Nevada City, Calif. – Keep the family tradition alive this year -or start a new tradition- by cutting a Christmas tree within the Tahoe National Forest. Experience cool mountain air, the forest floor crunching beneath your boots, and finding that perfect tree in a hidden glade…
Forest Service Christmas Tree Permits for the Tahoe National Forest will be available online at Recreation.gov beginning October 22, 2020. The Forest has moved all permit sales online to provide an alternative to in-person transactions which are currently unavailable due to Tahoe National Forest Offices still being closed to the public.
The Christmas Tree Permit webpage can be found at: https://go.usa.gov/x7qju
Non-refundable permits are $10.00, one tree per permit with a limit of two permits per household. Permits may be used only on the Tahoe National Forest between November 6th and December 31st.
Although tree cutting is permitted through December 31st, officials recommend cutting early in the season before higher elevations become snowbound. Trees can stay fresh for several weeks when properly stored. Because trees begin to lose moisture as soon as they are cut, place them in water as soon as possible. The Forest Service staff asks permit holders to practice good stewardship and be sure the Christmas tree is located on National Forest lands before cutting.
Tree cutting areas may not be accessible by vehicle due to poor road conditions; tree cutters should be prepared to hike, ski, or snowshoe to find their Christmas tree. Tree cutters should also be prepared for unpredictable weather changes and colder conditions in higher elevations. A fun family outing can become dangerous for the unprepared during rapidly changing weather patterns. Plan your trip accordingly: 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.