This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
As Thanksgiving and Christmas approaches, hundreds of Utah outdoor enthusiasts enjoy the tradition of cutting their own Christmas tree on public lands.
The U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management having been busy releasing information on how and when to obtain permits throughout the state.
The forest service reminds those participating that trees must always be cut close to the ground, leaving the stump no higher than six inches. A shovel to dig through snow to reach the base of the tree may be needed in some cases.
Permits must be attached to the tree before leaving the cutting areas. Tree topping is not allowed. No cutting is allowed within 200 feet of lakes or streams, roads, campgrounds, picnic areas, administrative sites, summer home areas, or within designated closed areas shown on cutting area maps.
Here is an area-by-area list of U.S. Forest Service sites and how to obtain permits in Utah:
Ashley National Forest: 435-789-1181 – http://fs.usda.gov/ashley. Christmas tree permits on the Ashley National Forest have increased from $10.00 to $15.00.
The Flaming Gorge-Vernal Ranger District: 435-784-3445 or 435-789-1181.Permits will go on sale November 15th. Permits will be available at the Flaming Gorge Ranger District office, intersection of Highway 43 & 44, Manila, Utah from 8:00 a.m. to
4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday beginning November 16. Permits will also be available at Flaming Gorge Resort, Highway 191, Dutch John, Utah, Sunday-Thursday 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Friday and Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. beginning November 15. Permits will also be sold at the Green River Office, located inside the Green River Chamber office, 1155 Flaming Gorge Way, Green River, Wyoming, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. beginning November 23. Cost of the nonrefundable permit is $15.00. In Vernal, permits may be purchased at the Forest
Supervisor's office, located at 355 North Vernal Avenue, Vernal, Utah, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., beginning November 15th. Starting on the November 20, permits can be purchased at the following businesses 7 days a week:
Davis Jubilee Store, at the Customer Service Desk, 575 West Main, Vernal, 435-789-2001, Monday through Saturday 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and Sundays 7:00 a.m. to 8:00
p.m., Shirley's Country Corner, 6982 North 9500 East, Highway 12 in Lapoint, 435-247-2690, Monday through Saturday 5:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Sundays 6:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Permits are $15.00.
Duchesne-Roosevelt Ranger District: 435-738-2482. Permits may be purchased at the Duchesne Ranger District office, 85 West Main, Duchesne Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. beginning November 15. Permits may be purchased starting November 15 at the Bonanza Store, 94 East Main Street, Duchesne, Utah and they are open 24-7, 435-738-2393. Permits may also be purchased at the Hanna Country Store, State Route 35, Hanna, 435-848-5752, Stewart's Market at the Customer
Service Desk, 245 West Highway 40 in Roosevelt, Monday through Saturday 8:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., closed Sundays, 435-722-5650, and Davis Jubilee Food & Drug, at the Customer Service Desk, 750 East 2nd North, Roosevelt, Monday through Saturday 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. and Sunday, 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. 435-722-2296. Permits are $15.00 each, one permit per household.
Dixie National Forest 435-865-3700 – http://fs.usda.gov/dixie.
Cedar City Ranger District: 435-865-3200 and 435-865-3700 - Permits are now available and can be purchased at the Cedar City Ranger District office, 1789 North Wedgewood Lane, Cedar City, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Permits will also be available at Hurst Ace Hardware Store, 165 South Main,
Cedar City, 435-865-9335. Permits are $10.00 for a tree up to 10 feet and $20.00 for a tree 11 feet to 20 feet, one permit per household, and two trees maximum. The only species of trees that can be cut are sub-alpine fir, white fir, pinyon pine and Juniper.
Escalante Ranger District: 435-826-5400: Permits are now available and can be purchased at the Escalante Ranger District office, 755 West Main, Escalante, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Permits may also be bought at Antimony Merc, Antimony, 435-624-3253, 7 days a week from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Contact the Escalante Ranger District for a list of other vendors. Permits are $10.00, one permit per household, one tree only. All species of tree may be cut, except bristlecone pine.
Powell Ranger District: 435-676-9300 - Permits are now available and can be purchased at the Powell Ranger District office, 225 East Center Street, Panguitch, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Permits are $10 for a tree up to 10 feet and $20 for a tree 11 to 20 feet. All species of trees can be cut, except bristlecone pine.
St. George Public Lands Information Center: 435-688-3200, http://fs/usda.gov/fishlake: Permits can be purchased at the Visitor Center, 345 East Riverside Drive, in St. George, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. They can also be purchased at Veyo Mercantile in Veyo — 435-574-2749, Monday through Thursday, 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Permits are $10. Pinyon pine and juniuper are the only trees that may be cut. One individiual can purchase up to five tags. Permits for the Arizona Strip and St. George districts are also available out of this office./ Arizona Strip permits are $5 and St. George permits are $10 for the BLM areas.
Fishlake National Forest 435-896-9233 – http://fs.usda.gov/fishlake. Christmas tree permits sell for $10.00 each and they must be obtained in person. Mail orders and phone requests will not be accepted. The permits must be securely attached to the harvested tree and remain with that tree during transport. Most species of trees on the National Forest may be cut, except for ponderosa pine. Permits may be bought at any of the Fishlake National Forest offices. These offices are not open on weekends, except as noted. Location and dates of sale at national forest offices are as follows:
Richfield Ranger District – 115 East 900 North, Richfield: Beginning Monday November 14, permits may be purchased during regular office hours, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, call 435-896-9233.
