Monongahela National Forest: Cut Your Own Christmas Tree (2026)
Has 2026 info
How your family can cut a Christmas tree on the Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia, 2026 season. Every fact below comes from the forest's official pages, linked at the bottom.
Quick facts
- Price: $5 per tree
- How many: One permit per household; one tree per permit.
- Permit sales: Online sales opened Oct 8, 2026.
- Cutting season: Oct 13 – Dec 31, 2026 (permit season listed on Recreation.gov).
Where can I cut?
- Only on the Greenbrier, Marlinton/White Sulphur and Gauley Ranger Districts.
- Permits are district-specific: buy the permit for the district where you will cut.
- Not within 100 ft of any road.
- Not on private land, in Wildernesses, designated campgrounds, special areas, recreation sites, existing tree plantations, active timber sales or newly planted areas.
- Private land is mixed in with forest land and is shown in white on the cutting-area maps.
When can I buy a permit?
- Online sales opened Oct 8, 2026.
- Cutting season: Oct 13 – Dec 31, 2026 (permit season listed on Recreation.gov).
How much?
- $5 per tree
- Extra fees: Not stated on the listing.
How do I buy it?
What's an online permit? It's a permit you buy on Recreation.gov, the U.S. government's official booking website. You pay there, then follow the instructions that come with your permit.
- Online at Recreation.gov.
- Print the permit and display it on your dashboard.
- Sign and date it before you transport the tree.
- Print the cutting-area map for your district.
Rules to know
- How many: One permit per household.
- One tree per permit.
- Cut a tree with needles, like pine or spruce.
- No hemlock and no hardwoods such as oak or maple.
- No tree over 4 in. in diameter at breast height (4.5 ft) or over 12 ft tall.
- Cut the stump as close to the ground as possible.
- Take the whole tree.
- Don't cut a bigger tree just for the top.
- Pick a tree from a dense group, not an isolated tree in the open.
- Hunting seasons overlap tree season: buck firearms deer season is typically the week of and the week after Thanksgiving. The forest says to wear a blaze orange outer garment (at least 400 sq. in.) or reschedule.
- Forest roads are not plowed. Drive only on roads open to public motor vehicles; no off-road travel.
Before you go
- Check this forest's official page and alerts the week you go. Rules, roads and closures can change.
- Cut only on National Forest land, never on private, state or tribal land.
- Forest roads are often unplowed. Check the weather and road conditions.
- Follow your permit's instructions for carrying, tagging or displaying it.
What to bring:
- Your permit (printed, if your forest asks you to print it)
- A hatchet, ax or saw (check your forest: some ban chainsaws)
- Warm gloves, boots and extra warm clothing
- Rope to tie your tree down
- A flashlight, first aid kit and tire chains
- Water, a hot drink, lunch or snacks (it always takes longer than expected)
Need firewood too? See the Monongahela firewood permit page.
Sources
- Recreation.gov: Monongahela National Forest Christmas Tree Permit
- Forest Service: Christmas Trees (Monongahela)
More in West Virginia: All West Virginia options
Independent site. Forest Permit Finder is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by the USDA Forest Service or Recreation.gov. Permit rules change; always check the official page before you go. Information last verified Oct 2026.