Washington State Christmas Tree Permits for National Forests Christmas Tree Farms 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.

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 Washington State Christmas Tree Permits for National Forests 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

Christmas tree cutting permits to cut your own tree for forests in Washington State

On the busiest Christmas tree hunting and bough gathering weeks of the year, Washington's Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is asking for the public's help to protect school trust land trees. Trees and boughs are not available from trust lands, but private you-cut and national forest permits are available. "Cutting a Christmas tree is a great family tradition," said Doug Sutherland, Commissioner of Public Lands. "But people need to remember that cutting trees or boughs from a state forests isn't allowed."

Where to get a National Forest Christmas tree cutting permit.

For a $5 fee, you can cut a tree in a national forest. Permits are available for different forests at different locations and with different conditions and restrictions, so be sure to scroll down the page to find the forest closest to you:

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.

For the Olympic National Forests:

Forest Service Christmas Tree permits go on sale in November. Permits are $5.00 each and are good for one U-cut tree on the Olympic National Forest. Permits may be purchased at any Olympic National Forest office (you can no longer get one by mail or email; only in person). Credit cards are now accepted (in person) as well as cash and checks.
You can now get the Christmas Tree cutting permits online.
See office locations/hours.

• Olympia at 1835 Black Lake Blvd. Phone: 360-956-2402.
• Olympic National Forest Headquarters in Olympia (360-956-2300)
• Hood Canal Ranger District Office in Quilcene (360-765-2200)
• Pacific Ranger District Office in Quinault (360-288-2525)
• Hoodsport Visitor Information Center (360-877-2021)
• Forks Visitor Information Center (360-374-6522)

There are many other National Forests that also participate in the Permit Cutting program.

For the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest Christmas Tree permits available at theses locations:

The main information phone number for Christmas tree cutting permits is (425) 783-6000 for Mt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and the Seattle - Tacoma area. You can now get the Christmas Tree cutting permits online.

• Mt. Baker Ranger Station
  810 State Route 20 Sedro-Woolley, WA. Phone: 360-856-5700 Ext. 515. Open: Monday to Friday from 8 am to 4:30 pm, November 29, 9 am to 3 pm, December 6, 9 am to 3 pm, December 13, 9 am to 3 pm.
• Verlot Public Service Center
  33515 Mountain Loop Highway, Granite Falls, WA. Phone: 360-691-7791. Open: November 28-30, 9 am to 3 pm, December6-7, 9 am to 3 pm, December 13-14, 9 am to 3 pm.
• Enumclaw Office
  450 Roosevelt Ave. E. Enumclaw, WA. Phone: 360-825-6585. Open: Monday to Friday from 8 am to 4:30 pm, November 29-30, 8 am to 3:30 pm, December 6-7, 8 am to 3:30 pm, December 13-14, 8 am to 3:30 pm.
• Glacier Public Service Center
  Mt. Baker Highway 542 Glacier, WA. Phone: 360-599-2714. Open: Weekends, 9 am to 3 pm, Starting November 22.
• Skykomish Ranger Station
  74920 NE Stevens Pass Hwy, br> Skykomish, WA. Phone: 360-677-2414. Open: Monday to Friday from 8 am to 4:30 pm, November 29, 8 am to 3 pm, December 6, 8 am to 3 pm.
• Seattle REI
  Outdoor Recreation Information Centerbr>222 Yale Ave. N. Seattle, WA. Phone: 206-470-4060. Open: Daily 10 am to 6 pm, Closed Thanksgiving.
• Darrington Ranger Station
  1405 Emens Ave. N. Darrington, WA. Phone: 360-436-1155. Open: Monday to Friday from 8 am to 4:30 pm, November 29, 9 am to 3 pm, December 6, 9 am to 3 pm, December 13, 9 am to 3 pm.
• Snoqualmie Ranger Stations
  902 SE North Bend Way North Bend, WA. Phone: 425-888-1421. Open: Monday to Friday from 8 am to 4:30 pm, November 29, 8 am to 3:30 pm, December 6, 8 am to 3:30 pm, December 13, 8 am to 3:30 pm.
• REI Alderwood Store
  3000 184th St. SW Lynnwood, WA. Phone: 425-640-6200. Open: Monday to Saturday from 10 am to 9 pm, Sunday from11 am to 7 pm, Closed Thanksgiving.

For the Gifford Pinchot National Forest permits are available at the following locations:

The main information phone number for Christmas tree cutting permits is (360) 891-5000 for the Gifford Pinchot and the southern part of the state. Visitors can purchase Christmas tree permits at the following Gifford Pinchot National Forest offices and vendor locations near you. All Forest Service offices will be closed Thanksgiving Day.

