Forest Products Industry (non Timber)

A permit and load tickets are required. A firewood cutting permit and load tickets are required to cut, gather, and transport firewood on Public Lands. Firewood permits are valid from January 1 until December 31 of the year purchased. Only dead or down trees may be gathered for firewood. 

Permit cost: $5.00 per cord with a 4 cord or $20 minimum purchase. A maximum of 12 cords total per residence per calendar year (A residence is the physical address).

Information needed to purchase permit: name, physical address, identification number, vehicle information (year, make, model, color, and license plate number of vehicle being used to haul firewood), in addition to number of cords to be purchased. 

Where to get Salmon‐Challis National Forest Personal Use Firewood permits: Firewood cutting permits are available year‐round at the Salmon‐Challis National Forest District Offices in Challis, Mackay, North Fork and Leadore, and the Public Lands Center in Salmon. Contact the nearest Forest office for details. 

Where to get permits at local vendors around Salmon, Leadore, Tendoy, Mackay, Stanley, and Challis Idaho: 

Salmon, Idaho: Cycles, Sleds, and Saws located at 5 Demick Lane in Salmon. 

Service Grocery located at 519 Union Ave in Salmon 

Murdochs Ranch and Home Supply at 520 Shoup St. in Salmon, Idaho. 

Leadore, Idaho: Stage Stop Junction located at 100 Railroad Street in Leadore. 

Tendoy, Idaho: Tendoy Store located at 1944 Hwy. 28 in Tendoy. 

Challis, Idaho: Contact the District for vendor information. 

Mackay, Idaho: Contact the District for vendor information. 

Commercial permits and post and pole permits will not be available from these businesses. 

Where to go: Not all lands on Public Lands are open to firewood cutting. Please consult the firewood map to be sure you are in an area where cutting is permitted. Remember that not all land within the Public Lands is publicly owned. It is your responsibility to be certain you are not trespassing on private land. The permit is for Salmon‐Challis National Forest and Bureau of Land Management lands only, and not for State, or private lands. 

To reflect Implementation of the Salmon‐Challis National Forest Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM), open travel routes are identified on the current MVUM and governs use of all motor vehicles on the Forest. Motorized vehicles are allowed within 300 feet from the centerline of the designated routes for the purpose of cutting and removing firewood, provided that vegetation is not destroyed. A motorized vehicle may be permitted in other areas that are specifically designated for firewood cutting.

Areas excluded from firewood cutting. Please see firewood cutting area map for additional restricted sites.

 • No firewood cutting within 200 feet of Administrative Sites, Developed Campgrounds, Picnic Areas, & active timber sales, research natural areas, or other areas signed on the ground as closed to firewood cutting.

 • In addition, no firewood cutting is allowed in those areas designated by color shading or by description as portrayed on the Salmon‐Challis fuelwood map that is part of the firewood permit when purchased.

 • No firewood cutting within 300 feet of streams, lakes, ponds, or wet/boggy areas. Do not fall or drag trees across streams.

 • Do not cut trees that are signed, painted, and protected for other resource purposes.

Standing dead and down trees may be gathered for firewood. Refer to firewood map for locations where cutting is allowed.

How to tell if the tree is dead: Trees without any green needles may still be alive. Western Larch (tamarack) loses its needles in the fall and is still a live tree. A wind‐blown tree may take several months or years to die. Do not cut the tree if it has any green needles and/or the inner bark, called the cambium, is green, wet, spongy, light in color. To test a questionable dead tree before it is cut, peel away a small section of the bark and examine the thin cambium layer between the bark and the wood. A dead tree has no green needles and the cambium is dry, dark color.

Stump height: Leave stumps as low as possible, but no higher than 8 inches.

Hauling restrictions: Firewood material must be cut to 8 feet in length (all diameters).

To validate the load ticket: After loading the firewood, completely remove the month and day on the colored load ticket, corresponding with the date the firewood is being removed. On the back of the load, firmly staple, nail, or tack one ticket for each 1/4 cord being transported. All load tickets must be clearly visible.

What is a cord of firewood? One cord of firewood measures 4ft. X 4ft. X 8ft. which equals 128 cubic feet and weighs approximately 2,662 lbs. The average half‐ton pickup can carry a 1/2 cord of dry wood without overloading the vehicle. Remember to validate the firewood load tickets before leaving the cutting area.

Fire requirements & restrictions: Firewood cutters are required to have the following equipment while cutting and transporting firewood:

Saw: Must have approved, functioning spark arrestor. Exhaust system in good repair. Screen‐type spark arrestor of 0.023" mesh or less, qualified under US Forest Service standards. 

