National Forests in Michigan Will Let You Cut Down Christmas Trees for Cheap – or Give You One for FREE if You’re in 4th Grade
Cutting down the family Christmas tree is one of the season’s most beloved Christmas activities for some families.
There are plenty of local Christmas tree farms where you can find the perfect tree – or you could head to a National Forest.
Most people don’t realize that the U.S. Forest Service will let you legally cut down a Christmas tree as long as you have a $5 permit.
They even give 4th graders a free Christmas tree, as long as they are part of the national Every Kid Outdoors program.
Read on to find out how you can bring home an “almost free” Christmas tree this year. (Who knows, you might just have a Clark Griswold experience.)
Free Christmas Trees Menu
4th Graders Get a Free Christmas Tree
Any 4th Grader who has a valid Every Kid in a Park pass or paper voucher gets one FREE Christmas Tree permit.
The USDA Forest Service’s Every Kid Outdoors program is available for 4th grade students for the remainder of the 2023-2024 school year. A new voucher is available for download through August 31, 2024.
In order to get their FREE permit, the student will need to get the Every Kid in a Park voucher from the website, print it off & bring the paper voucher to a national forest office to claim their free tree cutting permit.
OR they can input their pass information at Recreation.gov and redeem for a free Christmas tree cutting permit online.
Note: a $2.50 reservation fee applies
Manistee-Huron National Forest Explains how to get a $5 Christmas Tree
Watch this video.
How Christmas Tree Permits Work
Christmas Tree permits are available from the offices of the Huron-Manistee National Forests, the Ottawa National Forest offices, and the Hiawatha National Forest offices in Michigan.
Each permit is $5.00 and good for one tree. Each household is limited to three trees.
Christmas Tree permits are available until the last day offices are open before Christmas and can be obtained in person or online.
Getting a Christmas Tree Permit In Person
Huron-Manistee National Forest: (Lower Peninsula)
Supervisor’s Office, 1755 S. Mitchell St., Cadillac, MI 49601
(231) 775-2421
Mio, 107 McKinley Rd. Mio, MI 48647
(989) 826-3252
Huron Shores, 5761 N. Skeel Rd., Oscoda, MI 48750
(989) 739-0728
Cadillac-Manistee, 1170 Nursery Road, Wellston, MI 49489
(231) 848-7090
Baldwin/White Cloud, 650 North Michigan Ave., Baldwin, MI 49304
(231) 745-4631
Each holiday season, the Huron-Manistee National Forests offers members of the public the opportunity to harvest Christmas Trees from federal lands.
To take advantage of this opportunity, users can purchase a Christmas Tree Permit in person at one of their offices.
Be sure to call ahead to check the hours at the ranger office before heading out.
Hiawatha National Forest: (Upper Peninsula)
Munising, n8391 Sand Point Rd, Munising, MI 49862
(906) 387-2512
Rapid River, 8181 US-2, Rapid River, MI 49878
(906) 474-6442
St Ignace, W1900, US 2, St Ignace, MI 49781
(906) 643-7900
To obtain a permit, in the form of a “tree tag” ($5), call your local Ranger District office.
Along with your permit you will receive tree-cutting guidelines, information regarding cutting areas, and suggestions for flame-proofing your tree.
Be sure to call ahead to check the hours at the ranger office before heading out.
Ottawa National Forest: (Upper Peninsula)
Supervisor’s Office, E6248 US HWY 2, Ironwood, MI 49938
(906) 932-1330
Kenton, 4810 E. M28, Kenton, MI 49967
(906) 852-3500
Ontonagon, 1209 Rockland Road, Ontonagon, MI 49953
(906) 884-2085
Watersmeet/Iron River, E23979 US 2 East, Watersmeet, MI 49969
(906) 358-4551
A permit is required for each tree cut and removed from National Forest land.
You may obtain a permit from any Ottawa National Forest office for $5.
Be sure to call ahead to check the hours at the ranger office before heading out.
