After Christmas, click here to find how how and where to easily recycle or dispose of your Christmas tree!
And to recycle used, broken or old Christmas lights and electronics
See this page for local options to easily recycle your Christmas holiday lights
When should you take the Christmas tree, lights and decorations down? See this page for
traditions and standards.
Help me keep this page complete and up to date, by
reporting any corrections needed or suggesting farms to add!
My Christmas Tree guide has photos and descriptions of
more than 2 dozen varieties of Christmas trees, along with a simple comparison chart!
If it has just snowed; see
this page about how to make snocones from real snow!
Your kids will love it!
Tips:
- If the name of the farm is blue with an underline; that's a link to their website or Facebook page. Click on it for the most current hours and information.
- ALWAYS call the farm or store BEFORE YOU GO
- many farms have closed in the past year, and of course, we won't know until the season starts and we find they aren't open! Call to confirm their supply, their hours
and whether they have trees, are allowing choose-and-cut or just precut trees; and which attractions or winter activities are available.
All three can change during the short Christmas season, due to weather, demand and the farmer's business conditions! Farms get sold, shut down or run out of trees, and they don't all update me every day, let alone every year. For
more tips to make your trip fun and successful, click here
!
DON'T DRIVE OUT THERE IF YOU CAN'T REACH THEM (by phone, email or find current information on their website or Facebook page!
- And please tell the farmer you visit in Helena and Surrounding Counties in Montana that you found their farm
here! I need the farmers to realize that you found them here so that they will keep their information up to date!
And if you know of one I missed and want to add it or correct the
information, please let me know! There are affiliate links on this page. Read our disclosure policy
to learn more.
Updates for April 2024
April 2024:
After Christmas, click here to find how how and where to easily recycle or dispose of your Christmas tree!
And to recycle used, broken or old Christmas lights and electronics
See this page for local options to easily recycle your Christmas holiday lights
When should you take the Christmas tree, lights and decorations down? See this page for
traditions and standards
In March, you'll want to take your children to a free Easter egg hunt
-
see our companion website to find a local Easter Egg hunt - (www.EasterEggHuntsAndEasterEvents.org)
. It's the ONLY website that is updated every Easter for all Easter Egg hunts in
the U.S.
Christmas tree farms, lots and activities, sorted by county
Click on Resources above, if you need a county map
Broadwater County
Cascade County
Jefferson County
Lewis and Clark County
- Montana Nursery - precut Christmas trees,
retail and wholesale,
6000 N
Montana Ave, Helena MT, 59602. Phone: (406) 458-6510. Email:
[email protected]. Open: Call or see their Facebook page. They are the only Fraser Fir Christmas tree growers in Montana. All of
their Christmas trees
are grown and harvested at Tuscor Ranch in Trout Creek Montana. Our famous, farm grown Fraser Fir and Grand Fir Christmas trees have been our
family favorite for over 20 years. Montana Nursery Facebook page.
Christmas tree varieties:
Precut varieties: Fraser Fir and Grand Fir
-
Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest
- Christmas trees-you choose and you cut,
Helena, MT. Directions: Located in
the Helena and Great Falls area. Click here to get your
Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest Christmas Tree Permit.
Permits for the Christmas Tree Permit are free, but there is a $2.50
service fee charged if you order online. Free permits can be picked up in person at any of ou 9 ranger districts offices in Lincoln, Helena,
Townsend, Stanford, Harlowton, Choteau, Augusta, White Sulphur Springs or Belt Creek or at our Forest Supervisor's office in Great Falls.
Please call your local district, Monday-Friday between 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. to arrange for permit pick up in advance.
Meagher County
Powell County
Cut Your Own Tree in a National Forest in Montana
- Cut your own tree from a Montana National Forest (with a permit!):
Christmas tree permits become available usually in November. Trees cut
with these permits must be less than the specified height for each
forest (see below). Permits may be
available through some commercial outlets. Information regarding other
applicable regulations are available at any district office.
(Guide to Christmas Tree Cutting)
The permits are typically $5, but in 2021, they are free (with a $2.50 transaction fee) (valid
for up to 3 trees),
There is now a centralized place online to buy a Christmas tree permit in a national forest in any state that has a forest that allows it;
see this page on
Recreation.gov.
Key Points to remember about cutting a Christmas tree in a National Forest
Up to three Christmas tree permits are allowed per family.
Display your permit on the dashboard of your vehicle when harvesting the tree(s). You must carry the permit with you and attach it to the tree during transportation.
Permits are good for all National Forests in Montana
You can cut anywhere on Forest Service or BLM lands, except you may not cut trees from plantations, Wilderness Areas, Recreation Areas, or
within developed recreation areas, campgrounds,
Do not cut the tops off trees and do not cut down trees taller than 12 feet.
Cut the tree close to the ground: The stump you leave must be no more than 5 five inches tall
You may not cut a tree within 200 feet of a road or within 150 feet of water, which includes riparian areas (creeks or streams)
Bring you own saws and equipment you'll need to cut the tree,
You may want to bring a sled to carry the tree to your vehicle, and of course, rope, netting, tarp, etc to tie down the tree to your car or
truck.