• Gifford Pinchot National Forest Headquarters
  10600 NE 51st Circle, Vancouver, WA 98682
  Office Hours: Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm (closed for lunch from noon until 1 pm daily) (360) 891-5001.
• Mt. Adams Ranger District
  2455 Highway 141, Trout Lake, WA 98650
  Office Hours: Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm (closed for lunch from noon until 1 pm daily) (509) 395-3400.
• Cowlitz Valley Ranger District
  10024 US Hwy 12 - PO Box 670, Randle, WA 98377
  Office Hours: Monday through Friday from 8:00 am4:30 pm (closed for lunch from noon until 1 pm daily) (360) 497-1100.
• Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument
  42218 NE Yale Bridge Rd., Amboy, WA 98607
  Office Hours: Monday through Friday from 8:00 am4:30 pm (360) 449-7800.
• Commercial Vendor Locations (Call for hours of operation and information):
  Trout Lake, WA - Little Mountain (True Value) Hardware (509) 395-2773
  Carson, WA - Wind River Market (509) 427-5565
  Home Valley, WA - Home Valley Store (509) 427-4015
  Stevenson, WA - Main St. Convenience Store (open 24 hours) (509) 427-5653
  Randle, WA - Fischer's Market (360) 497-5355
  Packwood, WA- Blanton's Market (360) 494-6101
  Ashford, WA - Ashford General Store (360) 569-2377
  Elbe, WA - Elbe Grocery (360) 569-2766
  Amboy, WA - Amboy Market (360) 247-5421
  Amboy, WA - Chelatchie Prairie General Store (360) 247-5529
  Cougar, WA - Lakeside Country Store (360) 238-5202
  Cougar, WA - Cougar Store (360) 238-5228
  Kalama, WA - Kalama Spirits and Tobacco (360) 673-4991

Naches Ranger District

Christmas tree cutting permits are now available to purchase at the Naches Ranger Station. Tree permits sell for $5.00 each and allow you to cut up to a maximum tree size of 15 feet or dig a tree to remove as a transplant. Each permit is for one Christmas tree and only two permits can be issued per household. Permits are not refundable. Instructions are given when purchasing a permit along with tree care and transportation tips.

For your convenience, the following businesses are also selling tree permits:

Slim's Market, Many's Chinook Center, Gold Creek Station, Whistlin' Jack Lodge, and Rimrock Grocery Store in the Naches area; Helms True Value Hardware and Save-On Foods in Selah, and at Right Hardware and Hyperspud Sports in Yakima. District Ranger Randy Shepard. Naches Ranger District 10237 U.S. Highway 12 Naches, WA 98937 The office phone number is (509) 653-1400.

Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest.

Permits are available at all Forest Service offices and various businesses in Okanogan, Chelan, Kittitas, and Yakima Counties. Permits are not refundable. You can now get the Christmas Tree cutting permits online.
Christmas tree permits are on sale for $5 each at all ranger stations and the forest headquarters in Wenatchee. The $5 permit allows a family to cut a tree or dig a live transplant tree. Permits may be purchased in person or by mail. For those who can't make it into any of our offices during daily business hours many local businesses are also selling Christmas tree permits. See the bottom of this page for local vendors selling Christmas tree permits.

Umatilla National Forest

The main information phone number for Christmas tree cutting permits is (541) 278-3716 for the Umatilla National Forest and the eastern southern part of the state area around the tri-cities.

Tree Cutting Instructions:

• Cut one tree per permit.
• Five permits per household maximum.
• Select trees not more than twelve (12) feet tall.
• Tree topping is prohibited.
• Cut the tree twelve (12) inches or less above the ground level. Remove snow around tree base if needed. Cut off live limbs remaining on the stump.
• To make your trip back to the car easier, slide your tree on a plastic tarp.
• Upon return to your vehicle, punch out month, day, and year on permit. Immediately attach securely to your freshly cut tree where it will be clearly visible.

Help protect state trust land trees that will build Washington's future schools

Please be careful when you cut a tree or some boughs. Cutting boughs can destroy decades-old trees that are well on their way to becoming forests. When the top branches are cut off a young tree, it is more vulnerable to disease that ultimately can destroy it.

As always, DNR officials are asking private citizens to help thwart theft by calling the county sheriff or a toll-free DNR hotline, 1-800-527-3305, if they suspect trees or boughs are being cut from trust lands. Penalties for damaging or stealing trust land evergreens can include fines and jail time. The more serious cases are turned over to a county prosecutor who cooperates with DNR

Cowlitz Forest Harvest Permit

You Must Obtain a Harvest Permit for the Following:

1. Christmas Trees Definition: Any type of tree such as Pine, Spruce, Fir, Hemlock, etc. Amount: More than 5 trees
2. Native Ornamental Trees Definition: Any trees or shrubs, not nursery grown, removed from ground with the roots intact. Amount: More than 5 trees or shrubs
3. Cut or Picked Evergreen Foliage - Definition: Evergreen boughs, huckleberry, salal, fern, Oregon grape, rhododendron, mosses, bear grass, scotch broom. Not cones or seeds. Amount: More than 5 pounds

You may apply for a permit at the Sheriff's Office for no fee. You will need to know the land description, hauler's information, and landowner's information for this permit, but can take the permit with you and bring it back filled out. See https://www.co.cowlitz.wa.us/267/Sheriff

• Contact: Brad Thurman, Sheriff,
  312 SW 1st Ave., Kelso, WA 98626.
  Email: [email protected].
  Phone: 360-577-3092. Fax: 360-423-1047.
  Hours: Monday - Friday from 8:30 am to 5 pm, Excluding holidays.
  

References

• Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie
• Gifford

Contact info:

• Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest
  2930 Wetmore Ave.,
  Suite 3A
  Everett, WA 98201
  Phone: 425-783-6000
  800-627-0062
  
• Forest Offices
• Employment
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