12 Common Mushrooms Found in Utah! (2025)
What kind of mushroom did I find in Utah?
If you spend time outside, you’ve probably asked this question at least once. Mushrooms are incredibly common in Utah, and they come in all shapes, sizes, and colors.
Believe it or not, there are THOUSANDS of different types of mushrooms that live in Utah. Since it would be nearly impossible to write about them all, I focused on the most common types that are seen.
IMPORTANT: You should NEVER eat a mushroom you find. There are many poisonous types, and some species will kill you. So stay safe, and don’t eat any wild mushrooms unless you are with a mycologist (mushroom expert)!
12 COMMON MUSHROOMS in Utah:
#1. Fly Agaric
- Amanita muscaria
Identifying Characteristics:
- Caps are 8–20 cm (3–8 in) in diameter.
- The stalks are 5–20 cm (2–8 in) tall.
- These mushrooms have the typical looks of a “toadstool” with a bright white stalk and red, white-spotted cap.
I think this is the CUTEST mushroom in Utah! 🙂
Fly Agaric looks just like the mushrooms found in Mario video games.
These mushrooms are considered toadstools, which are usually poisonous to humans. Fly Agaric is no exception. This fungus can cause hallucinations, low blood pressure, nausea, loss of balance, and in rare cases, death. If you ingest it, you should seek medical treatment immediately.
Luckily, Fly Agaric is a very conspicuous fungus in its fully-grown form. However, young mushrooms can be mistaken for other edible types, so you should steer clear of eating any wild mushrooms.
#2. Dryad’s Saddle
- Cerioporus squamosus
Identifying Characteristics:
- The cap is 8–30 cm (3–12 inches) across and up to 10 cm (4 in) thick.
- It has a thick stem, and the cap is generally white or off-white with brown scales on top.
- They grow in clusters of up to three mushrooms stacked on top of one another like tiles.
Look for this mushroom in Utah near fallen trees.
Dryad’s Saddle is typically most abundant in spring. If you’re looking for Morel mushrooms, you may find this variety since their fruiting periods (when the fungus produces an above-ground mushroom) are about the same.
This species is important in forest ecosystems because it helps to decompose dead trees, creating new rich soil. However, it occasionally becomes a parasite on living trees as well.
Although Dryad’s Saddle is considered nonpoisonous, it can easily be confused with other deadly mushrooms. Unless you have experience with wild mushrooms, you should never eat or handle one.
#3. Oyster Mushrooms
- Pleurotus ostreatus
Identifying Characteristics:
- The caps are 2–30 cm (0.8–12 in) wide.
- They are fan-shaped with thick stalks and grow in a stacked pattern or irregular clusters.
- Their coloring is often white or off-white, sometimes with a light purple or gray wash.
You can find Oyster Mushrooms in Utah both in the wild and on farms.
These mushrooms are often used as food and are commercially farmed worldwide. In fact, they were first cultivated in Germany during World War I to mitigate hunger because of rationing. As a result, you can find these mushrooms in most grocery stores, so eat those instead of a wild variety!
Something most people don’t know is that Oyster Mushrooms are carnivorous! This species eats nematodes that you might know as roundworms. They paralyze and consume the nematodes as a source of protein and nitrogen. Additionally, Oyster Mushrooms help to decay dead trees.
Pearl Oyster Mushrooms are also dried and used as a leather-like material or compressed into a wood substitute to make furniture. Mycelium, which is the fiber that gives Oyster Mushrooms their structure, is incredibly strong and resilient. Check out this page for more info!
#4. Shaggy Mane
- Coprinus comatus
Identifying Characteristics:
- The caps are 4–8 cm (1.6–3.1 in) wide and 6–20 cm (2.3–8 in) tall.
- Their coloring is white when they first emerge, slowly turning black as their scales lift.
- These mushrooms grow directly from the ground as single caps or clusters.
It’s easy to see how Shaggy Mane Mushrooms in Utah got their name!
These tall, slender mushrooms have distinctive scales that make them look like they’re covered in shaggy hair. They often grow in suburban yards or fields straight from the ground.
Shaggy Manes definitely have some “yuck” factors. They’re called Ink Caps because their black gills liquefy and leak down the mushroom to release its spores. Additionally, the entire mushroom will “auto-decay,” digesting itself into a dark liquid within hours of being picked.
