Late April through May brings morel mushrooms (Morchella species) to Pacific Northwest forests, with these prized edibles fruiting progressively higher in elevation as temperatures warm through spring. Morels are among the most sought-after wild mushrooms, with their distinctive honeycomb-patterned caps and hollow interiors making them unmistakable and highly valuable to foragers. In the Pacific Northwest, morels fruit most prolifically in areas with specific conditions: burn sites from the previous 1-3 years, areas near cottonwood and ash trees, disturbed forests, and areas with particular soil conditions. Experienced mushroom hunters "follow spring uphill," tracking the snowline's retreat to find fresh morel flushes at progressively higher elevations. Commercial morel harvest can be intense, with pickers traveling from around the world to harvest burn morels in productive years, earning significant income from this seasonal bonanza.

Stinging nettles remain prime above 2,000 ft in the Cascades for those who missed the lowland peak. Serviceberry (*Amelanchier alnifolia*)—known as Saskatoon berry—begins flowering; the berries follow in June–July and were a critical Indigenous food preserved in winter caches across the Plateau. Spring Chinook fishing on the Willamette peaks in May.