With the start of December, it’s time to grab your own Christmas tree for the holidays! The permits to cut down your own Christmas tree in the Black Hills National Forest have opened for the season.
Here’s some information on how it all works:
The permit only costs $10! It enables people to cut a tree within certain boundaries of the national forest all the way until December 31.
The largest size for you tree is up to 20 feet tall, and a stump with a maximum diameter of six inches. You must leave no more than six inches of stump, and if there is snow, move it away from the tree so you can measure accurately. Cut the entire tree down. You can only take up to five trees, no more than that.
According to Recreation.gov, trees cannot be cut in recreation sites like campgrounds and picnic areas. Additionally, they can’t be cut in administrative sites, Beaver Park near Sturgis, the Black Hills Experimental Forest near Rochford, Black Elk Wilderness Area, active timber sales, or within Spearfish Canyon.