Firewood Permits
The Forest Service sells permits to cut firewood (also called fuelwood) for personal use. Follow the steps below for successful firewood cutting.
The table below contains information on firewood locations for each district on the Pike-San Isabel National Forests & Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands, as applicable, including relevant links or maps. All firewood areas require a permit.
| Forest or Grassland | Ranger District | Downloadable File(s) | Permit Purchase Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pike National Forest | Pikes Peak Ranger District | Firewood area overview map (249 KB PDF) | In person or online (coming soon) |
| South Park Ranger District | Firewood area overview map (249 KB PDF) | In person, by mail or online (coming soon) | |
| South Platte Ranger District | Firewood area overview map (249 KB PDF) | In person or online (coming soon) | |
| San Isabel National Forest | Leadville Ranger District | Saint Kevin firewood decks map (1.1 MB PDF) Sugarloaf firewood decks map (1.1 MB PDF) | In person or online |
| Salida Ranger District | Buzzy firewood decks map (1.1 MB PDF) | In person or online | |
| San Carlos Ranger District | Little Saint Charles firewood decks map (1 MB PDF) | In person or online | |
| Cimarron National Grassland | n/a (see Deadwood Roadside Program) | In person only | |
| Comanche National Grassland | not available at this time | n/a | |
Firewood permits can be purchased at participating ranger district offices or online.* Contact the office to determine permit availability and cost per cord, as they may vary by firewood area.
*E-permits are now available for Leadville, Salida and San Carlos ranger districts! Digital permits for Pike National Forest are coming soon. Please check back for updates.
San Isabel National Forest
You CANNOT harvest within the following:
- 100 feet of stream courses, riparian areas, wet areas or bodies of water
- Timber sale or contract areas posted with signs
- Areas assigned on the ground as being closed to firewood removal
- Designated wilderness areas, research natural areas, campgrounds, picnic areas, ski area resorts or Forest Service administrative sites
- Browns Canyon National Monument on the Salida Ranger District
- County roads or state highways’ right-of-way
When harvesting, you must adhere to the following:
- Only standing dead or naturally fallen trees may be harvested forest-wide. Decked or fallen trees may be harvested in designated firewood units. No live trees may be cut or harvested.
- All stumps shall be cut to less than 6 inches high.
- Remove all material larger than 3 inches in diameter. All wood larger than 7 inches in diameter at either end shall be cut in lengths less than 8 feet.
- Remove slash from roadways and ditch lines. Slash must be made to lie within 24 inches of the ground.
- Do not drive vehicles off roads in areas closed to motorized travel, and do not drive on closed roads.
- Off-road vehicle travel is authorized within one vehicle length of open National Forest System roads; this distance limitation begins at the point where the vehicle leaves the road and is measured along the route of travel.
- Use of equipment such as tractor, skid steer, skidders and OHV is prohibited.
- Gas-powered chainsaws used must be equipped with a spark arrestor device that is properly installed, maintained and in effective working order.
- Follow the conditions listed with the designated unit map.
Now that you have your permit, it's time to visit the area you selected to cut your firewood.
Be prepared for your firewood collection:
- Check for alerts such as road closures and fire activity.
- Wear proper attire in the forest according to current conditions, such as weather forecasts and alerts.
- Carry your permit with you while in the forest to cut firewood.
- Follow the terms of your permit.
More guidance on tree cutting can be found on the Forest Service's Know Before You Go webpage.
Remember: You are responsible for your own safety and for the safety of those around you.
What is a cord?
The PSICC sells firewood permits per cord. A standard, full cord of wood is a volume of 128 cubic feet, measured as a pile 8 feet long, 4 feet high and 4 feet wide. A full cord can weigh up to 5,000 pounds.
Small pickup truck — ¼ ton
With or without racks, this truck bed holds approximately ½ cord of wood.
Short bed pickup truck — ½ ton
With or without racks, this truck bed holds approximately ½ cord of wood.
Long bed pickup truck — ½ or ¾ ton
Without racks, this truck bed holds approximately ½ cord of wood.
With racks, this truck bed holds approximately 1 cord of wood.
Standard truck — 1 ton
With high racks, this truck bed holds approximately 1½ cords of wood.
Please note that trucks may be overloaded when filled with wood. Check the owner's manual for your vehicle to see what load weights the truck can safely haul, and make sure your vehicle is licensed for the weight you will be hauling.