For year , my kid and I have been cut down our own Christmas trees — from a national forest , no less .
It ’s been abeloved family traditionever sincewe motivate to Oregonand chance on that we could get a beautiful tree diagram in the wild for only five bucks !
And it ’s not just the chopping - it - down part that ’s particular ( although we have intercourse to yell“Tiiiimberrrr!”as we see it go down ) , it ’s also the memory board made around the day : thesmell of fresh evergreens , the snowshoe and transverse - country ski adventures we flip on , the little treats we bring in the car , the impromptu sledding and snowball fights , and the dinners we always grab at our best-loved restaurants on the way home .
If you live in Oregon , rationalise your own Christmas Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree from one of the national forests here is a refreshing attempt you must seek at least once . And today , I ’m going to spill a few secrets as to where , what , and how the best manner to go about it are .
Is it legal to cut down a tree in Oregon?
Waaait a mo … you think you’re able to just walk into a interior forest and swerve down any tree you want ? Just like that ?
Yes , it ’s on-key . Many the great unwashed are surprised to hear that not only is it perfectly legal to chop down a holiday tree in Oregon , it ’s actually encouraged and get by by the National Forest Service .
Removing a tree to enjoy in your own house actually improve the overall health of the forest , as it helps allocate more sun , water , nutrients , and infinite to the balance of the trees . The U - cut programme make more favorable growing conditions in the national forests to check there will be harvestable Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree in long time to come .
In short , trim down a Christmas tree ( and make a playfulness tradition while doing so ) is one diminished way you may contribute to forest refurbishment . Here in Central Oregon , the program also save our ponderosa forests by cut out other mintage that jeopardise to take over .
According to The Nature Conservancy and Deschutes Land Trust , in a post written for theDeschutes Collaborative Forest Project :
After nearly a century of fight to keep naturally come about , dispirited - saturation fires out of our woodland , many of our ponderosa pine forests in Central Oregon are becoming overgrown with small and average - sized white fir tree Tree . [ … ]
Historically these blanched firs would have been kept at Laurus nobilis by the frequency of the lifelike fires that kept our pine tree forests healthy . That ’s where you come in ; by cutting your own white fir tree Christmas tree diagram you ’re playing part of the office that raw fires used to run and assist restore our forests — one Christmas tree at a clip .
While they specifically call out white firs , there is typically no limitation on the character of tree diagram you may reap for your uranium - cut Christmas tree . ( But always go over with your local woodland district , as some species may be prohibited in sure areas . )
Therearerules about where and how to cut down a tree properly ( which I ’ll get to below ) , but for the most part , you could take your pick of almost any tree under 12 feet marvelous in Oregon ’s national forests .
When do Christmas tree permits go on sale?
Recreation.gov , National Forest Service part , and take part brick - and - howitzer vendors typically start selling Christmas Tree Permits for Oregon in mid - November .
How much is a Christmas tree permit in Oregon?
Each Oregon Christmas Tree Permit be $ 5 ( up to a uttermost of five permit per household ) . If buying online throughRecreation.gov , there ’s a $ 2.50 convenience fee added per order .
If you have a fourth- or fifth - grad student participating in the federal Every Kid Outdoors program , your phratry is eligible for a free Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree license .
How to get an Oregon Christmas tree permit
Before you point out , you ’ll take to purchase an Oregon Christmas Tree Permit online , or from one of several brick - and - trench mortar vendors .
you could bribe up to five permits per menage . Each permit is good for one tree diagram , no matter the size of it . This is where most people ca n’t believe that a pertly cut Christmas Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree can be had for only $ 5 !
To corrupt online , go tothis page in Recreation.govand case “ Oregon ” into the search boxwood . A list of 12 home forests will pop up ; select the one closest to you .
Specify how many tree you ’d like to cut , pay , and print your Christmas Tree Permit at once .
If you prefer to pick up the licence on your way to the forest , each Forest Service maintains a current list of all local vendors that sell tree license . you could find one stuffy to you by select your forest district below :
Hand them $ 5 , they ’ll pass you a fluorescent tree tag , and you ’re good to go . Tree permit are not tied to any date , so you may even corrupt them a few days in forward motion . Occasionally , there ’s a map usable ( just postulate ) that give some clues as to where you may cut your Christmas tree diagram .
