Whether it’s a family tradition or your first excursion, searching the Black Hills for the perfect fresh-cut Christmas tree is an event guaranteed to be memorable.
With two weeks until Christmas Day, there is still plenty of time to purchase a $10 Black Hills National Forest Christmas Tree Permit. All permits expire Dec. 31 and are available at most Black Hills Forest Service offices in western South Dakota and northeast Wyoming. White spruce, ponderosa pine and western juniper trees are available to cut with a purchased permit.
Remember, trees may not be cut in developed recreation sites, Forest Service administrative sites, active timber sales, the Black Hills Experimental Forest near Rochford, the Black Elk Wilderness, the Beaver Park area near Sturgis, or within Spearfish Canyon.
If this is your first time or you just need a refresher, fear not. Each permit comes with a handout form the Forest Service with details about proper tree removal. For more information and where to purchase permits visit fs.usda.gov.
