Firewood Permits
Personal Use Firewood Permits sales available until November 15
Choose which firewood permit purchase works for you — online or in person. Permits are $15 per cord, with a minimum two-cord purchase. Most funds from firewood permit sales are returned to the forest for continued implementation of this program and the Inyo National Forest Fuelwood Strategy. For more information about the firewood program, email the Special Forest Products inbox at SM.FS.INF.SFProducts@usda.gov.
Where To Buy
Online purchase starting May 1: Use a credit card to purchase firewood permits at epermits.fs2c.usda.gov. Or use this QR code. Print permit and wood tags before heading to the forest.
QR Code for Personal-Use Firewood Permit
In-person purchase starting May 29: Bring a credit card to purchase firewood permits. Otherwise, make an appointment with Forest Service employees to buy tags with cash or check. Visitor center days, hours and locations listed below. Please call ahead to confirm availability.
Mono Basin Scenic Area Visitor Center – Daily 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
- Highway 395 (at Mono Lake), Lee Vining or call (760) 647-3044
Mammoth Lakes Welcome Center – Daily 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
- 2510 Main St., Mammoth Lakes or call (760) 924-5500
White Mountain Public Lands Info Center – Friday and Saturday, 8:30 a.m.–4 p.m.
- 798 N. Main Street, Bishop or call (760) 873-2500
Eastern Sierra Visitor Center – Thursday through Monday, 8:30 a.m.–4 p.m.
- Highway 395 and State Route136, Lone Pine or call (760) 876-6200
Firewood Regulations
Everyone must carry permit, tags and firewood map and follow the regulations on the permit. Do not drive over 100 feet from a designated road to collect firewood. Avoid driving on muddy roads to keep roads in good condition and protect natural resources. And park where your vehicle won’t block the flow of traffic.
- Before cutting, make sure your surroundings are safe and clear of other people.
- Always carry a shovel or fire extinguisher.
- Leave dead and downed log diameters of greater than 30 inches. Large logs provide wildlife habitat and recycle soil nutrients.
- You can cut standing dead conifer trees with no needles and up to 15 inches in diameter at breast height.
- Shut Down Days: During “very high or “extreme” fire danger days, the Inyo National Forest will shut down use of electric or gas-powered chainsaws for all or part of the day. For daily updates, call the pre-recorded message at (760) 873-2555.
Firewood Collection Maps
Firewood maps are available at the forest centers listed above. If you already have a 2025 firewood map, the permitted woodcutting areas remain the same for 2026.
Personal Use Firewood Map (2025)
Mapa para Corte y Recoleccion de Lena (2025)
Maps are also available on Avenza for free:
Special Collection Area Open to Public Firewood
Additional special collection area in the Lakes Basin is available to public firewood collection in the Mammoth Ranger District starting October 5
Inyo National Forest will begin offering timber and other downed logs in the Mammoth Ranger District created during past forest health treatments in a Special Collection Area (Map A) within the Lakes Basin. This Special Collection Area is an added area outside of areas open to public firewood as seen in the Inyo National Forest Public Use Firewood Map.
Woodcutters with valid 2026 Personal Use Firewood Permits will be able to gather firewood within these locations. The woodcutting season will not be extended and will close at its regularly scheduled date of November 15, 2026.
All firewood collection rules and regulations apply to these areas. Additional restrictions are applied for each location as stated on the accompanying map and as stated below:
- Only gather downed timber—do not cut standing dead trees within the area
- Do not collect from or pull apart nearby burn piles
- Park your vehicle and/or trailer to allow others to pass and not block the flow of traffic
In addition, areas already open to public firewood collection along the Mammoth Scenic Loop and Inyo Craters (Map B) have small, roadside, log decks available for firewood collection.
Area maps for public firewood collection
Do not gather wood from burn piles
While burn piles are located across the forest, many of which occurring within areas open to public firewood collection, it is not permissible to collect from burn piles despite consisting of logs and other woody material that are desirable for firewood. Burn piles, as shown in Figure 1, are constructed in ways to facilitate efficient burning and can become unstable if disturbed, which may result in injury. Please collect from logs scattered in the area or decked for public collection.
Figure 1. Example of burn pile near the Special Collection Area consisting of woody material ranging in size from needles to limbs to large logs.