Whether you want to cut your own tree, pick a live tree and have it cut for you, buy a tree already cut or buy a living tree you can plant, this page provides detailed listings of southwestern Colorado's choose-and-cut Christmas tree farms, places to buy pre-cut (also called pre-harvested and fresh-cut) trees, stands, sleigh rides, hay rides and related winter events and fun. Some listings are for tree farms, others are tree lots, and some only offer hay rides, sleigh rides or other winter events. READ EACH LISTING to know what each facility offers. The farms are listed further down this page, so scroll down the page! I'm always looking for more to add, and to correct any inaccuracies or errors, so if you encounter any, please email me!

Tips:

• If the name of the farm is blue with an underline; that's a link to their website. Click on it for the most current hours and information.
• ALWAYS call the farm or store BEFORE YOU GO to confirm their supply, their hours and whether they have trees, are allowing choose-and-cut or just precut trees; and which attractions or winter activities are available.  All three can change during the short Christmas season, due to weather, demand and the farmer's business conditions! Farms get sold, shut down or run out of trees, and I have no way of knowing, because I can't call or visit every farm every month, let alone every day. For more tips to make your trip fun and successful, click here! DON'T DRIVE OUT THERE IF YOU CAN'T REACH THEM BY PHONE OR EMAIL!
• And please tell the farmer you visit in southwestern Colorado that you found their farm here! I need the farmers to realize that you found them here so that they will keep their information up to date!

• To find fruit and vegetable pick-you-own farms, click here.
• Crop availability / harvest schedule for fruit and vegetables, click here
• To find pumpkin patches, corn mazes and other Halloween activities, click here.

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NOTE: BE SURE TO CALL THE FARMS BEFORE YOU GO! 

Click here for permits to cut in National and state forests.

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Listings:

Alamosa County

Archuleta County

Chaffee County

Conejos County

Custer County

Delores County

Delta County

• Ed Hice -  Choose and Cut Christmas trees
  888 2150 Road, Austin, CO 81410. Phone: 970-835-8903.

Fremont County

Gunnison County

Montezuma County

Montrose County

• Christmas Trees at the Cover Bridge / Colorado Conifers -  Choose and Cut Christmas trees, Cut your tree, hayrides, hot apple cider, hot chocolate, wreaths, garland, pre-cut trees, live potted trees, Clydesdale horses. Saws available.
   17249 6250 Road, Montrose, CO. Phone: 970-240-0106. Open: Saturday after Thanksgiving to the Sunday before Christmas, Daily, 9 am to 6 pm. Directions: From Montrose: Go West on Highway 90 to Dave Wood Road (62.50 Road) Turn South on Dave Wood Road 2 ˝ miles right hand side.

Ourey County

Park County

Rio Grande County

Saguache County

San Juan County

San Miguel County

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Events, Other information and related links:

Permits to cut in 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 selected retail outlets in southwestern Colorado. A permit, which costs between $8 and $10 (2008 prices), varies by location, allows you to cut one tree up to 20 feet tall for personal use. This year’s permits expire December 25, 2008 (some locations later, December 31, but what's the point?). Permits come with a brochure, that 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.  See the following links below for specific information by location:

• 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 (click to see a map).  See their website for more information! Core Cutting Dates: December 6-14, 2008
  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.
• Grand Valley District
  • Grand Mesa National Forest
  • Uncompahgre National Forest
  • Grand Valley (includes Grand Mesa and Uncompahgre) Christmas Tree Cutting Guide (PDF, 375 kb)
• Routt National Forest - 2008 Permits are $10 per tree with a maximum of five per household. Have your permit with you when cutting a tree, to be secured to the tree at the time of cutting.
• San Juan National Forest - A 2008 permit, which costs $8, allows you to cut one tree up to 20 feet tall for personal use. The permits expire on December 31.
• White River National Forest - 2008 Permits are $10 per tree and may be purchased at the WRNF offices or the BLM Field Office in Glenwood Springs, Monday through Friday during normal business hours. For additional information, please contact the White River National Forest in Carbondale at 970-963-2266 or the Glenwood Springs BLM Field Office at 970-947-2800.

Colorado state forests:

• Christmas tree cutting permits at Golden Gate State Park - Beginning Nov. 12, a limited number of permits will be available for the Golden Gate Canyon State Park Christmas tree sale, just 30 minutes outside of the Denver metro area.  All cutting activities will take place on Dec. 6 – 7, 2008.  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 is $20, and permit holders are allowed one tree per permit.  Permits will be discounted to $10 for those purchasing a 2008 Annual State Park Pass.  A valid park pass is required on each vehicle.  Daily passes are available at the Visitor Center the day of the cut for $6 per vehicle. Trees must be cut with hand tools, such as a handsaw or an axe; chainsaws and power saws are not prohibited.  Christmas trees up to 15 feet tall or six inches in trunk diameter may be removed.  Tree selections include Douglas Fir, Ponderosa Pine, Lodge Pole Pine and Rocky Mountain Juniper. Permit holders will be assisting Golden Gate Canyon State Park by thinning overcrowded dense vegetation.  This selective thinning will improve the overall forest health and reduce the impacts of future wildfires. For more current information, see this page or contact the Visitor Center at 303-582-3707.

General information

(Some of these external links and the search engine on their website may not work all of the time )

• Christmas Tree Cutting Permits
• Holiday Tree Information for the Pikes Peak Ranger District
• U.S. Forest Service, (303) 275-5350 (regional office in Denver)
  
  

Do you know of any Christmas tree farms or other special Christmas and winter events in southwestern Colorado? Please tell me about them - Click here to write to me!