Wild Berry Thread

[chinooktrail]

Has anyone been finding good trails for wild berries lately?

The blueberries around my mailbox are ripe and unfortunately Geneva's mouth is closer to the ground, so she finds them and eats them before I can pick them. maybe she is part truffle hound? Or is she a blueberry hound?

So, where are there ripe berries out there for hikers to munch on?

Has anyone been up Foss Mountain lately?

 

[Elizabeth]

I found so-called "Blueberry Mountain" in the Benton Range (western NH) to be somewhat disappointing last year in terms of berry yield. There were blueberries, just not a whole lot of them. (On the other hand, I found a great patch of chanterelle mushrooms on that trip, so it was not a complete bust, foraging-wise.) I suggest checking out your local downhill ski area trails for blueberries (but I am not about to give away location info. on my own best blueberry site). I bring the dogs along so they can warn me if there are bears around. As long as the berries are abundant enough, it doesn't matter if the dogs eat a few.

In another week start looking along powerline cuts for raspberries and - by mid-July - for blackberries.

 

[Quietman]

I bushwacked up the old route of the Wapack trail on N. Pack Monadnock yesterday (don't try it, it's a COMPLETE mess from the last 2 ice storms) and used up the small amount of water that I had. Luckily, on the Cliff Trail about halfway to the cliffs, there were lots of small low bush berries that were ripe. I ate quite a few but there are many more. The high bush berries are still white and have a ways to go.

Also, thanks to the unknown couple who shared a little water!!

 

[audrey]

We found black raspberries at the Patch Hill conservation area (Liberty Sq Rd trailhead) in Boxborough MA. Seedy but tasty; I'd never found them ripe before.

 

[erugs]

We saw a couple of ripe blueberries along the White Ledges highlands yesterday. Wouldn't think it would be as great a place (even when all have ripened) as what I've found on North Pack Monadnock's Cliff Trail, though. That's where I'll be heading in a few weeks. Darn - shouldn't have told anyone about this, but Quietman started it!

 

[Elizabeth]

In Downeast Maine, Blue Hill - in the town of the same name - has an awesome abundance of lowbush blueberries starting around the middle of July. The trail to the summit is less appealing now that they have destroyed the firetower; but there are still nice views.