CIBOLA COUNTY, N.M. – As Christmas week arrives, families in Cibola County still have time to cut their own holiday tree on Mt. Taylor or take advantage of reduced-fee permits on nearby Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands.
On the Cibola National Forest, Christmas tree permits remain available for the Mt. Taylor, Magdalena and Mountainair ranger districts, including the Mt. Taylor Ranger District based in Grants. The cutting season runs from Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 27, through Dec. 31.
Each permit is valid for one tree, with a limit of two trees per household.
Prices are $10 for a tree up to 10 feet tall, $12 for up to 12 feet, and $15 for up to 15 feet, which is the maximum allowed height. Forest staff remind visitors to park only where allowed and note that regular day-use fees may still apply at some recreation sites.
Permits can be purchased online at www.recreation. gov/tree-permits by searching for “Cibola National Forest Christmas Tree Permits,” or in person at the Cibola National Forest Supervisor’s Office and ranger district offices. Office hours for in-person sales are posted at www.fs.usda.gov/r03/cibola/ offices. Fourth graders with an Every Kid Outdoors pass are eligible for one free Christmas tree permit, with a $2.50 online reservation fee still applied.
On BLM lands, a new “One Dollar, One Tree” initiative is reducing many personal- use permit fees – including Christmas tree and firewood permits – to $1 in New Mexico through Jan. 31.
Previously, Christmas tree permits were $5 per tree. The BLM has also increased household limits to up to three Christmas trees and up to 10 cords of firewood.
BLM permits and maps may be obtained online at forestproducts.blm.gov for some locations or over the counter at field offices, including Rio Puerco (Albuquerque), Socorro, Farmington, Taos, and the New Mexico State Office in Santa Fe. For general questions about BLM Christmas tree permits, residents can contact the BLM New Mexico State Office at (505) 954-2000.