New Mexico Firewood Permits 2026: Prices, Seasons and Rules

This year, a $20 permit will be good for up to 10 cords. Dead-and-down permits, which expire on Dec. 31 annually, are valid on the entire forest, except in designated wilderness and restricted permit areas.

Free-use permits for the forest's east side are only available from the Camino Real and Questa ranger districts in Peñasco and Questa.

Most seasonal road closures are in effect Jan. 1 - April 30.

Each permit holder can have up to two haulers listed. They must be added to the permit before the permit is sold.

May 15 – Oct. 15 Dead/Down/Standing, districtwide Oak One cord maximum per household $20.00 per cord

Permits for forest products are available for purchase at Ranger District Offices and the Supervisor's Office. Not all forest products are available on all districts.

August 3 – Dec 31 Greenwood, districtwide Piñon and Juniper 4 cords minimum/maximum per household $5.00 per cord

Effective January 2027, in-person-only fuelwood sales will be sold year-round for the Magdalena Ranger District. Permits will be valid for the calendar year in which they are sold.

Starting May 20 – until 300 District permits are sold .

District Wide Dead and Down. (No Dead Standing)

Dead/Down Piñon and Juniper only

Sept. 15 – Feb. 15 Dead/Down Piñon and Juniper only 4 cord minimum, 10 cord maximum $5.00 per cord

You must have your permit and load tags with you when removing firewood from the national forest.

A dead tree is defined as one having no live branches, limbs, needles, or leaves. You may not cut dead limbs from live trees.

Permits are valid for collection of standing dead or dead and down wood outside of designated firewood areas, except where prohibited.

Cutting and removing firewood is not allowed in developed recreation sites such as campgrounds, picnic areas, group use areas, day use sites, overlooks, and trailheads; or within Wilderness Areas, National Recreational Areas or along National Recreational Trails

MUST BE 18 YEARS OF AGE TO PURCHASE A PERMIT. Designated cutters may be under the age of 18.

You may cut firewood year-round on the Lincoln National Forest.

Firewood may not be gathered within wilderness areas

You may gather dead/down material 150 feet off of every USFS open road on USFS lands.

Dead standing trees are limited to 14 inches in diameter or smaller.

Permits expire at the end of each calendar year (December 31).

A printed physical permit must be in the permittee's possession and kept readily available while harvesting and transporting products. This permit is nontransferable. A copy of the permit on a mobile device is not acceptable.

Dead-and-down permits are valid across the forest, except in wilderness and other restricted areas. Review the firewood permit maps before going out to the forest.

Permit holders will receive load tags, a cutting map and harvesting guidelines. Loads must be tagged securely, and visitors should bring equipment suitable for harvesting and transporting wood.

Travel is allowed only on roads designated on Motor Vehicle Use Maps, which are available digitally or as free paper copies at all ranger district offices and the Supervisor’s Office.

In almost all field offices, BLM fuelwood permits are valid for cutting only dead (down or standing) piñon and juniper (cedar). Cutting green trees or other trees not allowed by permit is strictly prohibited.

Minimum and maximum cords for purchase vary by field office. Rules, regulations, and timing vary slightly between field offices; please read all materials that accompany your permit.

Go to our Interactive Fuelwood Harvest Areas Map for maps of open wood-cutting areas,

Visit forestproducts.blm.gov to purchase select permits online (Not available for all offices) Depending on the time of year, permits for the Las Cruces and Taos offices are available online.