Permits
Before you plan an activity on the Forest, please be sure to check whether or not you need a permit or pass. Common activities that that may require a permit include wood cutting, rock and seed collecting, cutting a Christmas tree, post and pole, commercial filming, and a number of other special uses.
Forest Product Permits
Personal Fuelwood Permits
- Fuelwood permits are available to purchase from June 1 to December 20, 2025.
- There is a 4-cord minimum purchase for the personal use fuelwood permits. The minimum permit is $25.00 ($6.25 per cord). You can buy up to 10 cords per household per year. The personal use fuelwood permit is for your own personal use. The person gathering the fuelwood must be present to purchase and sign for the permit, tags and fuelwood brochure.
- Permits can be purchased at our Ranger District Offices, and at private vendors listed below
- All Forest Service travel restrictions apply. Refer to the Motor Vehicles Use Maps (MVUM) for routes open to motorized vehicles, including seasonal restrictions.
- Only dead and downed timber can be harvested. No cutting of standing live trees.
Where to Purchase Your Permit
Firewood permits can be purchased at a Forest Service office or these local vendors:
Vernal Ranger District
Davis: 575 West Main Street, Vernal, Utah 84078 (435) 789-2001
Liberty Corner: 6982 North 9500 East, Lapoint, Utah 84039 (435) 247-2690
Roosevelt/Duchesne Ranger District
Stewart's Marketplace: 245 US HWY 40, Roosevelt, Utah 84066 (435)722-5650
Davis: 750 East 200 North, Roosevelt, Utah 84066 (435) 722-2296
Hanna Country Store: 40928 West UT-35, Tabiona, Utah 84072
Flaming Gorge Ranger District
Flaming Gorge Resort: 1100 E Flaming Gorge Resort Rd, Red Canyon, UT 84023 (435) 889-3773
Christmas Tree Permits
The holiday season is often time for families and friends to head to the woods to play in the snow and to cut the traditional family Christmas Tree. Lifelong memories are built during these special times and the Ashley National Forest is happy to help with any information gathering you'll need to make this trip a safe and enjoyable one.
Christmas Tree cutting permits go on sale in November.
Where to Get Your Permit
Christmas tree permits can be purchased online at recreation.gov, or in person at a Forest Service office or these local vendors:
Vernal Ranger District
Davis: 575 West Main Street, Vernal, Utah 84078 (435) 789-2001
Liberty Corner: 6982 North 9500 East, Lapoint, Utah 84039 (435) 247-2690
Roosevelt/Duchesne Ranger District
Stewart's Marketplace: 245 US HWY 40, Roosevelt, Utah 84066 (435)722-5650
Davis: 750 East 200 North, Roosevelt, Utah 84066 (435) 722-2296
Hanna Country Store: 40928 West UT-35, Tabiona, Utah 84072
Flaming Gorge Ranger District
Flaming Gorge Resort: 1100 E Flaming Gorge Resort Rd, Red Canyon, UT 84023 (435) 889-3773
Free Christmas Tree Permits to 4th Graders
In coordination with the “Every Kid Outdoors” program, fourth-graders who are participating in the Every Kid Outdoors program can receive a free Christmas tree permit. First, go to this site and complete the application process for a pass, print the pass and call a Forest Service office for curbside service. If using the online system at recreation.gov, enter the pass number when prompted. Free Christmas tree permit for the Every Kid Outdoors program are not available at local vendors, and cannot be sent through the mail.
Stay, Pole & Post Information
| POSTS 5.0" - 6.9" DBH $1.00 per tree | STAYS 2.5" DBH or less $0.10 per tree | POLES 2.6" - 4.9" DBH $0.50 per tree |
DBH: Diameter at Breast Height (measured approximately 4 1/2 feet from ground)
Minimum Purchase: $20 (any combination of stays, poles, posts)
Maximum Purchase: 200 trees of any size per household per year (stays, poles, posts)
- Permits except firewood permits are good for 30 days in East Park and Frenches Park on the Vernal Ranger District and Half-Moon Park on the Flaming Gorge Ranger District. Please make sure that you have appropriate maps showing the cutting areas.
- Firewood Permits are good for the entire season, June 1 to December 20. The limit on firewood is 10 cords per household per year.
- The wood is for personal use ONLY.
- If you have any questions, please call the Ashley National Forest at (435) 789-1181 or visit any of our offices.
- Take time to know the Utah Highway rules and regulations regarding hauling your forest product.
Ornamentals Information
| Aspen Trees $2.00 Per Tree | Pine Trees $5.00 Per Tree | Sub-Alpine Fir $2.00 Per Tree |
Height: Trees must be under 6 feet in height
Minimum Purchase: $20 (any combination of ornamentals)
- The permit will terminate on the date indicated on the permit regardless of whether forest products are removed.
- The permit is for personal use ONLY. The permittee may NOT sell or exchange any of the products gathered.
