Late-season mushroom hunting on Galiano isn’t glamorous, but it’s dependable in all the best ways: quiet trails, soft ground underfoot, and the kind of steady wandering that clears your head. This year’s trip was a bit of a family outing — the first time my sister and brother-in-law joined us — which added a different kind of fun to the day.
We weren’t expecting a big haul. December usually means you’re picking through the final leftovers of the season. But right away, the forest gave us a few good surprises. We spotted a cat’s tongue mushroom, odd-looking and unmistakable once you know what it is. A little farther in, we found my first coral mushroom, branching like a tiny piece of driftwood. And then an earth star, sitting right on top of the moss like it had been waiting to be noticed.
These aren’t flashy mushrooms, but they’re the kind that make the walk worthwhile — simple little finds that add up, especially when you’re showing newcomers what Galiano’s forest looks like this time of year.
By the end, we were a bit wet, a bit muddy, and pretty pleased with ourselves. Late-season foraging isn’t about filling baskets; it’s about getting out there, moving through the trees, and seeing what the island still has to offer before winter settles in for real.
Until next time, because on Galiano, there’s always another reason to fall in love with this island.