144 places with a permit online · 110 on sale today144 online · 110 on sale today
Type your ZIP. We'll show you where it's legal, when sales open and what a permit costs, straight from the agencies.Type your ZIP for where it's legal, when sales open and what a permit costs, straight from the agencies.
79 national forests list a 2026 Christmas tree permit on Recreation.gov, and 65 Bureau of Land Management offices list one in BLM's permit store. We read both on Nov 12, 2026 and print what they say: the dates, the price, the limit and the rules, each with its source. Sale times are in each place's own time zone. Recreation.gov prints them in Eastern, and we convert. A permit is the agency's to sell, and the rules on it are the agency's. We quote them and link them. We don't sell permits, and nothing here is one.
2 forests have pages on Recreation.gov with no permit type named and no dates on them. We print what the page says and no date. 53 more Forest Service units and 50 BLM field offices don't list a permit in either store. We say "not posted yet" for those, never "no program": some sell at the office and never post one online. Distances are straight lines to a forest's boundary, not to the cutting area and not by road. The forest's own map shows where you can cut. How we read the agencies · Not a permit, not the agency
Christmas tree permit 2026 · National forest · California
Plumas National Forest
On sale now. Recreation.gov lists cutting from November 1 to December 31.
The forest boundary, not the cutting area. Open the map.
The Plumas National Forest's own words, as Recreation.gov prints them. Read Nov 12, 2026.
The permit authorizes the cutting and removal of up to two Christmas trees per household only from Plumas National Forest Lands.
Lifelong memories are built during these special times and we are happy to help with any information gathering you'll need to make this trip a safe and enjoyable one.
Please be sure to read and agree to all the tips and guidelines when selecting your tree.
Trees less than 6 inches diameter (measured at ground level) may be cut.
Stump heights should be less than 12 inches tall and there should be no live branches remaining on the stump.
If snow is on the ground, remove it from around the stump so you can accurately measure the stump and tree height.
It is the responsibility of the permittee to cut in areas where Christmas tree cutting is permitted. Plumas National Forest permits do not authorize Christmas tree cutting on other ownership lands as shown on the map or on other National Forests. Plumas National Forest Permits ARE NOT VALID on the Lassen National Forest!
Christmas tree cutting is prohibited on all private property and in Wilderness areas, Wild and Scenic River areas, Recreation areas, Research Natural areas, and Special Interest areas as shown on the cutting map.
It is prohibited to go into or cut Christmas trees within Fire Closure Areas. The closure maps can be found at the following url address: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/plumas/alerts-notices.
Cutting area maps are provided via the "maps" link on Recreation.gov for downloading to your device at the following url address:
https://www.recreation.gov/tree-permits/27724292-ebd0-11ea-b83f-6e0e43d29f74.
Maps can also be downloaded to the Avenza Map application on your device from the following url addresses:
https://www.avenzamaps.com/maps/1331794/plumas-woodcutting-map-feather-river-rd
https://www.avenzamaps.com/maps/1331795/plumas-woodcutting-map-beckwourth-mt-hough-rds.
It is important to plan your trip ahead of time to ensure the area you plan to cut your tree has not been impacted by recent fires. Visitors should be alert when entering burned areas and watch out for hazard trees, down trees along roads, and falling rocks and debris.
The Christmas tree cutting map is required with the permit and should be accessible from your mobile device or in your possession when cutting your Christmas tree.
Permit holder must be present during cutting and transport of the tree, and you must write in on your permit the month and day you are cutting your tree.
Carry your tree carefully out of the woods. Dragging the tree will rub off needles and bark.
If the tree is too big to transport inside of your vehicle, wrap it in canvas to prevent wind damage.
Once home, cut the bottom of the trunk off and place the freshly cut trunk in a bucket of water. Replenish water.
If storing your tree outside for a few days before putting it in the house, keep it in an area protected from the wind, such as the north or east side of your house or under a shaded tree.
Tools you might want to consider bringing with you include a measuring tape to ensure you select a tree that fits in your home; handsaw to cut your tree; gloves to protect your hands; boots to protect your feet; 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.
Choose a tree from a dense forested area, which will give the remaining trees more space to grow.
Cut the leftover branches from the stump and scatter them.
Before you leave home, be sure to measure the space where you plan to place the tree in your home (height and width), and measure the space in your vehicle where you will be transporting the tree.
Check the latest weather conditions, forest warnings and road closures before you leave on your trip. Bring a map with you. Don’t rely on GPS because it may not be up-to-date with Forest Service roads.
Because of the unpredictable weather conditions in the mountains, plan to cut a tree as soon as possible, dress appropriately in warm clothing, and be prepared for possible ice and snow on the roads (carry tire chains, water and food). Ensure a family member or friend knows your route as tow trucks may be unavailable or not within cell range.
For printing a zoomed in area of the cutting map: *Download the cutting map from the 'maps link' on Recreation.gov to your computer or device; *use the scroll bars that frame the bottom and right side of the map to move ‘up and down’ or ‘right to left’ to the area you want to visit; *hover your cursor over the map until you see the black Adobe toolbar; *using the + feature on the Adobe toolbar, zoom in until you see your cutting area at a much larger scale; *then right click and select the ‘select tool’ from the drop-down box; *then draw a box around the zoomed in area you plan to visit; *then right click the area you selected and select ‘save image’ from the drop-down box; *save the image to your computer or device, *lastly, print the image at a larger scale.
It is important to plan your trip ahead of time to ensure the area you plan to cut your tree has not been impacted by recent fires. See "Where to Cut Your Tree" section for map url addresses of burned areas.
Where you can cut
Where the forest says not to cut
Christmas tree cutting is prohibited on all private property and in Wilderness areas, Wild and Scenic River areas, Recreation areas, Research Natural Areas, and special interest areas as shown on the map.
The Beckwourth, Feather River and Mount Hough Ranger District offices sell Christmas tree permits in-person during business hours, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Offices may be closed between noon and 1 p.m. for lunch break, or in case of illness or staffing shortages.
“Fourth graders with a valid Every Kid Outdoors (EKO) pass can use their pass to get a free Christmas tree permit on the Plumas National Forest to enjoy with their family.”