Shaggy Manes look very similar to poisonous mushrooms that are found in Utah. Leave these mushrooms where you found them, and never eat them!
#5. Mica Cap
- Coprinellus micaceus
Identifying Characteristics:
- The bell-shaped caps are 1–2.5 cm (.5–1 in) in diameter when new and expand up to 5 cm (2 in) as they open.
- These mushrooms grow in dense clusters of bell-shaped caps with long, thin stems. The caps have grooves that run vertically, giving them the appearance of a head of straight hair.
- Their coloring is grayish brown.
This unassuming mushroom has a creepy talent – it can self-destruct! Mica Cap autodigests within a few hours of being picked, meaning its flesh turns from a spongy white structure into an inky black liquid. Yuck!
Mica Cap is usually found in clusters at the base of deciduous trees in mature forests. This mushroom’s less-than-appetizing qualities are just one reason I recommend never eating wild mushrooms. Additionally, there’s a high likelihood of ingesting a poisonous mushroom by mistake.
If you see Mica Cap in the wild, it’s best to take a picture of the fascinating clusters and then leave it be. After all, if you pick it, you’re likely to be covered in gross black goo!
#6. Common Puffball
- Lycoperdon perlatum
Identifying Characteristics:
- Mature specimens are 1.5-6 cm (0.6 to 2.3 in) wide by 3-10 cm (1-4 in) tall.
- Their coloring is white to off-white, with spines and warts that are varying shades of brown.
- The shape varies from pear-shaped to spherical with a wide stalk.
It’s easy to find Common Puffball Mushrooms in Utah.
These distinctive fungi grow in gardens, yards, roadsides, and forest clearings. They’re easy to find because of their large size and bright white coloring. Common Puffballs also have an unusual covering of spiky warts on their surface, setting them apart from other types of puffballs.
Even though these mushrooms are considered nonpoisonous, it’s important to use caution when handling wild mushrooms. You shouldn’t eat any mushroom that hasn’t been identified by an expert because of the risk of misidentification. For example, the Common Puffball can easily be confused with immature Amanita mushrooms, which are poisonous and sometimes even deadly.
In addition, spores contained in the Common Puffball’s warts are released with handling. These spores can cause severe lung inflammation, resulting in cough, wheezing, or trouble breathing. Dogs are particularly susceptible to this symptom, so be careful not to let your pet play near Common Puffballs.
#7. Summer Oyster Mushroom
- Pleurotus pulmonarius
Identifying Characteristics:
- The caps are 5-20 cm (2-8 in) wide.
- They are white or off-white, with a smooth appearance above and orderly gills below.
- These mushrooms grow in stacked clusters that look like shelves on the trunks of trees.
This is the most-cultivated type of oyster mushroom in Utah.
It grows particularly well in warmer climates, which allows for a better growing season than other mushroom varieties. Because there is less need for climate control to keep these mushrooms fresh and growing well, you’ll often find them in the grocery store or at farmer’s markets!
However, it’s best to stick to the supermarket instead of eating wild specimens. Oyster Mushrooms are incredibly easy to misidentify, and it only takes one poisonous mushroom to cause horrible discomfort or death.
#8. Candleflame Lichen
- Candelaria concolor
Identifying Characteristics:
- Single lobes of this lichen are less than 1 cm (0.4 in) wide, but they can cover enormous surface areas, including entire trees.
- The coloring is golden yellow to yellow-green.
- This lichen has a branch-like appearance, similar in shape to coral.
Candleflame Lichen is technically NOT a mushroom in Utah.
Instead, lichens are complex organisms that involve a symbiotic relationship between fungus and algae. The mutually beneficial relationship allows lichens to survive in habitats that would kill fungi and algae independently.
For example, Candleflame Lichen can be found anywhere from arid deserts to wet conifer forests. It’s one of the most widespread lichens in the world! Look for this lichen on trees, where it attaches to tree bark and slowly spreads.
#9. King Bolete
- Boletus edulis
- Tannish-brown caps that look a bit like hamburger buns.
- Their large, whitish stems are sometimes club-shaped or bulging in the center, with white flesh inside and a net-like pattern near the top.
