what’s coming up) and the availability of group accommodations.

Here are some of the forays we arrange most years. Subscribe to the FFSC Calendar or join our Contact FFSC to find out when registration opens for each trip.