Shovel: Long handled, ‘0’ or larger shovel.

Fire extinguisher: At the cutting site during the period May 10 to October 20. Charged with pressurized chemical. Not less than 8 oz. capacity by weight. Type AB. 

Fire watch: During high fire (Dry) conditions it is advised to do a one‐hour fire watch after shutting down the chainsaw. 

During periods of high fire danger, restrictions that prohibit fuelwood cutting may be enacted. Contact the nearest Forest office for current fire restrictions: 

14 day occupancy rule: Equipment used for the harvest and transport of product must abide by the Salmon‐ Challis National Forest’s 14 day occupancy rule and therefore must be removed from the vicinity within these timeframes. 

Materials received with firewood permit: Maps and all other included materials (Firewood tags & Firewood permit) received with the firewood permit are considered a part of the firewood permit and therefore are binding. 

Violation of Terms & Conditions of firewood permit: May be subject to a fine (Citation). 

Citations: Citation is a Class B Misdemeanor. Max $5,000.00 fine, six months in jail or both.

A permit and load tickets are required.  A firewood cutting permit and load tickets are required to cut, gather, and transport firewood on Public Lands.    Firewood permits are valid from January 1 until December 31 of the year purchased.    Only dead or down trees may be gathered for firewood.

Permit cost: $5.00 per cord with a 4 cord or $20 minimum purchase. A maximum of 60 cords total per person per calendar year.

Information needed to purchase permit: name, physical address, identification number, vehicle information (year, make, model, color, and license plate number of vehicle being used to haul firewood), in addition to number of cords to be purchased.

Where to get Salmon‐Challis National Forest Commercial Use Firewood permits: Firewood cutting permits are available year‐round at the Salmon‐Challis National Forest District Offices in Challis, Mackay, North Fork and Leadore, and the Public Lands Center office in Salmon, Idaho. Contact the nearest Forest office for details.

Commercial permits are only available at Forest Service offices

Where to go: Not all lands on Public Lands are open to firewood cutting.  Please consult the firewood map to be sure you are in an area where cutting is permitted.  Remember that not all land within the Public Lands is publicly owned.  It is your responsibility to be certain you are not trespassing on private land.  The  permit is for the Salmon‐Challis National Forest lands only, and not for BLM, State, or private lands.

To reflect Implementation of the Salmon‐Challis National Forest Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) open travel routes are identified on the current MVUM and governs use of all motor vehicles on the Forest.   Motorized vehicles are allowed within 300 feet from the centerline of the designated routes for the purpose of cutting and removing firewood, provided that vegetation is not destroyed.    A motorized vehicle may be permitted in other areas that are specifically designated for firewood cutting.

Areas excluded from firewood cutting. Please see firewood cutting area map for additional restricted sites.   

• No firewood cutting within 200 feet of Administrative Sites, Developed Campgrounds, Picnic Areas, & active timber sales, research natural areas, or other areas signed on the ground as closed to firewood cutting.
• In addition, no firewood cutting is allowed in those areas designated by color shading or by description as portrayed on the Salmon‐Challis fuelwood map that is part of the firewood permit when purchased.
• No firewood cutting within 300 feet of streams, lakes, ponds, or wet/boggy areas. Do not fall or drag trees across streams.
• Do not cut trees that are signed, painted and protected for other resource purposes

Standing dead and down trees may be gathered for firewood. Refer to firewood map for locations where cutting is allowed.

How to tell if the tree is dead: Trees without any green needles may still be alive.  Western Larch (tamarack) loses its needles in the fall and is still a live tree.  A wind blown tree may take several months or years to die. Do not cut the tree if it has any green needles and/or the inner bark, called the cambium, is green, wet, spongy, light in color.  To test a questionable dead tree before it is cut, peel away a small section of the bark and examine the thin cambium layer between the bark and the wood.  A dead tree has no green needles and the cambium is dry and dark color.

Stump height: Leave stumps as low as possible, but no higher than 8 inches.

Hauling restrictions: Firewood material must be cut to 8 feet in length (all diameters).   

To validate the load ticket: After loading the firewood, completely remove the month and day on the colored load ticket, corresponding with the date the firewood is being removed.    On the back of the load, firmly staple, nail, or tack one ticket for each 1/4 cord being transported.  All load tickets must be clearly visible.

