We tromp through the snow somewhere along Rampart Range Road on the sunniest December day in the forecast. The kids’ Santa hats bob as they run ahead. We don’t go far. We’re not looking for the biggest Christmas tree. It won’t be stately or perfectly shaped, but it doesn’t matter.
Snow angels are made. Snowball fights break out. I inevitably end up with a face-full of snow as we wrestle and roll. After briefly comparing a few conifers, we take turns sawing through the trunk and snapping photos. Then we take hold of each end and carry our evergreen quarry out by hand.
Soon it will stand again, dressed in classic white lights, but first we stop in Woodland Park for hot chocolates for the road home. Sometimes the best holiday traditions just happen because they are where you want to be, together, year after year.
How to Get Your Christmas Tree Permit Near Colorado Springs
“Cutting Christmas trees improves forest health and reduces wildfire risk. The permit system is designed to thin carefully chosen, densely populated, tree stands that will benefit from having some trees removed,” says Troy Heithecker, U.S. Forest Service regional forester for the Northern Region. “Cutting trees from designated areas will allow the remaining trees to grow larger while creating open areas that provide food for wildlife.”
Christmas tree permits for the Pike and San Isabel National Forest go on sale Nov. 18, 2025, with cutting dates through Dec. 23, 2025. Fees are $20 per tree, with a limit of five per household.
This year’s cutting area in the Pikes National Forest includes land north of Divide in the Rule Ridge area and northwest of Woodland Park. As was true last year there is no tree cutting off of Rampart Range Road near Lovell Gulch. You can download a map here of the tree cutting area. .
Cutting areas in the South Platte Ranger District will be open for cutting Christmas trees Nov. 7 through Dec. 31 with narrower timeframes for specific areas, such as . Buffalo Creek and Sugar Creek. Those areas usually sell out.
Fourth-graders with an Every Kid Outdoors pass are eligible for a free Christmas tree (along with free access to all National Parks!). Go to the website everykidoutdoors.gov to complete the voucher; then bring the voucher or the durable pass to a Forest Service office or use it at recreation.gov for one free holiday tree permit. There is a transaction fee of $2.50 for using the pass at recreation.gov.
All Christmas tree permits must be purchased online at recreation.gov.
How to Get Your Christmas Tree Permit on BLM Land
Prefer to head down around the Royal Gorge to cut your tree? Tree permits on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands are only $1 this year, and there are several areas surrounding Canon City where you can cut your own Christmas tree this year. Trees can be harvested in these areas through Jan. 31, 2026. These permits are being sold online here.
You can find all the info and a map of the cutting areas at blm.gov.
What to Know Before You Cut Your Own Christmas Tree
- Make sure you print and display your permit on the dash of your vehicle while cutting your tree.
- Bring a hand saw to cut your own Christmas tree. Chainsaws or power saws are not allowed.
- A few other helpful tools you may want to bring are gloves, boots, tarp and ropes. A tape measure can be handy to make sure that stately tree will actually fit inside your home.
How Big Can You Go When You Cut Your Own Christmas Tree?
- Forest Service guidelines allow you to cut a tree up to 15 feet tall or 6 inches in diameter at ground level. Plus, remember that you have to carry and transport that evergreen bad boy—so make sure it fits in your house.
- Choose a tree from a densely forested area to give the remaining trees room to grow larger and promote healthy forest growth.
- Cut the whole tree at the base
- below the lowest live limb, and leave a stump no taller than 6 inches. No tree topping is allowed.
- Remember that forest service roads may not be plowed. Four-wheel drive or snow chains may be needed.
- Plan for winter weather and be prepared for conditions to change quickly.
Find all of the official guidelines and purchase tree permits at recreation.gov and blm.gov.
