By Shannon Lukens.
Christmas Tree Recycling continues at Emerald Park, in the parking lot there by the soccer fields and Yampa River Botanic Garden. It’s free to drop off your Christmas tree in the southwest corner of the Emerald Park parking lot Dec. 26 through the end of Feb. 1. The trees will be mulched up and folks can use the mulch in their yards in the spring. Please remove all tinsel, ornaments, lights, nails, etc. Please NO WREATHS. Drop off is free, seven days a week, from sunrise to sunset.
Press release from the City of Steamboat Springs; Dec. 19, 2025
Free Christmas Tree Recycling Returns to Emerald Park
Drop Off Trees Just Like You Found Them – Au Naturale
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, COLORADO-December 18, 2025-Fir Real! Emerald Park will once again serve as the drop-off location for the City of Steamboat Springs’ free Christmas Tree Recycling program, providing residents with an easy, eco-friendly way to dispose of natural Christmas trees after the holidays. The annual program is managed by Parks & Recreation and will run through February 1, 2026.
“Emerald Park continues to be a convenient and accessible location for residents across the community,” said Parks Supervisor Johannes Thorsen. “Each year, we recycle more than 2,000 Christmas trees, which reflects strong community participation and helps ensure these trees are reused rather than sent to the landfill.”
The Christmas Tree Recycling drop-off site is located in the Emerald Park parking lot, accessible from U.S. Highway 40 via Emerald Park Lane or Ski Town Way. The collection area is on the pavement in the southwest corner of the parking lot, offering ample space to collect, process, and store mulch.
Residents may safely dispose of their natural Christmas trees for free beginning Friday, December 26, 2025, through February 1, 2026. Drop-off is available seven days a week from sunrise to sunset.
Trees must be dropped off au naturale — meaning all decorations, tinsel, lights, ornaments, nails, stands, and bags must be removed prior to drop-off. No wreaths will be accepted.
“When you harvest a Christmas tree from the forest, you’re already contributing to forest health by thinning overcrowded areas,” Thorsen added. “Recycling your tree extends that benefit even further by giving it a second life as mulch. We encourage everyone to take advantage of this free community service, regardless of where their tree came from.”