Christmas Day has come and gone and while the Christmas tree may stay up in your home for a little longer, you may be wondering what to do with it when it's time to take it down.
Here are some places to recycle your Christmas tree across the Denver metro area and beyond.
Adams County
Adams County’s Parks, Open Space & Cultural Arts Department is offering free recycling for live Christmas trees Jan. 3 through Jan. 10 at Riverdale Regional Park, located at 9755 Henderson Road in Brighton from sunrise to sunset. All decorations must be removed before trees are dropped off. There is a limit of two trees per family. Items from commercial operations will not be accepted. For more details, call 303-637-8000.
Arvada
The City of Arvada will accept Christmas trees from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week through Jan. 24, 2022. There is no charge for this service. You can drop the trees off at Lake Arbor Lake Park (6400 Pomona Drive) and Stenger Fields at (W. 58th Avenue and Oak Street). Click here to learn more.
Aurora
Bring your Christmas tree to one of Aurora's drop-off sites anytime until Jan. 10 for free recycling. The sites include: Del Mar Park (12000 E. Sixth Avenue), Saddle Rock Golf Course (21705 E. Arapahoe Road), and Olympic Park (15501 E. Yale Avenue). Call 303-739-7177 for information.
Avon
The Town of Avon will offer curbside Christmas tree pick-up for Avon residents through Jan. 31, 2022. Avon Public Works Department will pick up your tree free of charge if you place it curbside. Avon residents can also drop cut trees off at the Public Works site at 375 Yoder Avenue at the designated spot.
Castle Rock
Residents are welcome to drop off a Christmas tree anytime of the day at the following locations:
- Founders Park, 4671 Enderud Boulevard
- Metzler Ranch Community Park , 4175 Trail Boss Drive
- Paintbrush Park, 3492 Meadows Boulevard
These sites are open until Jan. 31.
Denver
Treecycle is a seasonal program for Denver residents offered by Denver Recycles. The program turns discarded Christmas trees into mulch after the holiday season. Free Treecycle mulch is made available to Denver residents at the Mulch Giveaway and Compost Sale in May. Set your tree out for collection on one of your scheduled trash collection days between Jan. 3-14, 2022.
Douglas County
Christmas trees can be dropped off anytime through Jan. 31. Mulch is available on site while supplies last. Call 720-733-6990 with questions.
You can drop it off at these sites:
- Bayou Gulch, 4815 Fox Sparrow Road, Parker
- Challenger Regional Park, 17299 E. Lincoln Avenue, Parker
- Fairgrounds Regional Park, 500 Fairgrounds Drive, Castle Rock
- Highland Heritage Regional Park, 9651 S. Quebec St.
El Paso County area
Recycle your Christmas Tree at the visitor center parking lot at Cheyenne Mountain State Park. This is available to the public Jan. 1 from 1-5 p.m., and Jan. 2, 8 and 9 from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Suggested donation amount of $5 per tree, with all proceeds going to Friends of Cheyenne Mountain State Park. All decorations must be removed ahead of time.
You can also take part in the TreeCycle program and drop the tree off at one of seven participating locations on Jan. 1-2 or 8-9 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The locations are:
- Baptist Road Trailhead
- Falcon Trailhead
- Cottonwood Creek Park
- UC Health Park
- Rock Ledge Ranch
- Rocky Top Resources (extended hours, including Dec. 27-30, Jan. 3-15, Jan. 18-31)
Golden
Annual Christmas tree recycling is provided by the City of Golden Forestry Division. Call 303-384-8141 for details.
Highlands Ranch
Residents can drop off their Christmas trees anytime through Jan. 17 at the following locations:
- Dad Clark Park, 3385 Astorbrook Circle
- Redstone Park, 3280 Redstone Park Circle
- Toepfer Park, 9480 Venneford Ranch Road
Mulch is available on a self-serve basis. Call 303-791-0430 with questions.
Lakewood
The City of Lakewood will offer tree recycling from 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Dec. 27 through Jan. 9 for Lakewood residents. Tree drop-offs are available at Lakewood’s Greenhouse, located at 9556 W. Yale Avenue. The greenhouse is located between Estes and old Kipling streets. Follow posted signs and drop trees in the designated area. For more information or to request mulch pickup, call 720-963-5240.
Littleton
The City of Littleton and South Suburban Parks and Recreation will offer free Christmas tree recycling at two locations until Jan. 14. The Littleton collection site is located at Cornerstone Park located at, 5150 S. Windermere Street at the corner of W. Belleview Avenue and S. Windermere Street. The normal parking lot at Cornerstone Park is under construction so Christmas tree drop-off will be the lot further east next to Colorado Journey Mini Golf. SSPR will collect trees at its Willow Spring Service Center located at, 7100 S. Holly Street. Residents can drop off their tree seven days a week from sunrise to sunset at Cornerstone Park, or at the Willow Spring Service Center in the designated enclosure by the front gate. All decorations must be removed. Click here for details on getting free mulch from the trees.
Longmont
The City of Longmont will provide four satellite Christmas tree drop-off locations through Jan. 9:
- Roosevelt Park - In the parking lot south of 8th Avenue and Pratt Street, by Roosevelt Activity Pool
- Garden Acres Park - In the parking lot at 18th Avenue and Tulip Street
- Kanemoto Park - In the parking lot at South Pratt Parkway and South Coffman Street
- Centennial Park - In the parking lot at Alpine Street and Verdant Circle
Click here to learn more.
Northglenn
Residents can drop off Christmas trees at Northglenn’s Maintenance & Operations Facility, Northwest Open Space or Jaycee Park through Jan. 7. Remove tinsel and decorations from your tree. Trees dropped off will be turned into mulch that will be available to the public.
Rifle
Christmas tree drop is at the north end of Deerfield Park near the Veteran's memorial. There will be signs directing you to the correct area. All decorations must be removed and trees will be accepted through Jan 31.
Summit County
You can bring your real Christmas trees (not artificial) to five places around Summit County. It includes the Summit County Resource Allocation Park (SCRAP) at 639 Co Rd 66 in Keystone, collection site in Willowbrook across from Trent Park, Stilson Lot (off of Stables Road near Wellington), the Recycling Center across from Town Hall in Dillon, and the Frisco Bay Marina dirt lot (behind Uncle John’s Farm Stand and at the southeast corner of Summit Boulevard and Main Street).
Click here for details.