rom Nov. 1 through Dec. 24, Christmas tree permits for the Lassen National Forest will be available for purchase online, at Lassen National Forest offices, or through local vendors. Permits are $10 per tree with a limit of two permits per household.
Cutting your own Christmas tree is not only a fun tradition, it can also improve forest health. The permit system helps thin densely populated stands of small-diameter trees. Local forest health experts identify areas that benefit from thinning trees that tend to be the perfect size for Christmas trees. Removing these trees in designated areas helps other trees grow larger and can open areas that provide forage for wildlife.
Fourth graders with valid Every Kid Outdoors passes are eligible for a free Christmas tree permit by presenting their pass at a Lassen National Forest office, or by entering the pass/voucher number when purchasing a permit online (note: a $2.50 reservation fee applies to online purchases).
Every Kid Outdoors pass information: https://everykidoutdoors.gov/index.htm
How to purchase
Online
Visit the Lassen National Forest’s Christmas tree permit page on Recreation.gov: https://www.recreation.gov/tree-permits/TP367
In-person or by mail
Learn more about purchasing at offices, local vendors, or by mail on the Lassen National Forest’s Christmas tree permit page: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r05/lassen/permits/christmas-tree-cutting
Permits are valid for cutting through Dec. 25. All sales are final.
Though tree cutting is permitted through Dec. 25, we recommend cutting earlier in the season before higher elevations become snowbound. Trees can stay fresh for several weeks when properly stored but begin to lose moisture as soon as they are cut, so place them in water as soon as possible.
Please practice good stewardship. Only drive on designated Forest Service roads and ensure the tree you want to cut is located on National Forest lands. Make sure the maximum height of the stump left behind is no taller than twelve inches above bare soil, with no live branches on the stump. Topping trees (cutting only the top part of the tree) is not permitted.
Motor Vehicle Use Maps: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r05/lassen/maps-guides
As with all forest adventures, plan your trip: check the weather and road conditions, let someone know where you are going and when you will return, have a full tank of fuel in your vehicle, bring plenty of warm clothes, water, emergency food, tire chains, shovel, a saw, or axe to cut your tree, and a tarp and rope to bring it home.
