To get a Christmas tree permit near Durango, you buy one from the San Juan National Forest. The permit costs $8, and you can buy it online or at a Forest Service office. As of October 22, 2026, the forest has not yet posted its 2026 sale dates on its Christmas tree page (USDA Forest Service). Past years give you a rough calendar: sales have opened in mid to late November. Do not drive up a forest road with a saw until you hold the paper.
How do you get a Christmas tree permit near Durango?
You have three ways to buy (USDA Forest Service):
- Online: Recreation.gov sells the permit for $8.00 plus a service fee, and you need a Recreation.gov account to check out
- District offices: $8.00 at the San Juan National Forest Headquarters at 15 Burnett Court in Durango, the Columbine Ranger District at 367 Pearl Street in Bayfield, the Dolores Public Lands Center at 29211 Highway 184, or the Pagosa Ranger District at 180 Pagosa Street
- A local vendor: last year's release named Kroeger's Ace Hardware at #8 Town Plaza in Durango as a place to buy a permit (USDA Forest Service)
The online fee was $2.50 in 2025, per the same release. Fourth graders who hold an Every Kid Outdoors pass can get one free permit, though the $2.50 reservation fee still applies online. The Forest Service number for questions is 970-247-4874, and the Durango headquarters closes on Wednesdays according to the forest's spring firewood release (USDA Forest Service), so call before you drive over.
When does Christmas tree season start in 2026?
The Forest Service had not posted the 2026 dates on its permit page as of October 22. Two earlier years show the pattern. In 2024, the forest announced that permits would be on sale starting Thursday, November 14 (Pagosa Daily Post). In 2025, its release that permits were available online is dated November 24 (USDA Forest Service). Expect an announcement in mid to late November based on those two years, then check the forest page and Recreation.gov. We will not guess a date for you.
What trees can you cut near Durango?
Only certain species, and only up to a size. The Recreation.gov listing for the San Juan National Forest says to cut white fir, subalpine fir or spruce, and not to cut ponderosa pine or Douglas-fir (Recreation.gov). The rest of the rules are measurable:
- Tree height: 20 feet at most
- Stump: no more than 6 inches tall
- Take the whole tree: never cut the top off a standing tree
- Scatter the leftover branches from the stump
- No off-road driving or cross-country travel to reach a tree
Why white fir? The forest says it is shade tolerant, burns easily and can act as a ladder fuel that carries a ground fire into the tree canopy. Thinning small white fir lowers canopy fire risk, and the permit system points cutters at stands that need thinning (USDA Forest Service).
Where can you not cut a tree?
Several places are off limits. You cannot cut in wilderness areas, recreation areas or research natural areas, within 100 feet of a developed campground, or within 100 feet of county roads and state or federal highways. Tree plantations and active timber sales are closed too. The permit also names specific locations, and the one that matters most to Durango residents is La Plata Canyon, which is excluded (USDA Forest Service). Pay attention to the exact wording on your permit, since it governs.
What should you know before you go?
Winter work in the high country takes planning. Forest roads are not plowed, so the Forest Service suggests carrying tire chains, a shovel and a tow chain, and starting early so you leave before dark. Cell service can be spotty. The Recreation.gov listing also warns that rifle big-game seasons overlap with tree cutting, so wear fluorescent orange and expect distant shots (Recreation.gov). Dogs should be on a leash. Our winter in Durango guide covers the season, and the tire chains answer explains Colorado's traction rules.
What if you do not want to cut your own?
You can buy a tree that someone else cut for conservation. The San Juan Mountains Association partners with the forest to cut more than 300 local white fir trees for its Christmas Trees for Conservation lot. The lot opens the Friday after Thanksgiving in the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad parking lot at Camino del Rio and College (USDA Forest Service). Thanksgiving is November 26 this year, so that Friday is November 27. All proceeds go to public lands stewardship and conservation education. A permit from the Bureau of Land Management is a separate purchase.