What is a cord of firewood? One cord of firewood measures 4ft. X 4ft. X 8ft. which equals 128 cubic feet and weighs approximately 2,662 lbs.  The average half‐ton pickup can carry a 1/2 cord of dry wood without overloading the vehicle.  Remember to validate the firewood load tickets before leaving the cutting area.

Fire requirements & restrictions: Firewood cutters are required to have the following equipment while cutting and transporting firewood:

Saw: Must have approved, functioning spark arrestor.  Exhaust system in good repair.  Screen‐type spark arrestor of 0.023" mesh or less, qualified under US Forest Service standards.

Shovel: Long handled, ‘0’ or larger shovel.

Fire extinguisher: At the cutting site during the period May 10 to October 20.  Charged with pressurized chemical. Not less than 8 oz. capacity by weight.  Type AB.

Fire watch: During high fire (Dry) conditions it is advised to do a one‐hour fire watch after shutting down the chainsaw

During periods of high fire danger, restrictions that prohibit fuelwood cutting may be enacted.  Contact  the nearest Forest office  for current fire restrictions: 

14 day occupancy rule: Equipment used for the harvest and transport of product must abide by the Salmon‐ Challis National Forest’s 14 day occupancy rule and therefore must be removed from the vicinity within these timeframes.

Materials received with firewood permit: Maps and all other included materials (Firewood tags & Firewood permit) received with the firewood permit are considered a part of the firewood permit and therefore are binding.

Violation  of  Terms &  Conditions  of firewood  permit: May be subject to a fine (Citation)

Citations: Citation is a Class C Misdemeanor. Max $5,000.00 fine, six months in jail or both.

Salmon-Challis National Forest

Personal use Post & Pole and Misc. Convertibles 

Areas for Personal Use Post & Pole and Misc. Convertibles are available on a limited basis. Contact the nearest Forest office for more information.

This program provides people the opportunity to cut and haul post & pole and misc. convertible materials for their own personal use, whether it’s for building corrals, fences, or using them to landscape the yard. Maps of the post and pole areas are provided with the permit.

The permit allows the removal of up to 200 posts and/or poles per year from over the counter post/pole permits. You may mix any combination of post and pole amounts as long as the minimum permit is $20 and you do not exceed the maximum 200 posts and/or poles per individual (Persons of 18 years of age or older will be considered as an individual).

A permit and load tickets are required. A post and pole cutting permit and load tickets are required to cut, gather and transport post and poles on Public Lands. Post and pole permits become valid from time of purchase until December 31 of the year purchased. These are not Firewood permit load tickets.

Equipment and access: The use of 4-wheelers, small rubber-tired farm tractors, or horses are permitted for skidding out post and pole material in some areas. (Refer to the terms and conditions on the permit). All other skidders or caterpillars are not permitted. Do not cut trees that have been marked with paint or tags.

Information needed to purchase permit: To purchase a permit the following information will be requested: name, physical address, identification number, vehicle information (year, make, model, color, and license plate number of vehicle being used to haul poles), in addition to number of posts/poles needed. 

Contact the nearest Forest office for more information. 

Dry Creek Post and Pole Area Map

Jordan Creek Post and Pole Area Map

North Fork of Big Lost Post and Pole Area Map

Public Land Center Salmon-Challis National Forest 

and the Bureau of Land Management

Transplants

This program provides people the opportunity to harvest transplants on Public Lands.

The permit allows the removal of up to 12 transplants maximum per household in a calendar year. You may mix any combination of transplants if you do not exceed the maximum 12 transplants per household limit.

This permit is good for any species on the Salmon-Challis National Forest and Bureau of Land Management. Only trees less than 6 feet in height may be removed. No digging within 300 feet of streams, lakes, or ponds. Back fill in the hole level to slope after removing the tree. Trees shall not be removed from within tree plantations, campgrounds, or within 100 feet of major roads. ALL SALMONCHALLIS NATIONAL FOREST TRAVEL PLANS RESTRICTIONS APPLY. Maps and all other included materials received with this permit are considered a part of this permit and therefore binding.

A permit and load tickets are required. A permit and load tickets are required to cut, gather and transport transplants on Public Lands.

Equipment and access: All vehicles are restricted to established roads. Use of mechanical equipment for digging or skidding transplants is not permitted without Forest Service approval. Do not cut trees that have been marked with paint or tags.

Information needed to purchase permit: To purchase a permit the following information will be requested: name, physical address, identification number, vehicle information (year, make, model, color, and license plate number of vehicle being used to haul poles), in addition to number of transplants needed.

Contact the nearest Forest office

Christmas Tree Permits can be purchased on Recreation.gov