Fremont River Ranger District - 138 South Main, Loa: Permits may be purchased during regular office hours, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. The Fishlake Basin Recreation Area, including Johnson Valley, is closed to tree cutting from the forest boundary on the West to Zedd's Meadow on the East. For more information, call 435-836-2811. Cutting ponderosa pine is prohibited except on the Boulder Mountain of the Fremont River Ranger District.
Fillmore Ranger District, 390 South Main, Fillmore: Permits will be sold November 14 through December 21 at the office in Fillmore, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. The Fillmore office will be open three Saturdays: November 26, December 3, and December 10 from 8:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Purchase limit is one permit per household (additional tags may be purchased for neighbors, family members, etc.). Suggested cutting areas are as follows: Whiskey Creek, John Williams Canyon, Chalk Creek, Meadow Creek, Cove Fort, Willow Creek, and Wild Goose Canyon. Oak Creek Canyon is closed. For more information, call 435-743-5721.
Beaver Ranger District, 575 South Main, Beaver: Permits may be purchased during regular office hours, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Blue spruce may not be cut. Tree cutting is not allowed in the Merchant Valley Summer Home area or along the visible edge of SR-153. For more information, call 435-438-2436.
As a convenience to the public, permits will be available again this year at:
Beaver Sports and Pawn, 91 North Main, Beaver, Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Fishlake Lumber,1627 N Hwy 357, Beaver, Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Piute County Sheriff Office, 550 N. Main, Junction, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Don's Sinclair, 215 W Main, Salina, Monday-Saturday
Larsen's Ace Hardware, 1155 S US Hwy 118, Richfield, Monday-Saturday.
Jorgensen's, 980 S Cove View Road, Richfield, Monday-Saturday.
Manti-LaSal National Forest: http://fs.usda.gov/mantilasal
Ferron/Price Ranger Districts: 435-384-2372, 435-637-2817 and Moab/Monticello Ranger Districts 435-259-7155: Christmas tree permits will be on sale at all offices of the Manti-La Sal National Forest beginning November 16th for $10 each. District offices (Ephraim, Ferron, Moab and Monticello) are open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Supervisor's Office in Price is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. There is a limit of three permits per person. Purchasers will need to provide a credit card, check or exact change. There will be no refunds. Tags should be purchased at the district where the tree will be cut: Supervisor's Office/Price District, 599 W. Price River Drive, Price, phone, 435-637-2817; Ferron-Price District Office, 115 West Canyon Road, Ferron,phone, 435-384-2372; Moab District Office, 62 East 100 North, Moab,phone, 435-259-7155; Monticello District Office, 432 East Center Street, Monticello, phone, 435-587-2041; and the Sanpete District Office, 540 N. Main Street, Ephraim, phone, 435-283-4151.
In addition, the following private vendors will be selling permits: Choice Hardware & Home Center, 1005 N. Main, Nephi; Mountain Home Center, 1095 Highway 89, Mt. Pleasant; Rasmussen Ace Hardware, 435 South Main, Gunnison; The Main Street Market, 15 W. Main St., Ferron. Moab Information Center, 25 East Center St., Moab. The cost for permits is the same regardless of where they are purchased. Customers traveling long distances for permits should call in advance to determine if permits are still available.
Uintah-Wasatch-Cache National Forests: (801) 999-2103
Heber-Kamas Ranger District: Tree permits are sold out with the sale held last weekend.
Evanston/Mt. View Ranger Districts: 307-789-3194 and 307-782-6555: Permits for the Evanston area will be available starting Thursday, November 10. The Evanston office is closed Friday, November 11 for the Veteran's Day holiday. Permits are $10.00, one permit per household, one tree only. Permits can be purchased at the Evanston Ranger District Office, 1565 South Highway 150, Suite A, Evanston, Wyoming, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Permits may also be purchased at Bear River Lodge located 30 miles south of Evanston on the Mirror Lake Highway, 435-642- 6289. A permit allows up to a 20 foot tree, any species of tree may be cut, but lodgepole pine is the main species in the area. Snow conditions may require permit holders to use snowmobiles, cross-country skis, or snowshoes to access the cutting area. The gates on the Mirror Lake Highway and on the North Slope Road are typically closed during the first week of December, limiting access for people without a snow machine. Cutting is not allowed in the Lily Lake Cross Country Ski Area.
Mountain View Ranger District 307-782-6555, 321 Highway 414, Mountain View, Wyoming, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday only. Permits may also be purchased at Benedict Thriftway Store, 950 North, Highway 414, Mountain View, Wyoming starting Tuesday, November 15th. Benedicts is open 7 days a week, Monday through Saturday 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and Sundays 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 pm, 307-782-3581. They will close at 1:00 pm on Thanksgiving Day. The Mountain View office will be closed on Friday, November 11th for Veterans Day. Permits are $10.00 per tree, one permit per household. A permit allows up to a 20 foot tree to be cut. Any species may be cut but lodgepole pine is the main species available. Access to the Mountain View Ranger District may require 4-Wheel drive or the use of snow machines, skis or snowshoes during this time of year. Please follow the district travel plan when cutting a Christmas tree.
Spanish Fork Ranger District: 801-798-3571:The Spanish Fork Ranger District will begin issuing 400 permits at 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, at the Spanish Fork Ranger District located at 44 West 400 North, Spanish Fork. One tree permit per adult (16 years of age and older) will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis until tags are sold. Tree-cutting permits are $10.00 and are for designated cutting areas within the Vernon area located in Tooele County on the Spanish Fork Ranger District. Only pinyon pine or juniper trees, 20-feet tall or shorter, may be cut and removed. Trees may be cut until December 24th and all trees must be tagged prior to transporting them.