Mushrooms and fungi

In this gallery, you will find images of the mushrooms and fungi found in the Sierra Nevada.

Though they are small and often go unnoticed, fungi and mushrooms are vital to the ecosystem. They are the decomposers that transform dead material into soil from which new plants can grow.

Mushroom identification can be tricky but it can also be quite fun to see how many different variations you can locate while on a hiking trip! Get a sense of the fungi diversity in these forests by checking out our gallery.

Milk cap

Image 11 of 22

Found in the fall near Douglas firs, these mushrooms have gills that run down their stalks, and they can bleed a dark red juice when cut.