Golden Gate Canyon State Park Offers 250 Christmas Tree-Cutting Permits via Lottery

Colorado's Golden Gate Canyon State Park is accepting lottery applications November 1–15 for 250 Christmas tree-cutting permits at $35 each.

On December 5, 250 lucky permit holders will fan out from the Nott Creek trailhead at Golden Gate Canyon State Park in Colorado to hand-cut their own Christmas trees — a tradition the park manages through an annual lottery. The application window opens November 1 and closes November 15, with winners notified after that date. Permits cost $35, but credit cards are only charged if an applicant's entry is drawn. The tree cut runs from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in a designated area near the Nott Creek trailhead. Any tree species in the zone is fair game, but power tools are prohibited — participants must bring hand saws or axes and carry their chosen tree back to their vehicle on foot. The Visitor Center will host a holiday celebration alongside the event, offering hot drinks, food, pictures with Santa Claus, and ornament decorating. All retail items at the center will be discounted. Visitors will also need a valid Colorado state parks pass in addition to their cutting permit. To enter the lottery, applicants visit the Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) Shop website and select the 'Visit a Park - Special Events - Christmas Tree Draw' tab. Golden Gate Canyon State Park straddles Gilpin and Jefferson counties west of Denver.

Why it matters

The lottery format — capped at 250 permits — limits environmental impact while giving families a hands-on holiday tradition on public land. Residents across the Denver metro area and northeastern Colorado have access to a relatively rare opportunity to legally harvest a wild tree from a state park.

What's next

Lottery winners will be notified after November 15; those selected will have their credit cards charged the $35 fee at that time.

Key facts

• Application window: November 1–15, 2026, via the CPW Shop website
• 250 permits will be awarded by lottery for a December 5 tree-cutting event
• Permit fee is $35, charged only if the applicant's entry is drawn
• Tree cutting runs 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. near the Nott Creek trailhead
• Power tools are prohibited; hand tools only, and trees must be carried to vehicles
• A state parks pass is required in addition to the cutting permit

Bias & framing notes

Only one source reported on this event, a local Colorado outlet (Kiowa County Press). The reporting reads as a straightforward informational announcement with no apparent spin; the details are consistent with standard CPW event formatting. The single-source limitation prevents cross-verification, but the specificity of dates, fees, and official lottery mechanics lends credibility.

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