Autumn Mushroom Picking Around Krynica-Zdrój

Why Krynica in autumn

The Beskid Sądecki hills around Krynica-Zdrój are covered in fir, spruce, and beech forest, much of it inside the Poprad Landscape Park. From late August to October, after a few warm, rainy days, these forests fill with mushrooms, and grzybobranie — mushroom picking — is a favourite family outing. Locals guard their best spots, so this guide does not promise secret patches. Instead it points you to forest areas with easy access, marked trails, and parking, where you can walk in and look. Pick only what you know for sure.

The eight forest areas

What you can find and when

Late August to mid-October is the main season. Look for porcini (borowik), bay boletes (podgrzybek), birch and orange boletes (koźlarz), slippery jacks (maślak) under young pines and larches, and parasol mushrooms (kania) on clearings. The Beskid hills are known for saffron milk caps (rydz) under young spruce in September. Honey fungus (opieńka) appears in clusters on stumps in October. Chanterelles (kurki) come earlier, mostly in summer. The best time is two to four days after a good rain.

Rules and safety

In Poland you may pick mushrooms for yourself in state forests, but not in nature reserves, in young plantations under 4 m, or in areas with an entry ban — forest districts post these on boards and on the Lasy Państwowe map. Cut or twist mushrooms out gently and cover the hole, use a basket rather than a plastic bag, and leave the ones you do not know. Never eat a mushroom you are not 100% sure of: deadly death caps grow in these forests too, and they can look like edible species. If in doubt, take your basket to a sanepid mushroom-checking point (punkt grzyboznawczy), which many districts open in season. Wear bright clothes during the hunting season and tell someone where you are going.

With kids

Góra Parkowa and Czarny Potok are the easiest walks, with short loops and something else to do afterwards — the funicular or the tree-top walk. Teach kids to pick only with an adult, never to taste raw mushrooms, and to wash their hands after the walk. Pack wellies — autumn forest floors are wet.

How to use this on ParkConnect

Open the map, search Krynica-Zdrój, and tap each card to jump to the pin. Each forest area has its own page. After your walk, add a note on the pin — what you found, trail condition, and any closures — without giving away anyone’s secret spot.