Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests: Firewood Permits (2026)
Price posted
How to get a personal-use firewood permit on the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests in Colorado: what it costs, how much you can cut, when, and the key rules.
Quick facts
- Price: $5 per cord. Four-cord minimum ($20).
- How much: 4 cords minimum, 20 cords maximum. Each household may cut and remove up to 20 cords per year.
- Season: Not stated on the official page. Local vendors sell permits during the summer.
How much does it cost?
- $5 per cord.
- Four-cord minimum ($20).
How much wood can I cut?
- 4 cords minimum, 20 cords maximum.
- Each household may cut and remove up to 20 cords per year.
When can I cut?
- Not stated on the official page.
- Local vendors sell permits during the summer.
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 online through E-Permits.
- Some local vendors sell permits in summer (Paonia, Crawford and Hotchkiss).
- Call ahead.
- You must be 18 or older with a valid driver's license, and the person cutting must sign the permit.
Rules to know
- Standing dead and down trees may be cut, except where the permit package restricts it.
- Cutting live trees is prohibited, except where the permit package allows it.
- Read the permit conditions for areas that are closed to cutting.
- All travel restrictions apply.
- Use the Motor Vehicle Use Maps.
- The official page links a 2026 Firewood Information Packet and 2026 Firewood Maps.
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 Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison Christmas tree permit page.
Sources
More firewood in Colorado: Arapaho and Roosevelt · Pike and San Isabel · White River · All forests · Colorado 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.