If cutting your own Christmas tree is a beloved family tradition — or you’d like it to be —the recreation.gov website has information about how to get a permit and where you can use it.
Permits are available for the Pike and San Isabel National Forest that allow cutting through Dec. 15. They cost $20 each and are limited to five per household.
Fourth-grade students with an Every Kid Outdoors pass can apply for a free Christmas tree permit through recreation.gov by selecting the option and then entering their voucher or pass number when prompted.
Permits are valid only in the district for which they were purchased. They are not transferable and can’t be extended from one year to the next.
Print out your Christmas tree permit and make sure to have it with you.
The nearest cutting areas are in the Pikes Peak Ranger District, northwest of Woodland Park in the north Divide area and off Forest Service roads 339 and 342.
Be sure to print the map when you purchase your permit and use it to navigate to the tree-cutting areas. Don’t rely on GPS, because it may not be up-to-date with Forest Service roads.
Maps showing public and private land boundaries are available online and at district offices. The Pikes Peak Ranger District office is at 601 S. Weber St. in Colorado Springs.
Tools to take along include: a handsaw (no chainsaws or power saws are allowed), gloves, warm boots, a tape measure to ensure you select a tree that fits in your home, a tarp to sit on and/or to move your tree once it’s cut, and rope or straps to secure your tree to your vehicle.
Pets are welcome, but must be under control at all times.
The funds from Christmas tree permits purchased through the recreation.gov system will go back to the participating forest through Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act funding requirements.
Anyone cutting or removing trees from a national forest without a valid permit are subject to a fine of up to $5,000 and/or six months in prison.
Information: www.recreation.gov/tree-permits, search for Pike and San Isabel National Forest.