As Thanksgiving passes, we know that the next item on the Holiday To-Do list: Picking out the perfect Christmas tree. For those of you who don’t know, Colorado has some amazing opportunities to go cut down your own real, authentic Christmas tree right from the ground.
While some might think that cutting down a tree is wrong, it’s actually good for the environment because it helps regulate overgrowth of trees in the forest, and the Department of Agriculture actually encourages people to go cut their own trees—in designated areas and spots that are officially part of their Christmas Tree Program, of course. So as long as you follow the rules, you’re good to go.
Where You Can Cut Down Trees
The United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service offers a map of Colorado that shows the designated areas where you can cut down trees. At this map, you can find an area closest to you, click through, and find out about the Christmas Tree Program happening in that area.
Christmas Tree Program map: https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5398072.html
Getting A Permit
You will also need a permit to cut in state and national park areas, so once you figure out where you’d like to go (using the resource above), please call that specific program and ask about the permit.
Other Christmas Tree Farms
You can also check out a bunch of Christmas Tree Farms that will be happening all over Colorado. This website offers a handy-dandy list of farms and where they are located wherever you may be wanting to go and pick out a tree:
Christmas Tree Farms website:
http://www.pickyourownchristmastree.org/COxmastrees.php