- Permittee must fill holes in after removal of ornamentals.
- No trees can be removed in or around campgrounds, developed sites, and/or steam beds.
- If you have any questions, please call the Ashley National Forest at (435) 789-1181 or visit any of our offices.
- Take time to know the Utah Highway rules and regulations regarding hauling your forest product.
Other Permits
Outfitter and Guide Permits
Does your outfitter-guide have a Forest Service Permit? For your protection, ASK.
Commercial outfitter-guides are required by law to have a Forest Service permit to operate on the National Forest. There are a limited number of permits available and businesses compete for them on the basis of their experience and qualifications, ability to service diverse publics, customer service history, financial capability, and other factors. Permittees are required to have insurance.
What are Outfitter and Guides?
There are many types of outfitted and guided services provided on National Forest lands. The traditional types primarily involve hunting and fishing in a backcountry setting, but today the industry is highly-diverse and includes whitewater floating and jet-boating, backpacking, mountaineering, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, mountain biking, van touring, and dog sledding. Nonprofits and educational groups, such as schools and universities, are also frequently considered outfitters, as are those who use the National Forests for rehabilitation and therapeutic benefits.
I am an outfitter/guide. How do I get a permit?
Contact your local district office for permit applications.
Commercial Photography and Filming
Photography and filming applications must be submitted at least 14 days prior to shooting. Fill out SF-299 found here. Once the application is completed, please contact the McCall Ranger District office at 208-634-0400 to find out to whom you can email the form.
- If you are shooting still photographs or “home movies” for personal use (e.g. that does not involve advertisement of a product or service or the creation of a product for sale) then a special use permit is not required.
- Breaking news is an event or incident that arises suddenly, evolves quickly, and rapidly ceases to be newsworthy. A special use permit is not required for activities involving breaking news. Examples of breaking news are wildland fires or search and rescue operations.
Commercial Still Photography
Still photography uses photographic equipment to capture still images on film, digital format, and other similar technologies. National Forest visitors and professional or amateur photographers need a special use permit to take still photographs if the still photography:
- Uses models, sets, or props that are not part of the site’s natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities.
- Takes place at a location where members of the public are generally not allowed or where additional administrative costs are likely.
Commercial Filming
A special use permit is required for all commercial filming activities on National Forest System lands. Commercial filming is the use of motion picture, videotaping, sound recording, other moving image or audio recording equipment on National Forest System lands that involves the advertisement of a product or service, the creation of a product for sale, or the use of actors, models, sets or props, but not activities associated with broadcasts for news programs.
For purposes of this definition, creation of a product for sale includes but is not limited to a film, videotape, television broadcast or documentary of historic events, wildlife, natural events, features, subjects or participants in a sporting or recreation event and so forth, when created for the purpose of generating income.
Commercial filming or still photography will not be permitted if the Forest Service determines that any of the following criteria apply:
- There is a likelihood of resource damage that cannot be mitigated.
- There would be an unreasonable disruption of the public’s use and enjoyment of the site (beyond short term interruption).
- The activity poses health or safety risks to the public that cannot be mitigated.
Commercial Filming Drone Use
If you would like to use a drone during commercial filming, there are several criteria that must be met in order for drone use to be considered by the Forest Service. Meeting the following criteria will not necessarily guarantee commercial drone use permissions, however, having these items submitted at the time of the film permit application submittal can greatly increase the chances of be approved by the Forest Service.
- Small UAS Certificate of Registration (Federal Aviation Administration) of drone to be used during filming.
- Remote Pilot license (Dept. of Transportation/FAA).
Situations where a Drone is absolutely NOT Authorized.
- Use in Designated Wilderness.
- Use in association with any hunting activities.
- Use within an active wildland fire area.
Event Permits
Permits for events such as weddings, family reunions (outside of developed recreation sites), sporting events, festivals and such are required. In addition, commercial activities such as outfitter and guide services, are required to obtain a special use permit.
What are Non-Commercial Group Use Events?
Permits are required for groups of 75 people or more, such as weddings, family reunions, large social gatherings, etc., excluding group sites in designated campgrounds. Click here for the application (FS-2700-3b). Non-commercial group use is not applicable within Wilderness. Applications should be received by the District Office a minimum of 45 days in advance.
What are Recreation Events?
Recreation events are commercial activities requiring temporary special use authorizations for use of NFS lands. Examples of recreation events include, but are not limited to, animal, bicycle, motocross, or triathlon type races; jeep rallies; dog trials; fishing contests; rendezvous; rodeos; adventure games; youth treks; wagon trains; concerts; and other similar events. A permit is required for these types of events regardless of the number of people involved in the activity.
Archaeological and Cultural Resource Permits
Private Contractor Cultural Resource Surveys on Ashley National Forest
CRM contractors must apply for a special use (ARPA) permit before working on the National Forest. Contact the Forest for permit application.
