CADILLAC — The Huron-Manistee National Forests has Christmas tree permits for purchase online through Recreation.gov.

Details about designated cutting areas, dates, and types of trees that may be cut can be found on the Huron-Manistee National Forests Christmas Tree Permit webpage.

Permits can also be purchased in-person from the forest’s district offices between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays except federal holidays through Dec. 24, 2025.

“Venturing into a local national forest to find that special tree is an experience that creates treasured family memories and stories,” said U.S. Forest Service Chief Randy Moore. “It is through these experiences that people establish important connections to the forest that can lead to a lifetime of adventures and instill a commitment to stewardship.”

To purchase a Christmas tree permit, visit Recreation.gov. Visitors will need to create or log in to a Recreation.gov account to complete the transaction. Additionally, Every Kid Outdoors pass/voucher holders are eligible for a free Christmas tree permit by checking the box indicating you have a pass and entering the pass or voucher number. Keep in mind that $2.50 service fee applied at checkout for electronic transactions.

Trees are $5 dollars each, with a five-tree limit per household.

“Bringing home a Christmas tree from the Huron-Manistee National Forests is a cherished tradition carried on for generations by over 500 people annually,” said Deputy Forest Supervisor Sierra Dawkins. “For families creating new traditions, a trip to the national forests to cut their own Christmas tree may be a thrilling experience as they discover the joy of hiking through the forest in search of the perfect holiday centerpiece.

“Cutting a Christmas tree also improves forest health, helping to thin densely populated stands of small-diameter trees,” Dawkins added. “Removing these trees in designated areas helps other trees grow larger and can open areas that provide food for wildlife.”

Families should plan carefully to ensure a safe and successful Christmas tree cutting adventure. Good planning begins with a map. Knowing where you will begin your search while still at home will save hours in the field.

Try to wait for a few hard frosts and consistently cold days before harvesting a Christmas tree, as evergreen species fall into a state of hardened dormancy for winter. Their needles form a heavy, waxy coating called cutin to help prevent moisture loss and they’re less likely to react to sunlight and warm indoor temperatures.

It is recommended that the permit holders utilize the Michigan Department of Natural Resources MI Hunt application, an interactive map, to cross-reference vegetation layers with the U.S. Forest Service fuelwood cutting maps to navigate to the permissible areas that have conifers. Grab a Motor Vehicle Use Map, too! Downloadable as a PDF and geo-referenced, the map allows you to see where you are traveling and keeps you within the forest on roads that are open to motorized travel.

Everyone going on the adventures should wear warm, waterproof clothing. Hunting is part of fall recreation in the forest, and you may encounter hunters while in the woods. Wear blaze orange and be highly visible so hunters can see you. If you take the family pet, be sure they are on a leash and decked with blaze orange so as not to be mistaken for prey.

Pack the following items:

∫ a handsaw or similar instrument to cut your tree,

∫ pruning shears to trim low-hanging branches near the tree’s stump,

∫ rope or cables to secure the tree to your vehicle,

∫ and food and water.

The Huron-Manistee National Forests recommend budgeting several hours to locate and cut a Christmas tree.

It is also important to tell a friend or neighbor where you are going and when you will be back, and to be prepared for unplowed forest roads. Cellular reception is spotty at best, so be sure that your battery is charged and periodically check your coverage bars as you move across the landscape.

Those who are harvesting a Christmas tree from the Huron-Manistee National Forests should adhere to the following guidelines:

∫ Harvest trees only on National Forest System lands that are open for cutting (see fuelwood maps).

∫ Cut only conifers that are less than 20 feet tall.

∫ Do not cut cedar or hemlock trees.

∫ Ensure that stumps are less than six inches tall.

∫ Cut trees for personal use only.

∫ Attach a valid Christmas tree tag to each tree before removing it from the site at which it was cut.

∫ Keep the tag attached to trees in transit.

Once the tree is back home, make a clean straight cut across the trunk. It will take three to four hours for the tree to heal over with dried sap. Also, keep in mind that the first cut allows air to get into the plant tissues and disrupt the tree’s ability to absorb water. Cutting the trunk again helps prep the tree so it can hydrate properly.

Place the tree into a bucket of fresh water and keep it in a cold environment in a garage or porch, preferably above freezing but below 45 degrees. Trees can absorb as much as a gallon of water in the first 24 hours, so it’s crucial that the tree stays well hydrated.

Once ready to be moved indoors to be decorated, remember that warmer environments trigger the tree to take up more water and can also prompt the tree to begin to grow. Consider lowering the thermostat to slow the hydration process and locating the tree to a less sunny location in the house.

Keep at least two inches of the trunk submerged in plain, clean water at all times to prevent sap from forming over the base.

A freshly cut Christmas tree will last four to five weeks from the time it is cut. If the needles begin dropping more frequently overnight, that’s a sign that it’s time to take it down. Dry trees indoors can easily become fire hazards.

Even after the holidays are over, Christmas trees still have some life left in them. Save the boughs to mulch garden beds, make kindling for backyard bonfires, or upcycle the wood into countless craft and DIY projects.

If that sounds too much like work, then consider moving it outside to create a bird sanctuary or wildlife habitat or just compost it in the garden.