Adrian Hedden
El Rito Media
achedden@currentargus.com

New Mexico is known for its arid desert and wide-open mountain landscapes, but it’s also thick with forests ideal for finding the best tree this holiday season.

There are several public lands where New Mexicans can cut down their own trees, bring them home and decorate them with ornaments and presents before Christmas Day.

Here’s where and how to harvest your own New Mexico Christmas Tree.

Lincoln National Forest

Lincoln National Forest is situated in south-central New Mexico, around Ruidoso and Alamogordo with the southern area dipping into Eddy County near Carlsbad.

How to get a permit

Permits to cut down Christmas trees in the forest are available from the U.S. Forest Service for $10 and a $2.50 processing fee. Permits can be purchased online at recreation.gov and entitle the holder to cut one Christmas tree on Forest Service land. The permit must be displayed on the vehicle’s dashboard.

The cutting season is from Nov. 14 to Dec. 31.

What are the rules?

The Forest Service advises to avoid cutting on private land, in designated wilderness areas, within 300 feet of a campground or trail, or within 100 feet of a paved road. Cutting is not permitted in active timber sales areas.

Trees must not be taller than 10 feet and cutters must take the whole tree.

How to find a tree and stay safe

Maps of good locations to cut trees are available online where the permit is purchased, and the Forest Service recommends bringing a printout of the map to the forest as GPS and cell service can be spotty in the wilderness.

Roads may or may not be plowed, so shovels and tow chains should be taken, and road closures and weather conditions should be observed in case of heavy snowfall.

How to contact the Forest Service

Questions can be directed to one of four offices in Lincoln National Forest:

Guadalupe District

4 Lost Lodge Rd

Cloudcroft, NM 88317

(575) 682-2551

Sacramento District

4 Lost Lodge Rd

Cloudcroft, NM 88317

(575) 682-2551

Smokey Bear District

901 Mechem Dr

Ruidoso, 88345

(575) 257-4095

Supervisor’s Office

3463 Las Palomas Rd

Alamogordo, NM 88310

(575) 434-7200

Northern New Mexico

A trip up north can afford holiday revelers a chance to cut a tree on Bureau of Land Management land.

How much are they?

The agency, which manages federal land across the state, offers $5 Christmas tree permits at several of its field offices in the northern part of the state where the trees grow.

When and where can I get a permit?

Permits are available starting Nov. 20 at the Farmington and Taos field offices; Nov. 29 for the Socorro office; and Dec. 2 at the Rio Puerco office. Permits can be bought in person or online at forestproducts.blm.gov. Maps are also available at the point of purchase.

Here’s where to inquire about Christmas tree permits through the Bureau of Land Management.

Rio Puerco Field Office

100 Sun Ave., NE, Suite 330

Albuquerque, NM 87109

(505) 761-8700

Socorro Field Office

901 S. Old U.S. Hwy 85

Socorro, NM 87801

(575) 835-0412

New Mexico State Office

301 Dinosaur Trail

Santa Fe, NM 87508

(505) 954-2000

Farmington Field Office

6251 College Blvd

Farmington, NM 87402

(505) 564-7600

Taos Field Office

1024 Paseo del Pueblo Sur

Taos, NM 87571-5983

(575) 758-8851

Adrian Hedden can be reached at 734-972-6855, achedden@currentargus.com or @AdrianHedden on the social media platform X.