California national forests offer $10 Christmas tree permits. How to get one
Shopping for a Christmas tree? Eleven national forests across California are issuing permits to people hoping to decorate their homes with evergreens this holiday season.
The U.S. Forest Service offers holiday tree permits so members of the public can help maintain a healthy forest while sharing a “memorable experience” with family members and friends, the federal agency said on its website.
“Christmas tree permits are a unique opportunity to help thin densely populated stands of small-diameter trees,” the Forest Service said, and “help reduce hazardous fuel ladders that have built up over years of fire suppression.”
The majority of permits are issued through the U.S. Forest Service’s website at Recreation.gov, while a limited number are also available in-person at district offices.
Permits go on sale at different dates at national forests in California.
Here’s what to know:
How can I cut my own Christmas tree at a national forest?
You can find an interactive map of national forests participating in the 2025 Christmas tree permit program at Recreation.gov.
In addition, each national forest has district offices that can provide information and maps of designated areas where you’ll be able to cut your tree.
“Each forest will have specific guidelines and season dates for cutting a Christmas tree,” the forest service said. “Purchase your Christmas tree permit in advance of your visit to the forest in your area.”
You’ll need to print your permit and carry it with you through the forest as you search for your tree.
Depending on the forest you visit, there may be limitations on the size and type of tree you can cut.
How much do Christmas tree permits cost in California?
In California most Christmas tree permits purchased through the Forest Service’s program cost $10, plus a $2.50 reservation fee.
Purchases are typically limited to two permits per household.
Fourth-grade students in California can sign up for the Every Kid Outdoors pass, which makes them eligible to receive a free Christmas tree permit.
The Every Kid Outdoors pass also grants your child access to more than 2,000 federally managed lands and water sites across the country for an entire year.
Are tree permits sold out at Eldorado National Forest?
Christmas tree permits for Eldorado National Forest were sold out online for the season as of Thursday, Nov. 20.
However, some walk-ins permits are available for $10 apiece while supplies last. They can only be purchased with cash, with no bills larger than $20 accepted.
Christmas tree permits are only available during select hours, so call before you visit.
- Placerville Ranger District
- 4260 Eight Mile Road in Camino
- Info: 530-644-2324
- Amador Ranger District
- 26820 Silver Drive in Pioneer
- Info: 209-259-3774
- Georgetown Ranger District
- 7600 Wentworth Springs Road in Georgetown
- Info: 530-333-4312
Which tree species can I harvest at Inyo National Forest?
Christmas tree permits for Inyo National Forest went on sale Nov. 13 and will be available until Wednesday, Dec. 31.
Permits cost $20 and are limited to one per household. You can display the permit in your car or carry it with you.
Eligible trees must be shorter than 20 feet tall, with a maximum stump height of 8 inches when measured from the soil and a maximum diameter of six inches.
Popular species for Christmas trees at Inyo National Forest include lodgepole pine, western juniper and white fir, officials said.
- Inyo National Forest Supervisor’s Office
- 351 Pacu Lane, Suite 200, in Bishop
- Info: 760-873-2400
When do permits go on sale at Sequoia National Forest?
Christmas tree permits go on sale online for Sequoia National Forest‘s Kern River Ranger District at 9 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 24, and will be available until online permits sell out.
Permits cost $10 each, and are valid from Friday, Nov. 28, through Christmas Day, Thursday, Dec. 25.
Trees must have a maximum stump height of 12 inches and a maximum stump diameter of six inches at the ground level, the national forest said.
You can cut down any conifer species in the forest, except for giant sequoia.
Christmas tree permits for the Western Divide Ranger District and Hume Lake Ranger District can be purchased in person at the ranger district offices starting Tuesday, Dec. 2.
Those permits can be exchanged onsite for pre-cut trees. You can’t use them to cut your own trees in the national forest.
