Top 4 Colorado Places to Chop Your Own Christmas Tree
December 1st, 2009 categories: Life In Denver
Have you ever hiked into the woods in early December, trudging through several feet of snow to chop down your own Christmas tree?
Have you ever done it in tennis shoes?
I have, and my former father-in-law never failed to remind me that girls from California should seek footwear advice from a local before heading to the Rockies to chop down a tree in December. (Ex-father in law, you see.) He took great enjoyment from reminding me of that little faux pas.
Which is sort of like my father asking me if I remembered to turn on the oven whenever I’m cooking a turkey. Ha ha!
Colorado offers some lovely places to chop down your own tree. I’ve chosen the top 4 closest to Denver. Most are less than 2 hours away, many even closer. It’s really a treat to hike out into the forest, find just the right tree and haul it back to the car – only to discover that it’s actually 12 feet tall and your ceilings are 8 feet. Beware – the trees look a lot smaller in the forest than they do in your living room.
We went into the national forest at Red Feather Lakes to get our tree. That was fun, good for thinning the forests, and you get a really natural organic tree. Plus, the price is right! Typically $10 for a permit.
1. State and national forests:
Christmas tree permits, which allow you to cut your own Christmas tree on public lands, are now on sale at National Forest/BLM offices and some retail outlets. Permits come with a brochure, which explains regulations and offers helpful tips. National Forest/BLM offices also sell maps and offer free advice on the best areas for tree harvesting, and the best species of tree to cut.
- Denver & Front Range Areas: Four primary cutting areas along the Front Range in the Arapaho, Pike and Roosevelt National Forests serve metro Denver and surrounding communities. See their website for more information on permits, etc.
- Permits: $10 each. One tree per permit. Limit 5 permits per person. All sales are final.
Area Entry Hours: 8:30 am to 2:30 pm – For your safety, no entry is allowed before or after these hours.
2. Colorado state forests:
Christmas tree cutting permits at Golden Gate State Park - A limited number of permits are usually available for the Golden Gate Canyon State Park, just 30 minutes outside of the Denver metro area. This usually takes place over 1 weekend. Areas for both four-wheel and two-wheel drive vehicles will be available, with some hiking required. The tree permits will be available at the Golden Gate Canyon State Park Visitor Center located at 92 Crawford Gulch Road, 15 miles west of Golden. To reach the Visitor Center, turn west on Golden Gate Canyon Road, off of Highway 93. Permits will be sold from 9 am to 4 pm daily, while supplies last. Permits may also be purchased over the phone with a credit card by calling 303-582-3707. Visitors must pick up their permits at the Visitor Center prior to cutting. A detailed map with additional information is provided with each permit. The 2008 permit cost was $20. Permits were discounted to $10 for those with a State Parks Pass.
3. Christmas Tree Acres:
This tree farm has been selling cut-your-own trees since 1986, and the owners are there to help. They point out that a fresh tree will last much longer than trees that were chopped down weeks ago and trucked in from a different climate.
For prices and directions call: 970-284-6061
23003 County Road 39, La Salle.
4. U Cut Tree Farm
This 80-acre lot offers several varieties of trees, including Scotch Pine, Douglas Fir and Blue Spruce. You can ask the owners about the pros and cons of each, but here’s a description from the US Forest Service site.
At U Cut, you’ll drive up for directions and then you can take your car out into the lot to find your perfect tree.
For prices and directions call: 303-660-477011200 Colorado 83, Franktown.
Best wishes from my family to yours for a fun and safe holiday season. Enjoy your Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year’s. Remember that for your 2010 Denver Real Estate needs, I’m just a click away.
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