People get that ornamental feeling every year , as the song (“Shoppin’ Around for a Christmas Tree”) goes. For traditionalistsa word that here means “people who don’t mind getting their hands all scratched and sappy” — nothing will do but a tree they cut themselves.
The least-expensive options are in national forests, where a permit is just $10 per tree. The most convenient tree-cutting sites are in Golden Gate Canyon State Park and the Buffalo Creek area of Pike National Forest. Unfortunately, both areas long ago sold out their limited number of permits.
Drive a little farther, and you’ll find plenty of trees in Arapaho, Pike and Roosevelt National Forests. And, if the permits haven’t yet sold out, two nearby Denver mountain parks.
National Forests fees: $10 per tree, maximum five trees per person; cutting hours typically between 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Cash or checks payable to USDA Forest Service. Permits are sold (cash or money order) at the district ranger’s office, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. For office locations and directions, see the USFS website: , and go to “Click here for Christmas Tree Cutting Information.” Four-wheel drive vehicles or tire chains required to enter cutting area.
