When's the best time to hunt morels in Northern Michigan?

May is the sweet spot. The season starts as early as mid-April and runs through mid-June, with hunters up north seeing mushrooms a bit later than those in southern Michigan. Bridge Michigan

Black morels go first. They come with the first spring rains and warm weather, generally in May. Grayling Michigan White morels fruit later, closer to Memorial Day. You'll find them in old orchards, beech-maple forests, and oak woods. Bridge Michigan

Watch the trillium. When trillium starts to bloom, the morel season is right around the corner. Grayling Michigan That's your signal to lace up your boots.

Warm days and wet nights are what you want. Cold and dry springs can mean almost total failure of the crop. Michigan Department of Natural Resources A rainy week followed by sunshine is about as good as it gets.

Where do you find morels near Frederic and Grayling?

You're in a great spot. Crawford County has a large amount of state and federal property that can be hunted freely. Grayling Michigan

To the south of Grayling, check the maple ridges and poplar cutoffs along Military Road. Heading west, look along Sunset Trail south and Blue Lake Road north. North of Grayling, Cameron Bridge Road and the maple forest around Wards Orchard have produced black morels year after year. Grayling Michigan

In general, think dying or dead trees. Morels are most often found around dying or dead trees, but hunters have also found them in fields, old orchards, and even roadsides. Awesome Mitten

When you find a good spot, write it down. Morels tend to grow in the same places year after year. Grayling Michigan That notebook is worth its weight in gold.

The trails right around our campground wind through state land. It's a nice quiet walk — and May is when things get interesting out there.

What do morels look like, and how do you tell them from false morels?

Morels range from 2 to 6 inches tall. They're creamy tan, brown, or black with a cone-shaped head and a pitted, honeycomb surface. The whole mushroom — cap and stem — is hollow. Grayling Michigan

That hollow inside is your best safety check. True morels are hollow inside. False morels are often wrinkled or ridged, and they can cause serious health problems including kidney and liver issues. Awesome Mitten

The false morel's cap is NOT attached to the stem the way a true morel's is. That's the key thing to look for. Grayling Michigan

If you're new to this, make your first few hunts with someone who already knows mushrooms. Michigan Department of Natural Resources There's no shame in learning from a seasoned hunter. It could save you a trip to the ER.

What's the right way to pick and carry morels?

Pick them as close to the bottom of the stem as possible and leave the roots. That helps them come back next year. Grayling Michigan

Use a mesh bag or basket. A plastic bag speeds up decay and causes the mushrooms to sweat and fall apart. Michigan Department of Natural Resources An old onion bag works perfectly.

Never rake an area or drive an off-road vehicle through it. A healthy forest floor is what lets morels grow. Michigan Department of Natural Resources

And cook them before you eat them. Even true morels should always be cooked. Eating them raw can make you sick. Bridge Michigan Sautéed in butter with a little salt is all you need.

Can I bring my dog along on a mushroom hunt near the campground?

Sure — just keep them on a leash and close. The woods are full of smells that'll have your dog running every direction. You need to move slowly and stay focused. A dog off-leash can cover a lot of ground fast, but you'll miss a lot of mushrooms.

Most of our guests bring dogs. We've got a dog park right on the property, and a dog wash station to get them cleaned up after a morning in the woods. A muddy dog and a bag of morels is a pretty good way to start a May morning.

By the Numbers

• Morel season in Northern Michigan: late April through mid-June (Michigan DNR)
• Black morels appear first, usually early May — whites and yellows follow closer to Memorial Day
• Crawford County: millions of acres of state and federal public land open to foraging (Michigan DNR)
• True morels: 2–6 inches tall, hollow inside, honeycomb-patterned cap (Grayling Visitors Bureau)
• Michigan has over 2,000 species of wild mushrooms — morels are among the easiest to identify safely (Michigan DNR)
• Hankerd's Horseshoe Lake Campground: 20 full hookup sites, open May 1–October 31
• Nightly rate: $45 · Weekly: $250 · Monthly: $800
• Distance from the campground to Grayling morel hunting areas: ~15 minutes

The Bottom Line

May in Northern Michigan is morel season, and you're already in the right spot. Crawford County's public land is open to anyone with a mesh bag and a little patience. It's slow walking, fresh air, and the chance to come back to camp with something worth cooking. If you want a quiet home base right in the middle of it all, we've got 20 full hookup sites at Hankerd's Horseshoe Lake Campground in Frederic. Book online at HankerdCampgrounds.com or call 989-277-9003.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a license or permit to pick morels on public land in Michigan? No. Morels picked on public land are free to forage. The one rule: they're for personal use only. You can't sell what you pick on state or federal land.

Where's a good starting point for a first-time morel hunter near Grayling? Head south of Grayling toward Military Road and look for maple ridges and poplar cutoffs. Go slow, look close to the ground, and don't expect to find a lot your first time out. The eye for morels develops over a few trips.

Are there any mushroom festivals nearby? Yes. Boyne City hosts the National Morel Mushroom Festival each May with seminars, food, and more. Michigan Mesick, about an hour west, also holds an annual mushroom festival with a "Biggest Morel Contest." Both are worth a day trip.

What if I'm not sure whether what I found is a real morel? Don't eat it. Cut it open — if it's not hollow all the way through, set it down. When in doubt, leave it. Your first several hunts should really be with someone experienced.

Can my dog go with me into the state land around the campground? Yes. Michigan state land allows leashed dogs. Keep them close — the woods are a lot of fun for them, but morel hunting requires slow, deliberate movement.

About John Hankerd

John Hankerd and his wife Sue own and operate Hankerd's Horseshoe Lake Campground in Frederic, MI — a quiet, dog-friendly retreat tucked into Michigan state land in Crawford County. They stumbled onto the property, discovered an abandoned campground that had sat empty for 20 years, and brought it back to life. John knows Northern Michigan the way only a local can. If you're thinking about heading up north, he's happy to point you in the right direction. Book online at HankerdCampgrounds.com or call 989-277-9003.