- Kern River Ranger District
- 11380 Kernville Road in Kernville
- Info: 760-376-3781
- Western Divide Ranger District
- 32588 Highway 190 in Springville
- Info: 559-539-2607
- Hume Lake Ranger District
- 35860 East Kings Canyon Road in Dunlap
- Info: 559-338-2251
When can I cut Christmas trees at Stanislaus National Forest?
Christmas tree cutting permits went on sale online for Stanislaus National Forest on Oct. 10 at Recreation.gov.
Permits are $10 with a $2.50 reservation fee, and each permit allows two trees.
You can harvest your tree from Friday, Nov. 28, through Wednesday, Dec. 31.
The forest’s lower elevations are about a 90-minute drive up Highway 108 from Modesto, The Modesto Bee previously reported.
Trees must be in designated areas and can’t be taller than 20 feet. Cutting these smaller trees helps “reduce the low-lying fuel for summer wildfires, which can wipe out entire timber stands,” the Bee reported.
The website has detailed maps of areas open to cutting.
Stump heights can be no taller than a foot and six inches in diameter, and you’re only allowed to cut down pines, firs or cedars.
“There’s a certain magic in families coming together to wander into the forest to find that special tree,” Forest Service supervisor Jason Kuiken said in a 2022 news release.
- Calaveras District — Highway 4 Corridor
- 5519 Highway 4 in Hathaway Pines
- Info: 209-795-1381
- Groveland District — Highway 120 Corridor
- 24545 Highway 120 Groveland in Groveland
- Info: 209-962-7825
- Summit Mi-Wok District — Highway 108 Corridor
- 1 Pinecrest Lake Road in Pinecrest
- Info: 209-264-8317
- Supervisor’s Office
- 19777 Greenley Road in Sonora
- Info: 209-532-3671
Where can I cut holiday trees in Tahoe National Forest>
Permits went on sale in four designated areas of Tahoe National Forest on Nov. 1, and will be sold until Wednesday, Dec. 31.
You can cut down your tree in the American River Ranger District, Sierraville Ranger District, Truckee Ranger District and Yuba Ranger District.
Maps for the districts and cutting areas are available for download.
Eligible trees in Tahoe National Forest must be under 20 feet and have a stump under a foot long and six inches in diameter, the forest service said. Don’t cut isolated trees that are growing in the open.
Permit holders can “choose from varieties of pine, fir or cedar” in designated cutting areas.
- American River Ranger District
- 22830 Foresthill Road in Foresthill
- Info: 530-492-5631
- Sierraville Ranger District
- 317 South Lincoln St., PO Box 95, in Sierraville
- Info: 530-430-8912
- Tahoe National Forest Supervisor’s Office
- 631 Coyote St. in Nevada City
- Info: 530-265-4531
- Tuckee Ranger District
- 10811 Stockrest Springs Road in Truckee
- Info: 530-587-3558
- Yuba River Ranger District
- 15924 Highway 49 in Camptonville
- Info: 530-265-4531
What do I need to bring to cut down Christmas trees?
According to U.S. Forest Service officials, it’s a good idea to bring the following tools into the forest:
- A map. Don’t rely on GPS or your phone.
- Canvas to wrap the tree in to prevent wind damage during transport.
- Measuring tape so you can choose a tree that will fit in your home.
- Handsaw to cut the tree.
- Gloves to protect your hands.
- Wear boots to protect your feet.
- A tarp to sit on, or to move your tree once you cut it
- Rope or straps to secure the tree to your car.
- Dress warmly and bring extra dry clothes with you, and “expect winter weather, including cold temperatures, snow and winds.”
- Plenty of food and water and an overnight survival kit in case you become stranded.
It’s also a good idea to start your day early so you can find your tree and leave the woods well before dark.
While tree cutting is permitted in most of the forests through the end of December, forest officials recommend cutting earlier in the season before ice and snowpack make higher elevations inaccessible, the Sacramento Bee previously reported.
This story was originally published November 22, 2025 at 5:00 AM with the headline "California national forests offer $10 Christmas tree permits. How to get one."
