SOUTH HILLS, Idaho — For families looking to keep a holiday tradition alive, the Sawtooth National Forest is once again offering the chance to cut down a Christmas tree of their own.
WATCH: Families can purchase $10 permits to cut their own Christmas tree in designated areas of the Sawtooth National Forest starting November 13.
For many families, loading up the car, heading into the hills and cutting down their own Christmas tree is a holiday tradition. Thanks to the Sawtooth National Forest, that tradition is still alive.
"It's for sure an American tradition. It's something we've actually supported on the Sawtooth National Forest for as long as we've been a forest," said Nelson Mills, the forest's timber program manager.
Christmas tree permits go on sale Friday, and for $10, each household can harvest one tree, up to 20 feet tall.
Mills said the tradition has been part of the forest's history for generations.
"There have been people harvesting Christmas trees here since the start of the 20th century," Mills said.
Last year, the forest sold more than 5,000 Christmas tree harvest tags.
Where to get a permit and find a tree
The first step is picking up a $10 tree tag. Permits are available at ranger stations, through participating vendors and online at recreation.gov.
Once visitors have their permit, they'll need to find a designated harvesting area.
The forest provides a map showing approved cutting locations, which visitors can also access on their smartphones.
"We do show these spots on an easy-to-use map, and you can use it with your smartphone to geolocate yourself and find where you are on the map and if you can and can't cut in that exact spot," Mills said.
There are also important distance requirements to keep in mind. In the Minidoka Ranger District, which includes the South Hills, visitors must stay at least 300 feet away from water.
Across the forest, trees must be at least 200 feet from campgrounds, cabins, lodges and ski resorts.
Picking the right Christmas tree
Once visitors find an approved area, it's time to start looking for the perfect tree.
Mills said he looks for opportunities to harvest trees in a way that can also benefit the surrounding forest.
"For me, I'm going to start looking in an aspen clump. I want to get a tree out that's going to be a good Christmas tree but is going to provide that growing space for the aspens," Mills said.
Before making a cut, visitors should check the area around and above the tree for potential hazards and make sure the base is clear.
Once the tree is down, the permit tag must be attached before transporting it home.
"And there we go. My tree is tagged. That's how you do it here in the Sawtooth National Forest," Mills said.
Forest officials remind visitors to properly secure their trees to their vehicles and make sure the permit tag is clearly visible during transportation.
They also encourage families to check with their local ranger district for additional harvesting restrictions before heading into the forest.
For more information about Christmas tree permits, designated harvesting areas and regulations, visit recreation.gov or contact the Sawtooth National Forest.
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