Huckleberry Season in McCall
Scandia Manager Jess enjoys an afternoon picking huckleberries with her family.
Just about every berry-picking enthusiast in the Pacific Northwest waits for late July to come around. For what, you ask? For the delicious, small yet flavorful, native huckleberry.
At checkin, our guests ask us ALL the questions regarding huckleberries in McCall. Lucky for them, we know a thing or two!
What do the bushes look like?
Where can you find them?
How do you know they’re ripe for the picking?
How to spot them
Once you lock eyes on them, it’s easy to pick them out from the rest of the vast green foliage and pine trees. The leaves are green and oval shaped. The bushes will pop out among the other plants as a little bit more vibrant, brighter green! After you see the darker purple berries on a bush, you’ll start noticing a lot more around you!
Where to find
When visiting McCall, there are certain hot spots where you can find them in abundance. However, during this time of year, they can be easy to find just off the road or hiking trails. When staying at the Scandia Inn, our staff can point you in the right direction if you need a little help!
When to pick
They usually start to ripen end of July-early August in the McCall area. Generally, the darker the better. Just taste test a few to see what color you should aim for. The first batch has just ripened so there should be more in the coming weeks!
Just don’t pick the green ones!
What to do with them
You can choose to eat them right away or make many delicious things with huckleberries.
Our top pick:
Huckleberry Scones with Lemon Glaze. Follow this recipe from Home Grown Happiness!
Other Huckleberry treat ideas:
huckleberry lemonade
huckleberry pancakes
huckleberry muffins
huckleberry shakes
huckleberry jam
Pro Tips
Bring containers for each person picking! It took my family maybe a half hour to pick about a cup full. So it takes some time but it’s fun for everyone.
Be ready for mosquitos. Nothing brings huckleberry picking to a halt faster than incessant mosquitos! Pack your go to remedy.
Snack as you go! Make it fun!
We hope to see you up here soon! There’s so much to do all year round but this time of year really is special for McCall. Huckleberry picking is just so magical and fun for the whole family.
Happy Picking!
-Jess
