Guide to Cutting Your Own Christmas Tree Near Albuquerque

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Tramping through the snowy woods to cut down your own Christmas tree could be the highlight of your holiday. Find out where to go by scrolling down.

Guide to Cutting Your Own Christmas Tree Near Albuquerque

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All locations require a permit and a small fee in order to cut down your own tree. They also have limitations and certain specifications regarding the size of your tree. Click on each place for more info.

Carson National Forest

Taos, NM
  • The tree may be cut or dug up and removed as a transplant. The ground starts freezing as early as November. Please fill in the hole created when digging up a live tree.
  • Do not cut or transplant Bristlecone Pine
  • Stump height: 6 inches maximum
  • Each permit is $5 (for any species) up to 10 feet, $10 for over 10 feet – up to 15 feet, and $15 for over 15 feet – up to 20 feet
  • Take the whole tree. Do not remove the top of the tree. Cut down the entire tree.

Cibola National Forest

Albuquerque, NM
  • The tree cutting season begins on November 6 and runs through December 29.
  • Each permit is good for one tree. Two trees per household may be purchased.
  • Tree Height: 10 feet maximum. Trees taller than 10 feet will cost an additional $1 per foot.

Gila National Forest

Silver City, NM
  • Tree Height: 10 feet maximum
  • Take the whole tree. Do not remove the top of the tree. Cut down the entire tree.
  • If snow is on the ground, remove it from around the stump so you can accurately measure the stump and tree height.

Jemez Mountains

Jemez, NM

See Santa Fe National Forest for rules.


Lincoln National Forest

Alamogordo, NM
  • Tree Height: 10 feet maximum
  • Take the whole tree. Do not remove the top of the tree. Cut down the entire tree.
  • If snow is on the ground, remove it from around the stump so you can accurately measure the stump and tree height.

Santa Fe National Forest

Santa Fe, NM
  • Tree Height: 10 or 15 feet maximum, depending on permit
  • Stump diameter: 5 inches maximum
  • Take the whole tree. Do not remove the top of the tree. Cut down the entire tree.
  • If snow is on the ground, remove it from around the stump so you can accurately measure the stump and tree height.

ABQ Mom Team Recommendations

“We cut down our own tree every year on my aunt’s property in Sandia Park, but one year we got our tree from the Jemez near the Redondo Camp Ground. Tip: you need to buy a permit ahead of time, but you can get your tree anywhere in the national forest area that you purchased the permit for.”
-Dena F.

“My favorite memory is when we went to Jemez to cut down a tree a few years ago. A family was stuck in the snow and my dad tried to pull them out. My dad ended up stuck. We all worked together to dig through the snow and try to get the trucks back onto the road. The women went out to chop down the trees and haul them back to the trucks while the men worked. Thank goodness the park rangers showed up. They pulled us out and we all got home just as it was starting to get dark. Even though this could have been seen as a major fail, it was one of the best days of my life.”
-Margo T.

“Our family goes to cut down a tree in the Jemez every year on the day after Thanksgiving. It’s almost always a little sparse and usually way too big for our house. And honestly, it’s a lot of work. But my kids absolutely love it. It’s one of our favorite days of the year, and I think they’d revolt if we tried to do something different. We make a campfire in the woods (don’t worry, we double and triple-check that we put the fire out well). And I cook turkey soup on a camping stove with leftovers from Thanksgiving dinner. The videos and photos we have of our family and this sweet tradition are some of my most cherished possessions.”
-Vanessa B.

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