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Does your family celebrate Christmas with a decked-out, real, live Christmas tree? Picking out and cutting our Christmas tree has been one of our favorite traditions since our kids were babies, and for the past 10 years or so, we’ve been trekking into the woods to bring home our own national forest Christmas tree.
We’re lucky to live right next to the Green Mountain National Forest in Vermont, and we were so excited when a friend told us we could cut our own wild Christmas tree in the National Forest for just five bucks. Maybe this is common knowledge, but it was big news to me, so in case the rest of you holiday revelers don’t know this secret, here it is –
For just $5, you can buy a Christmas tree permit online, and then you can choose and cut down your own Christmas tree in your National Forest.
Christmas Tree Cutting Details from the US Forest Service
The mission of the USDA Forest Service is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations.
To achieve their mission, they strive to protect and manage national forests so they best demonstrate the sustainable multiple-use management concept. One of these awesome multi-use management plans is providing American families with Christmas trees they can cut themselves.
Most, but not all national forests will allow you to choose and cut down your own Christmas tree, but you must have a permit issued by the US Forest Service. The Christmas tree cutting permit is attached to your tree when you transport it home.
How do you get a Christmas Tree Cutting Permit from Your National Forest?
Obtaining your Christmas Tree permit from the National Forest Service is easier than it’s ever been! All you have to do is head over to Recreation.gov and search for ‘tree permit’ and the name of your local national forest.
In certain areas, cutting down national forest Christmas trees is really popular, and the permits sell out, so if you know you’re going to get a wild Christmas tree from the national forest, get your permit early! Note to Vermonters – there isn’t much demand in our national forest, so you should be fine getting a permit at the last minute.
National Forest Christmas Tree Permit Guidelines
Specific tree-cutting guidelines can vary from forest to forest, but here are some general guidelines for cutting down your own Christmas tree in your national forest, taken directly from the US Forest Service website.
- Your Christmas tree is for personal use only. It can not be sold.
- You must have your Christmas tree cutting permit on you when choosing, cutting, and transporting your tree.
- Your forest district office will be able to give you a map and accessibility options, and they can direct you to specific areas for cutting down your Christmas tree.
- Always check weather conditions and dress properly for winter activities in your national forest.
- Tell someone you know where you are going and when you’ll return.
- Check with local district offices before you cut dead or downed trees. Dead trees could provide animal habitat.
- Don’t cut any trees that are within 200 feet of rivers, streams, lakes, trails, and roads. Check with the ranger district for the proper distance.
- Select a tree with a trunk six inches or less in diameter, and prepare to cut down your tree no more than six inches above ground level.
- Never cut a tall tree just for the top.
- Select a Christmas tree from overstocked areas and thickets. Watch restricted areas. Cut only one Christmas tree per tag.
- Attach your Christmas tree cutting permit to harvested tree before placing in vehicle.
- Bring a rope and tarp to move your tree from the harvest area to your vehicle.
What We Love About our National Forest Christmas Trees
Sometimes we get Charlie Brown Christmas trees that look a little scrawny when we get them into the house. Sometimes the front of the tree (the sunny side) is full and lush, while the backside is a little scraggly without many branches – all the better to fit into the little corners of our little house.
Our Christmas trees are always beautifully wild, fresh, and unique, just like us.
We usually choose a balsam fir for our Christmas Tree, but occasionally we find a pretty spruce tree. Just depends on the year. Either way, they fill our home with Christmas fragrance and holiday cheer.
The branches on our wild tree are spread farther apart than farm-raised trees, and there’s lots of room for ornaments. In fact, sometimes the ornaments take over the whole tree, but we love it anyway!
I know that most people put their Christmas tree up right after Thanksgiving, but we always wait until Christmas Eve, when we celebrate with lots of food, music, and tree decorating.
Our Christmas tree lives with us until January 6th, and then it spends the rest of the winter in the back yard as a hiding spot for the winter songbirds. Come March, our tree is nice and dry, and it’s ready to be burned in our backyard maple syrup evaporator.
Tips for Finding the Perfect National Forest Christmas Tree
Finding the perfect wild Christmas tree is an adventure, whether you go to the local tree farm or your national forest. Here are some tips for making your tree cutting day the best ever.
- Wear layers and bring a backpack to keep the extras in. Merino wool is amazing stuff and it makes the perfect base layer for winter. Not only does it keep you warm and wick away moisture, but it never smells funky!
- Bring a saw, pruning shears, and lots of rope. A sled is really helpful if it’s snowy.
- Don’t forget your Christmas tree cutting permit.
- Remember that hiking into the woods is easy — hiking out with your Christmas tree is not. We try not to hike, ski, or snowshoe no farther than a mile looking for our perfect Christmas tree.
- The best day to cut down your own Christmas tree is one when the ground is covered in snow, but the trees aren’t. This way you can drag your tree back to the car on a sled, and you can ski or snowshoe into the forest.
- Bring hot chocolate to drink next to your chosen tree before you cut it. Or, better yet, whip up one of our favorite hot drinks for winter adventures.
- To find the fullest Christmas trees, look for a clearing that gets a decent amount of sun.
- To avoid arguments, let the kids choose the Christmas tree, and be happy with whatever they pick. They won’t be around forever you know.
Do you cut down your own wild Christmas tree? I’d love to hear about your adventures in the comments below.
We love our National Forests! Here are some more great posts about our favorites!
- Secret Vermont Treasures: Fall Camping on Grout Pond
- The Best Lincoln, New Hamphire Adventures for Outdoor Lovers
- Discover Horsethief Lake Campground: Black Hills National Forest
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Josy A
Tuesday 17th of November 2020
What a lovely Christmas tradition! Plus, your kids must really feel like they are part of the tree-finding process and love your decorations even more. Now you've made me wonder if we can do something similar in Canada!
Kristen
Tuesday 17th of November 2020
This seems like such a great adventure! I love your advice, like going when the ground is covered in snow but not the trees. I never would have thought about that. Very cool!
Karen
Tuesday 17th of November 2020
Such a lovely way to get a tree. We used to get a Charlie Brown tree out back when the kids were little. But then they decided a more groomed tree would be nice. And I agree--whatever tree the kids want is the tree we get. We got a tree in Vermont last year and brought it back to Mass. The tree seller gave us a permit to transport it across state lines. I'm wondering if these Forest service trees are ok to transport. Definitely wouldn't want to spread any tree diseases.
Farrah
Tuesday 17th of November 2020
I've only been to Vermont once and it was pouuuuurring so I didn't get to explore as much as I would've liked. I had no idea this was a thing, but this is such a cool concept!
M.K. Dymock
Monday 16th of November 2020
Such a fun tradition. I'm lucky to get a any tree up let alone cutting my own. Maybe that's my problem; I need to make it an adventure.