A firewood permit near Durango comes from the San Juan National Forest, and it is cheap: $2 a cord if you buy online, $4 a cord at an office or a local vendor. The permit lets you cut dead and downed wood for your own use, with a limit of 10 cords per household each year. Permits go on sale every May 1 and expire on December 31 of the same year, so anyone buying now has about ten weeks left to use one (USDA Forest Service).
How do you get a firewood permit near Durango?
The Forest Service's April 30, 2026 release lists three places to buy, with different prices and minimums (USDA Forest Service):
- Online: $2 per cord with a $20 minimum purchase, and the permit must be printed on paper
- Participating vendors: $4 per cord with a $10 minimum, at Kroeger's Ace Hardware, #8 Town Plaza, in Durango and Cox Conoco, 201 E. Railroad Avenue, in Mancos
- Forest Service offices: $4 per cord with a $20 minimum, at the San Juan National Forest Headquarters, 15 Burnett Court, Durango, the Columbine Ranger District, 367 Pearl Street, Bayfield, the Dolores Ranger District, and the Pagosa Ranger District
Dolores Outfitters in Dolores is another vendor on the forest's fuelwood page. Office hours are short. The Durango headquarters opens Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and closes Wednesdays, and the Bayfield office is open on Fridays only, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. One caution: the forest's fuelwood page also describes permits as sold per cord with a five-cord minimum, which does not match the spring release, so confirm the minimum when you pay. The Durango forest number is 970-247-4874.
What are the rules for cutting firewood on the forest?
You cut dead and downed wood only, and only for personal use (USDA Forest Service). A few conditions come with the permit:
- The permit holder must be 18 or older and must be present when the wood is cut and gathered, unless the Forest Service office authorizes someone else
- Chainsaws need an approved spark arrester, and the forest recommends carrying an axe or a shovel
- Permits are not refundable
- The permit no longer has to be attached to the load, but you must carry the printed paper in the field
- Maps come with the purchase, and you can park up to 300 feet from a designated route as long as you cause no resource damage
- Leave gates the way you found them, open or closed, and stay clear of livestock
- Motor Vehicle Use Maps are online now and are no longer printed at the district offices
How big is a cord, and how many can you take?
A cord is a tightly stacked pile 4 feet high, 4 feet wide and 8 feet long (USDA Forest Service). That works out to 128 cubic feet of stacked wood, so plan the hauling. Each household may buy up to 10 cords a year for personal use. Cutting wood to sell takes a different permit. The forest says commercial permits often cost about the same, but they allow more cords and sometimes access to restricted areas.
When can you cut firewood in 2026?
From May 1 through December 31, if roads allow. The forest sells permits May through December, and the permit is good only through December 31 of the purchase year (USDA Forest Service). Snow closes high forest roads well before then. The forest also lists log decks at two Dolores Ranger District projects as of this fall: five decks from the Orange Peel Fuels Reduction Project, and eight from the Genuine Forest Stewardship Project, as of September 28, 2026. Those sit near Dolores, a long drive from Durango, so treat them as a bonus if you live out that way.
Do you need a permit for campfire wood?
No, not for a campfire while you are camping. The forest says you can collect a reasonable quantity of wood for a campfire on National Forest System land without a permit. The permit is for stocking a woodpile at home. Backyard fire rules are different, and our answer on fire pits in Durango explains them.
What if you would rather buy firewood?
Our directory lists local suppliers, including S W Firewood & Lumber, and Kroeger's Ace Hardware in town sells the cutting permits. If you burn wood at home, the heating contractors guide lists local pros. For the year's other chores, the seasonal home maintenance guide has a calendar.