Once you chop up down your tree , add on the tag to the tree trunk and dilute it on your elevator car . Just check that the tag is seeable during conveyance and you ’re ready to bring in it home !
Special Note
If you have a fourth- or fifth - grade child in your household , that student can participate in the federalEvery Kid Outdoorsprogram , which gives fourth- and fifth - graders a free Christmas tree permit ( among many other cool benefit ) . All they have to do is fill in their fling / voucher number when they bribe their tree permit online atRecreation.gov .
Rules for cutting a Christmas tree in a national forest
While Oregon is fairly lax when it comes to harvesting Christmas tree diagram in its interior forest , it certainly does n’t want people taking down trees all nilly - willy .
So , the Forest Service has install a few ground rules :
( observe : These regulation are current as of clock time of writing , but always fit with your local forest district for change and exclusion . )
Ideally , you want to cut a tree diagram from a densely afforest area since it will help the forest thrive . When in incertitude , follow the guidelines print on the back of your tree Trachinotus falcatus . Please adhere to the rule to keep this lovely tradition going for future coevals .
Choosing a tree
Although you’re able to cut down a tree in many parts of Oregon , living in Bend , Oregon(where I am ) has the advantage of being fence in by interior timberland ground . The township ’s westernmost border is confine almost totally by the Deschutes National Forest , an outdoor wonderland brimming with conifer of all types , depending on elevation .
At down elevations near Bend and Sisters , you ’ll mostly see lodgepole pines and ponderosa true pine . Some people even harvest juniper trees as a quirky Christmas tree alternative !
Drive to high-pitched elevations in the Cascades , and that ’s where you ’ll find the more sought after Douglas firs , livid firs , incense cedars , and several types of spruces .
If you live over the hill near Mt. Hood or Willamette National Forests , the most uncouth varieties are noble , balsam , Douglas , and Pacific silver firs .
Quick Tip
When you ’re out hike in summer and spot a potential candidate for a Christmas tree diagram , drop a flag or save the GPS coordinates on your sound . Then , you ’ll know where to come back for your tree diagram in winter ! My husband and I also wish to do this for potential new plantation to explore that we ’d otherwise lack when everything looks unlike under a blanket of Charles Percy Snow .
The Noble fir is the top Oregon Christmas tree diagram metal money , and in fact , the stately 75 - animal foot - tallCapitol Christmas Tree in 2018was glean from our very own Willamette NF .
One thing to roll in the hay when trace for your Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree is that you ’re not probable to witness the to the full symmetrical A - line tree you ’re used to buying . Commercially arise trees are pruned throughout their lifespan hertz for shape and sizing , and grow into dead shaggy-haired holiday centerpiece with help from irrigation . In the wild , the thoroughgoing tree diagram is hard to find .
concern : Why theinner conifer needle on your evergreen plant tree turn yellow or brown
Conifers in a forest tend to have bald side , can sometimes look a little scraggly , and are n’t always consistent in shape . Let ’s just say … they tend to be more Charlie Brown , and less Hallmark card . But sometimes “ almost perfect ” turns into perfect when you deliberate the experience of it all .
When you find a good candidate , be sure to see it from all angle to make certain you ’re glad with how it wait . If a certain Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree you love is a bit bare on one side but otherwise full and downlike everywhere else , you may place it against a rampart where no one will notice the missing branches .
The best places to find and cut your own Christmas tree
Anyone who ’s ever cut their own Christmas tree every twelvemonth as a dear custom guards their mystical spot with a heat . It ’s like prove to find out where their favorite berth to hunt for morel is !
But I ’m willing to give up a few of my try - and - reliable spots in Central Oregon because honestly , there ’s plenty to go around and as you explore the forests , you ’ll belike line up your own extra situation that you ’ll require to return to year after twelvemonth .
Important Note
To park in most Sno - Parks ( destine snow playing period areas ) , you ’ll need anOregon Sno - Park Permit . you’re able to get this at any DMV office , sport good store , or participating retail merchant before you head out , and expose it on your dashboard when you park .
So , where should you go to cut down your tree ? A lot will look on how adventurous you ’re feeling .
