Map to Crystal Falls

Crystal Falls is covered in detail in the Terrific Towns section of www.michiganbackroads.com

Although everyone wants to see the "Humungus Fungus" for themselves, it is mostly underground except for tiny offshoots that poke through the surface in the fall, edibles commonly known as button or honey mushrooms. People are generally disappointed if they actually go to the site looking for the big mushroom..

For lodging options visit www.upmilodging.com

 

Humungus Fungus - Crystal Falls, Michigan

mushroomsCrystal Falls is "Home of the Humungus Fungus", perhaps the world's largest and oldest living organism. It covers 38 acres beneath an Iron County forest near the Wisconsin border. It is believed to be 1,500 to 10,000 years old and weigh about 100 tons - about the same as an adult blue whale. It is the species called Armillaria Bulbosa and the mushrooms it produces are commonly called "honey mushroom." The mushroom is the only edible part of the fungus. Armillaria bulbosa is very common, occurring in hardwood forests in North America, Europe and Japan.