Making Plans to Cut Your Christmas Tree near Red Feather Lakes

Fort Collins, Colo.  – Looking for the perfect spot to cut down your own Christmas tree? The cutting area on the Canyon Lakes Ranger District near Red Feather Lakes is open Saturday, Dec. 2 through Sunday, Dec. 10, 2017, and permits are on sale beginning Monday, Nov 27.

Tree cutters can get their $10 permit (cash only) from the:

Canyon Lakes Ranger District office (2150 Centre, Ave., Building E, Fort Collins, closed Wednesdays),

Pawnee National Grassland office (115 N. 2nd Ave., Ault, Colo.)

or at the Red Feather cutting area on the sale weekends.

The cutting area entrance is open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. For safety reasons, visitors are asked to be out of the area by 4 p.m. For cutting during the week, permits must be purchased in advance from one of the offices listed above, but please note the Canyon Lakes office is closed on Wednesdays. Smokey Bear will share his fire prevention message with tree cutters on weekends from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., so make sure to pack your camera.

Visitors have been cutting Christmas trees in this vicinity for more than 30 years. Remember, this area never runs out of permits or trees! More than 3,000 trees are cut annually in this area.

It can get cold while looking for your tree, remember to dress for the weather. You also need the right tools to cut your tree and secure it to your vehicle; no chainsaws are allowed. Make sure your vehicle has four wheel drive (not all wheel drive) or chains or traction devices (not socks). They are required to enter the cutting area.

The cutting area is located north of Fort Collins, south of Red Feather Lakes. Take Highway 287 north of Fort Collins for 21 miles. At Livermore, turn left onto Red Feather Lakes Road (County Road 74E) and travel approximately 16 miles to the Boy Scout Road (County Road 68C). Turn left on the Boy Scout Road and drive seven miles to the entrance of the cutting area. Signs or staff will provide directions the rest of the way.

For more information about cutting your own tree, please contact the visitor information office in Fort Collins at 970-295-6700.  The Sulphur Ranger District also has Christmas tree cutting near Winter Park. Information on both these sites is available online at www.fs.usda.gov/goto/arp/xmastrees.

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