Permits to cut Christmas trees on the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests in northwest Colorado and southeastern Wyoming are available for purchase. Tree tags for the 2025 Christmas season are accessible for purchase online through Recreation.gov, at limited offices, and at several local vendors.

To buy a Christmas tree permit online, visit Recreation.gov/tree-permits/mbr. It is important to carefully read the overview and need-to-know information prior to purchasing the permit. A $2.50 processing fee is applied to each online transaction.

Each permit costs $10 and allows for the cutting of one tree on National Forest System Lands, with a five permit per household limit. Trees must be for personal use, not for resale.

Information on the Christmas Tree permit program can be found on the Forests’ website.

Some areas of the Forest are off limits to tree cutting or may be difficult to access. View regulations or contact the Ranger District in the area where you will be cutting your tree for site-specific information, including road status and area restrictions.

The Forest Service would like to emphasize that cutting trees is prohibited in all Wilderness and developed recreation sites on the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests.

Fourth graders with an Every Kid Outdoors pass are eligible for a free Christmas tree permit and can apply by entering the pass or voucher number when purchasing a permit. The processing fee will be applied when obtaining a Christmas tree permit online.

Christmas tree cutting has been a treasured tradition on the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests and a permitted forest use for many decades. Thousands of permits are sold annually. Cutting a Christmas tree also improves forest health. The permit system helps thin densely populated stands of small-diameter trees. Removing these trees helps other trees grow larger and can open areas that provide forage for wildlife and livestock. 

Contact your local Forest Service office for site-specific information and office hours.

• Brush Creek/Hayden Ranger District, Saratoga, WY, 307-326-5258
• Douglas Ranger District, Douglas, WY, 307-358-4690
• Hahns Peak/Bears Ears Ranger District, Steamboat Springs, CO, 970-870-2299
  • Permits are unavailable for purchase at this location.
• Forest Supervisor’s Office & Laramie Ranger District, Laramie, WY, 307-745-2300
• Parks Ranger District, Walden, CO, 970-723-2700
  • Christmas tree permits will only be available for in-person purchase (cash/check) Dec. 10 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
• Yampa Ranger District, Yampa, CO, 970-638-4516

To purchase from a vendor, contact them for hours of operation:

• Brush Creek Visitor Center, west side Wyoming Highway 130, Ryan Park, WY, 307-326-5562
• Centennial Visitor Center, east side Wyoming Highway 130, Centennial, WY, 307-742-9730
• West Laramie Fly Store, 1657 Snowy Range Rd, Laramie, WY, 307-745-5425