- Mature mushrooms may weigh over two pounds.
Foragers and chefs revere these kings among mushrooms for their delicious flavor. You may have had them before; they’re usually called porcini mushrooms in cooking.
Another name, penny buns, refers to their bun-like appearance and unique sourdough aroma. Along with their delicious flavor, the size of mature King Boletes makes them quite a meal.
They regularly weigh over two pounds, and one record-breaking mushroom found in Scotland in 1995 weighed in at over 7 lbs! If you want to find these mushrooms in Utah, you’ll have to get out in the woods. King Boletes are a forest species, often growing in groups of two or three beneath conifer or deciduous trees. They form beneficial relationships with these trees and have even been shown to help saplings survive unfavorable conditions.
Be extremely careful when looking for these mushrooms: King Boletes have some toxic lookalikes like Bitter Boletes (Tylopilus felleus).
#10. Elegant Sunburst Lichen
- Rusavskia elegans
- It forms small colonies up to 2.5 inches across.
- The body is leaf-like and divided into small lobes.
- The color may be yellowish-orange, bright orange, or dark reddish-orange.
Elegant Sunburst Lichen is more than just a beauty to look at!
This was the first species scientists used for lichenometry, or using a lichen’s presumed growth rate to estimate the age of exposed rock faces. Archeologists, paleontologists, and geologists, in particular, use this method to estimate how old the specimens they find might be.
Elegant Sunburst Lichen is widespread, growing on rocks in humid and dry climates. Pay special attention to rocks that birds or rodents perch on because their droppings provide the lichen with the extra nitrogen it needs to thrive.
Its color may vary depending on where you find it. Elegant Sunburst Lichen is often a lighter yellowish-orange when growing in creeks. On rocks that are out of the water, it tends to be bright orange; in dry areas, it may darken to reddish-orange.
#11. Western Giant Puffball
- Calvatia boonian
- Round or flattened with no stalk.
- The mushroom is white or tan and covered with plaques or large, pointed warts.
- Mature mushrooms are 12 to 28 inches (30 to 72 cm) across.
Western Giant Puffballs are among the largest mushrooms in Utah!
Thankfully for foragers, they’re edible too. Mushroom hunters often liken them to tofu. These puffballs are edible when their inner flesh is still completely white. As they mature, their flesh becomes yellow or greenish, eventually turning to powdery, olive-brown spore dust. Once their flesh has changed color, these mushrooms are no longer safe to eat.
Western Giant Puffballs may grow singly or in groups. They sometimes grow in circles, often called “fairy rings.” In this case, the mushrooms are usually part of an extensive fungus network underground. The mushrooms, or fruiting bodies, form at the circle’s edge as the fungus spreads outwards.
These mushrooms grow on the ground in open, sunny areas like fields, forest clearings, trail edges, and roadsides.
#12. Common Ink Cap
- Coprinopsis atramentaria
- The cap is bell-shaped and usually shiny gray or brownish, though occasionally it may be pinkish.
- The gills are crowded and free of the stem. They start off white before turning gray, then black, and finally become an inky liquid.
- The stem is long, narrow, smooth, and white or off-white with a skirt-like ring near the base.
This species is a common mushroom in Utah, also called the Inky Cap or Tippler’s Bane.
It’s widespread and commonly springs up in small clusters in lawns, vacant lots, pastures, and other grassy areas from spring until autumn.
Common Ink Cap has even been observed fruiting through asphalt and tennis courts! Though it looks like it’s growing from the soil, it actually originates from buried, dead wood. Its name refers to its gills, which dissolve into a black, spore-filled goo as part of its reproduction.
At one time, this “ink” was used to make writing ink for important documents. The spores could be detected under a microscope, helping to guard against forgery.
The Common Ink Cap is sometimes listed as an edible mushroom. However, consuming alcohol within 48 hours before or after eating this mushroom can cause severe poisoning. Even using alcohol-based skin care products may cause a reaction.
Learn about other awesome things in Utah!
- POISONOUS MUSHROOMS that grow in Utah
- VENOMOUS SPIDERS found in Utah
- Flowers that attract HUMMINGBIRDS in Utah
- The MOST Common INSECTS that live in Utah
Which type of mushroom is your favorite?
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