The best $5 dollars you’ll spend this Christmas.
Yep, we've said it a few times already and even started a festival this year named after the local Douglas firs – but we can't help say it again, the Hood Canal area really has earned its title of “Christmas Tree Capital of the Nation.” Along with plenty of local U-Cut farms you can harvest your own tree in the Olympic National Forest for $5 – for less than the cost of a Vente Mocha at Starbucks.
Local u-cut and pre-cut farms around Hood Canal continue to “Keep it Real” by producing some of the finest Nobles, Grands, Frasers as well as Douglas Firs. Northwest growers claim that real trees help the environment and are recyclable and biodegradable while artificial trees will eventually end up in a landfill.
Annually many families head to local farms to select their favorite and enjoy holiday activities like hayrides, petting zoos and visits with Santa. There’s hardly anything that’s more quintessentially Christmas than decorating a handpicked Pacific Northwest Christmas tree and gathering your family around a tree that you brought home together from Hood Canal.
If you head to a U-Cut farm instead, call before you go to confirm their supply, their hours, whether they have trees, are allowing choose-and-cut or just precut trees; and which attractions or winter activities are available. All three can change, due to weather, demand and the farmer's business conditions! Since the season is so short they often don’t have websites, so please check before you go!
Olympic National Forest
Dreaming of heading to the forest and cutting your own? It’s time to begin a new family tradition!
Olympic Forest Permits are still just $5 and are good for one U-cut tree on the Olympic National Forest. Up to five permits may be purchased at any Olympic National Forest office or online at www.recreation.gov/tree-permits. The season runs Fri, Oct 13, 2023 - Sun, Dec 31, 2023.
There are plenty to choose from and the selective picking allows other trees in the forest room for healthy growth.
Before you go –
Check the latest weather conditions, forest warnings and road closures before you leave on your trip, conditions can deteriorate rapidly in the mountains. Make sure to bring a map and don’t rely on GPS because it may not be up-to-date with forest service roads. Dress warmly and take extra dry clothes. Remember, the forest service roads are not plowed. Carry tire chains, shovel(s) and a tow chain.
Things to know –
Tools you might want to consider bringing with you include a measuring tape to ensure you select a tree that fits in your home; handsaw to cut your tree; gloves to protect your hands; boots to protect your feet; a tarp to sit on and/or to move your tree once it's cut; and rope or straps to secure your tree to your vehicle. Trees may be cut from along roads, from forest plantations and in the understory of older stands. Be sure to be on Forest Service land. Know before you go.
Cut trees only if there is a standing tree within 10 feet to avoid denuding areas. Do not cut trees within 100 feet of campgrounds or trailheads. Any evergreen, 15' maximum, is available for cutting except Western White Pine. Do not remove the top of the tree; cut down the entire tree. Washington State Law requires a hauling permit for hauling more than five trees on/in a vehicle at one time. If the tree is too big to transport inside of your vehicle, wrap it in canvas to prevent wind damage.
Once home, cut the bottom of the trunk off and place the freshly cut trunk in a bucket of water. Replenish the water often. If storing your tree outside for a few days before putting it in the house, keep it in an area protected from the wind, such as the north or east side of your house or under a shaded tree.
Permits may be purchased at any Olympic National Forest office (Quilcene, Hoodsport and Olympia) or online at recreation.gov/tree-permits.