If you require easygoing access , it does n’t get any wanton thanWanoga Sno - Park , just 14 naut mi southwest of Bend on Cascade Lakes Highway .
Yep , this is the same place where tiddler wing down steep glacial sleigh hill on shaping discs , so you could make an intact day of it with your adrenaline - loving family .
There ’s ample parking in the Sno - Park , which is plowed all wintertime , and you do n’t even have to take the air that far to find a Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree .
My suggestion is to park on the westernmost remainder of the lot ( near the trailers and toy haulers ) and hike up up the snowmobile paths into the surrounding forest . You ’ll discover plenty of true fir Tree here and can go as far as your legs will take you . ( Though keep in mind you ’ll be hauling a tree back out on the same trail ! )
Virginia Meissner Sno - Parkis another easy option just down the road from Wanoga , but the parking lot is smaller so it might get crowded on weekends .
If you could snag a parking patch , however , this is a fun property to snowshoe in search of your Christmas tree diagram . ( Just be certain you quell off the Nordic trail . ) you may easily drag your tree back out on a sledge ; fetch rope to secure it so you could pull it over your berm .
Honestly , you ca n’t go wrong anywhere in the Cascade Mountains and it ’s only a 20- to 30 - minute private road from Bend . Though Cascade Lakes Highway terminates at Mount Bachelor in winter , there are lots of pull - offs on the drive where you may park and head into the forest to find your tree .
Most people do n’t want to walk very far to hunt for and cut down their trees . That mean the best tree along the forest road tend to be targeted first and you ’ll mostly find stump in the more democratic areas . But hike just a twosome hundred feet in from the road , and your selection widen much more .
Another Sno - Park I like isRay Benson Sno - Park , about 22 miles northwest of Sisters . This spot is standardised to Wanoga in that there are ski and snowmobile trails all over , so it ’s well-to-do to hike up through the forest to find your perfect Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree .
The only drawback is sometimes this stead can be loud with exhaust fumes fill the air if you go on a busy weekend , and it ’s heavy to get away the dissonance since the trail are so popular with snowmobile . But , the change of trees here ( including fir , spruce , and cedar tree ) may be worth it .
If you get favourable and get the place almost to yourself , you also get to revel the mini sled hills on the edge of the parking raft ( not prescribed ones , just fun little hills to get a bit crazy on ) .
For an off - road escapade , a really neat place to explore is the forestnear Tumalo Fallsjust alfresco of Bend . This is close to the wireless tower that you may see from town , and on a exculpated day , you get gorgeous purview of Mount Bachelor on your journeying .
The road will bulge to raze off and you could pull off anywhere in the next few mi to begin your hunting . If you have your philia set on an subtle fir tree diagram , this is the place to detect it !
Another easy daub to happen a fir tree tree is 47 miles south of Bend , near the town of Crescent . Take Highway 97 south and fall a ripe onCrescent Cutoff Road . You ’ve have your pick of trees in the forest here — just pull off anywhere that look like it has electric potential .
It ’s a little far for Bend resident ( who typically end up near Mount Bachelor ) but makes for a smashing day trip precisely because of that . You ’re not going to get the same bunch on Thanksgiving weekend this far to the south , and any weekend after that , you ’ll have the trails all to yourself .
My family like to take Crescent Cutoff Road and keep go away to Odell Lake , which is a hidden four - season gemstone . Out there , you could compact a breeze to savor lakeside or you could make a pit stop at Odell Lake Lodge for lunch or dinner party . Or , you’re able to plan forward and book a stay in one of the cabins , with the Christmas tree cutting as your terrific finale to the weekend .
So , where do I personally like to go every year for my tree?Sshhhhh … I ca n’t disclose the accurate location ( wink ) but I ’ll say that my family and I like to head north toward Hoodoo Ski Area for our Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree - cutting adventure .
We just love driving up the view corridor on Highway 20 when the shower are blanketed in snow . Any exculpation we have to head that direction in winter , we take it .
I also adore spruce trees — they just finger very Christmas - y to me — and they ’re much more prevailing in the higher elevations near Santiam Pass .
Even though we ’ve been to all the berth I bring up above , our preferred — and one that we ’ve build an all - sidereal day , action - pack tradition around with our kids — is still the Santiam area .