How to Buy Christmas Tree Permits Online
Purchasing permits online continues this year.
Christmas tree permits are available online at Recreation.gov through Dec 31, 2023, for $5.00 per tree plus a reservation fee of $2.50.
If you have a 4th grader, you will be asked to provide your Every Kid Outdoors Voucher or pass number.
Be sure to buy a permit for the specific National Forest where you will be cutting your own Christmas Tree.
If you are not sure which National Forest is closest to you, look in the next section for a map.
Where the National Forests in Michigan are Located
You can find a National Forest near you by using this handy map.
The Huron-Manistee National Forest is located in the Lower Peninsula, while the Upper Peninsula is home to the Hiawatha National Forest and Ottawa National Forest.
Zoom in on the location you’re interested in and a link to that specific national forest will appear.
Before cutting down a Christmas tree make sure that you verify you are on national forest service land.
Christmas Tree Cutting Supply Checklist
This is a completely DIY experience, so you need to bring all of the gear needed to cut your own Christmas tree – and get it home. Use this as your packing list before you head out:
Harvesting Your Christmas Tree
Cutting down your almost free Christmas tree in a National Forest is a lot different than going to your local Christmas Tree Farm.
For starters, you need to know where you should go. The last thing you want to do is cut trees down from someone’s private property.
If you visit a ranger’s office in person to pick up your permit, they can help you determine where the tree cutting locations are. If you decide to get a Christmas Tree permit online, you’ll need to decipher the maps provided by the National Forestry Service.
Huron-Manistee Maps (look for the firewood permit maps)
Hiawatha Maps
Hiawatha Christmas Tree Cutting Rules
Do not harvest a tree from a plantation, timber sale areas, Big Island Wilderness, Rock River Canyon Wilderness, or adjacent to roads, lakes, campgrounds or other developed or dispersed recreation sites.
Cut only Balsam and Spruce – NO PINE
Do not cut trees over 20 feet
Do not top off (cut a large tree simply for the top)
Do not cut any tree within 100 feet of a lake
Only one tree may be harvested per tag. Each tree must be tagged prior to transport.
Stumps must be cut lower than 12” from the ground
All branches left will be cut to lie within 1 foot of the ground
All slash from the cutting must be removed from the cleared portion of roads or trails
Make SURE you are on Hiawatha National Forest land when you cut your tree! Check a map!
Huron-Manistee Christmas Tree Cutting Rules
Each tag is good for one tree
You can cut any type of live conifer that is located in an area open for cutting
Tress can’t be taller than 20 feet
No topping trees; (i.e. no cutting the top 10 feet off of a 30-foot tree)
Don’t leave a stump larger than six (6) inches off the ground
A valid permit MUST be attached to each tree before it is removed from the site at which it is cut and MUST remain on the tree in transit
Make sure you are on National Forest System lands
Respect private property owners by not trespassing
Permits are not valid in timber sale areas or within 150 feet of any recreation sites
Tips for a Good Experience
Give yourself time
Hunting down the perfect tree is going to take longer than it would at a Christmas tree farm. Trees will likely be spread out and you will need to do some driving or hiking around to locate your tree. Don’t head out right before dark.
Dress for the experience
Wear the cute boots and scarves for photos but have sturdy equipment in your car in case that doesn’t measure up to the weather.
Think before you drive
Most national forest roads are not snowplowed in the winter. Choose the roads you choose to navigate wisely based on your vehicle’s performance capabilities.
Tell someone where you’re going
National forests may have spotty to poor cell service. Let someone know where you are going and when you’ll be back.
MI Christmas Tree Farms
If heading up north to the National Forest to get a Christmas tree is not something you’re up for, we have a roundup of plenty of awesome Christmas Tree Farms to check out around West Michigan, the Kalamazoo area, and the Lansing region as well.
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Thank you for providing such detailed information on the National Forest tree-cutting process; really appreciate it! : )