Christmas tree cutting season has arrived in Colorado’s national forests, but you’ll need to do some homework before you go because each forest determines rules for where, when and how trees may be taken.
In the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests, which are jointly administered and stretch along the Continental Divide from Mount Blue Sky to the Wyoming border, permits are on sale through recreation.gov at a cost of $20 per tree. Recreation.gov charges a $2.50 service fee on top of that.
Permits must be secured in advance. Cutting in the Sulphur Ranger District, located in Grand County, is allowed now. In the Canyon Lakes Ranger District (Larimer County), trees can be taken beginning Saturday. The permit period for both runs through Jan. 7.
Rules governing allowable tree cutting in the Arapaho and Roosevelt forests include:
- No cutting near developed recreation areas — campgrounds or picnic areas, for example — or residential areas
- No cutting in wilderness areas, the Fraser experimental forest, the Cache La Poudre wild and scenic river corridor or the Winter Park/Mary Jane ski areas
- No cutting within 75 feet of a road, trail, trailhead or developed recreation site
- Tree trunks must be six inches in diameter or less, and must be cut no more than six inches from the ground
- No cutting of trees marked with blue paint
- Cutting is prohibited in the Boulder and Clear Creek ranger districts
The Arapaho and Roosevelt tree cutting page has detailed rules and links to maps of the Sulphur and Canyon Lakes ranger districts, designating areas where cutting is not allowed.
For the White River National Forest, which stretches across the central Colorado high country from Summit County to Glenwood Springs and beyond, permits ($10 per tree) are available at recreation.gov and at ranger stations in Dillon, Meeker, Minturn and Rifle. Rules in the White River include:
- Trees must be less than 15 feet tall, no greater than six inches in diameter, and must not be a Colorado Blue Spruce
- No cutting in wilderness areas or developed recreation areas, including Glenwood Canyon
- Must be 100 feet from main roads
- No cutting in the Camp Hale area, White River forest land within Gunnison County, lower Meadow Mountain near Minturn and fire closure areas of Grizzly and Deep creeks
The White River tree cutting page offers detailed rules and maps of five ranger districts — Aspen-Sopris, Blanco, Dillon, Eagle-Holy Cross and Rifle — designating areas where cutting is not allowed.
The Pike-San Isabel National Forests, located south and west of Denver, are jointly administered. Permits, available at recreation.gov, cost $20 for the Pike and $10 for San Isabel. Their rules differ from White River and the Arapaho-Roosevelt. Trees may be taken up to 15 feet tall or six inches in diameter at ground level. They must be 200 feet from main roads, recreation sites and campgrounds, and at least 50 feet from backcountry roads, trails and waterways. More detailed information can be found at the Pike-San Isabel tree cutting page.
For Colorado’s other six national forests — Grand Mesa, Gunnison, Rio Grande, Routt, San Juan and Uncompahgre — consult their websites.
Two more things: Fourth graders who hold Every Kid Outdoors passes are entitled to free Christmas trees in national forests, although they still must secure a cutting permit through recreation.gov. The tree is free but they still must pay the $2.50 service charge.
And while it may be obvious, just for the record, tree cutting in Rocky Mountain National Park is prohibited.