Safety checklist before you head out
Please learn from my ally Lisa , who documented herChristmas Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree cutting risky venture go wrong . gratefully her narration had a well-chosen ending , but it shows how an innocent sashay can easily wrick into a bad situation ( and in her type , a call to hunting and delivery ) .
1. Check the weather.
You might not want to channelize out for your Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree - cut risky venture if the forecast is calling for snow . Remember that snowfall flurry in town can well be several inches of nose candy at higher natural elevation , so plan your 24-hour interval accordingly .
2. Know where you’re going.
Have a couple of spots in mind before you exit the house , and have intercourse exactly how you ’re perish to get there . Be sure to download an offline map to your phone , or have a print map with you . Cell receipt is patched to non - real in the Cascades .
match for route closures ( I recommend usingTripCheck ) and quash take shortcuts , especially if there ’s snow on the road . It ’s leisurely to get sucked into the Romance language and escapade of picking the perfect tree , only to discover the forest route you ’ve been exploring suddenly find too deep .
3. Make sure you have a full tank of gas.
It can go on to anyone . Waiting hours for AAA to come incur you on a distant mountain route is not exactly a fun elbow room to end your Clarence Shepard Day Jr. .
4. Pack plenty of warm clothes and snow-proof layers.
The weather in Oregon is notoriously unpredictable , and what lead off out as a ardent , sunny day can quickly turn into a cold , stormy twenty-four hour period with niggling warning . ( Not to mention , temperature in the mountains can waver 30 degrees between forenoon and late afternoon when the sun set . )
Always pack a few more stratum than you think you ’ll need , include a fleece , puffy coating , beanie , and baseball glove ( preferably windproof / waterproof ) . Wear winter boot with non - cotton socks , and consider impart waterproof gaiter or snow drawers to keep you ironical on your field day .
Kids constantly end up inhume in Baron Snow of Leicester ( or slushy mud ) in a fit of giggle , so backpack their snowsuit and bring a variety of clothes for them too . ( curb out my taste - and - on-key ma recommendations fordressing babies and toddlers for insensate wintertime weather . )
5. Bring snacks, water, and warm drinks.
Even if you do n’t cerebrate you ’ll be out more than a couple hour , throw a few protein bars in the car along with your trusty Hydro Flask .
I also like to contribute a thermos satisfy with live deep brown or red-hot cider as a post - hunt dainty for the kids . ( The grown - ups , meanwhile , prefer ours spiked with a scene of bourbon . “ Liquid layers , ” as I like to call it . Thismulled wine-coloured recipealso hits the topographic point . )
For bonus points , satiate a thermos with ahot , satisfying chilito enjoy in the parking pot afterward !
6. Make sure you have all the tools and equipment you’ll need.
A fully charged phone , first aid kit , handsaw or chainsaw , and strap or tie - John L. H. Down are the bare minimum of what ’s required .
You might also want pruning shears to remove low - hanging branches ; work gloves for draw your tree back to the gondola ; a tarp to protect the roof ; a sled you could use to pull your tree through the snow ; snowshoe , cross - country skis , or perchance even ababy chariotwith across - rural area ski kitfor exploring less accessible areas ; and tyre chains and a snow spadeful ( if you do n’t have 4WD and winter - value tires ) .
Emergency cogwheel like torch and blankets are always a good approximation , especially if you ’re like my family and love to milk the whole day . We usually discover ourselves traipsing out of the woods at sunset and more than once , we ’ve ended a hiking with headlamp on .
And of course of action , do n’t forget your Christmas Tree Permit and Oregon Sno - Park Permit !
revelation : If you shop from my article or make a purchase through one of my links , I may receive commissions on some of the mathematical product I recommend .
U-cut Christmas tree essentials (don’t leave home without them!)
How to make your Christmas tree last longer
The mantrap of cutting down your own Christmas tree diagram in a national forest is you know just how fresh it is — which is key to help your tree flourish and pull through the holidays .
Once it reaches the closing of its biography , you canrepurpose your old Christmas treein many clever ways around your domicile and garden .
Is all of this sounding a spot too daunting ? Considergetting a potted Christmas tree and implant it in your yardafter the holidays !
