Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest: Firewood Permits (2026)
Price posted
How to get a personal-use firewood permit on the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest in Wisconsin: what it costs, how much you can cut, when, and the key rules.
Quick facts
- Price: $5 per cord. $20 minimum for 4 cords.
- How much: 4 cords minimum, 12 cords maximum per person per year.
- Season: Not stated on the official page.
How much does it cost?
- $5 per cord.
- $20 minimum for 4 cords.
How much wood can I cut?
- 4 cords minimum, 12 cords maximum per person per year.
When can I cut?
- Not stated on the official page.
How do I get a permit?
What's E-Permits? It's the Forest Service's own online permit website. You pick your forest, pay (or get a free permit), and print it. Most forests say a printed copy is required.
- Buy in person at a forest office during business hours, or online through E-Permits.
Rules to know
- Only dead trees may be cut.
- Standing dead trees 18 inches or less across (at 4.5 feet) may be felled.
- Larger ones may not.
- Stumps may be no taller than 10 inches.
- No live trees unless the District Ranger allows it in writing.
- No cutting within 100 feet of beaver ponds, lakes, streams or rivers.
- Take wood only within 150 feet of an open road.
Before you go
- Check fire restrictions the day you cut. Chainsaw use is often limited or banned in hot, dry weather.
- Cut only on National Forest land in open areas, never on private, state, tribal or BLM land.
- Stay on open roads. Use the forest's Motor Vehicle Use Map.
- Keep firewood local. Moving it can spread insects and diseases that kill trees.
What to bring:
- Your permit and load tickets or tags (printed, if bought online)
- A chainsaw with a working spark arrester, or a hand saw or ax
- A shovel and a fire extinguisher (many forests require them)
- Gloves, eye and ear protection, and sturdy boots
- A truck or trailer that can carry the weight (a full cord can weigh thousands of pounds)
Cutting a Christmas tree? See the Chequamegon-Nicolet Christmas tree permit page.
Sources
More firewood in Wisconsin: All forests · Wisconsin state page
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.