The 12 best cut-your-own Christmas tree farms in Michigan
Whether you’re looking to cut down your perfect holiday tree or have someone else do the work for you, these tree farms in Michigan offer plenty of festive fun.
Did you know that Christmas trees and Michigan go hand-in-hand? Michigan made the great Eastern white pine the state’s official tree in 1955, and it grows more varieties of Christmas trees than any other state. This month, Michigan’s Governor Gretchen Whitmer even declared December as “Michigan Christmas Tree Month” to mark our state’s heritage as the third-highest Christmas tree-producing state in the country.
Seeing as it’s December, the now-official Christmas Tree month, what better time is there to enjoy visiting a tree farm in Michigan? If you haven’t put your tree up yet, here are the best tree farms in Michigan to visit. And even if you have put up your tree, tree farms can still be a wonderful place to stop in during the holidays for festive fun like wagon rides, hot chocolate, shopping for gifts or decor, or an enchanting ride through the woods.
1. Tall Timbers Tree Farm
- Address: 56245 70th Street, Hartford, MI 49057
- Hours: Monday-Friday 12:00 p.m.-5:30 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday 9:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m. (closes for the season on Dec. 14)
- Cost: Prices are priced by tree size and variety
The Tall Timbers Tree Farm in Hartford, Michigan, offers an old-fashioned holiday feel, with a century-old barn on the property that holds greenery, garlands, and warmth after you’ve hunted for your perfect tree.
The fourth-century farm owners offer walks and hayrides for adventurous families who want to search for their tree, or have pre-cut trees for those who want a real tree but aren’t as interested in the wintery hunt. No matter which route you take to find your holiday tree (and remember: No choice is wrong!), you can gather in the barn for hot chocolate and more festive decor shopping.
2. Butler Tree Farms
- Address: 21515 Crane St, Dowagiac, MI, United States, 49047
- Hours: Monday-Friday, 2 p.m.-5:30 pm; Saturday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
- Cost: Varies
Butler Tree Farms may be a small tree farm in the Southwest side of Michigan, but it may be worth the trip out for the freshly-baked goods from its partnering Stacy’s Batter-Up Bakery. (Seriously, check out their Facebook page for pictures of how mouth-wateringly delicious they look!)
In addition to finding their perfect Christmas tree, families can enjoy visiting with Santa and Mrs. Claus, feeding the on-site farm animals, holiday shopping, crafts, and more.
3. Pinecrest Christmas Tree Farm
- Address: 4403 Spring Creek Rd. Galien, MI 49113
- Hours: Every day 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
- Cost: Starting at $13 per foot
In business and family owned for over 50 years, Pinecrest Christmas Tree Farm in Galien, Mich., is located near the Indiana border and is a holiday destination for both Michigan and its neighboring state. Visitors can choose from a U-cut Christmas tree experience or pick out their favorite from the pre-cut area.
There’s also a 3,200-square-foot Christmas shop to explore, and, as an added bonus, free hot chocolate for all to enjoy. Anyone getting a U-cut tree can take a ride out to the fields, but even if you’re not shopping for a tree, you can take a horse-drawn sleigh ride around the grounds to get in the holiday spirit.
4. Carpenter Tree Farm
- Address: 11243 Barnes Hwy, Eaton Rapids, MI, United States, Michigan
- Hours: Saturday-Sunday, 9 a.m.- 6 p.m.; Tuesday-Friday, 1 p.m.- 6 p.m.
- Cost: Flat rate of $75
Moving in-state a bit, Carpenter Tree Farm is located in Eaton Rapids and offers Michigan tree farm staples, such as horse-drawn wagon rides and sleds.
The farm also offers affordable trees at a flat rate per tree. As a bonus, the trees are cleaned and baled for free. Plus, the farm sells festive garlands and wreaths to complete your home’s holiday look.
5. Hillside Christmas Tree Farm
- Address: 14745 Sharon Hollow Rd. Manchester, MI 48158
- Hours: Saturday-Sunday 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
- Cost: starting at $6 per foot
Around 20 miles south of Ann Arbor, you’ll find Hillside Christmas Tree Farm, where festive activities like a Christmas Sing-a-Long display, a fire pit, or a kids’ play area abound. The farm has a popular “Tot Lot” with mini-sized trees for the littles and a special tree “growth chart” so families can track their child’s growth every year with a picture memory.
After you ride or walk out to the field and cut your tree down, you can explore the farm and end your afternoon in the Christmas barn with refreshments and warm drinks.
6. Tannenbaum Farm
- Address: 2515 Sandhill Road, Mason, MI 48854
- Hours: Saturday-Sunday, 9 a.m.-dark; Monday-Friday, 12:30 p.m.-dark
- Cost: Starting at $5 per ft.
Another generational farm, Tannenbaum Farm in Mason, has been in operation for forty years and features all the festive fun, including a Christmas shop, greenery and garlands for sale, and of course, visits with the Big Guy in Red himself, Santa Claus.
The farm has a fascinating history, with its first 3,000 trees planted in the late 1970s. Now, there are 8,000 trees available to browse and shop. Some of the most popular varieties include Fraser, Canaan, and Concolor Firs. Originally founded by Dr. Mel Koelling, whose teaching career with the Department of Forestry at Michigan State University spanned over 35 years, the farm was started on a mere three acres as a passion project for Dr. Koelling’s family. I think you could safely say mission accomplished!
7. Country Christmas Tree Farm
- Address: 8122 Bricker Road, Greenwood, MI, 48006
- Hours: Friday-Sunday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
- Cost: U-cut $85 any height; Starting at $60 for pre-cut
Bring your (leashed) pet out for a fun day at the Country Christmas Tree Farm in Greenwod, Mich. The family-owned farm offers free wagon rides, free hot cocoa or popcorn balls, a fire warming station, and a kids’ play area, so there’s always something to do. The U-cut fields do close relatively early in the season, but if you miss the chance to chop down your own tree, you can still choose from plenty of pre-cut options. (Plus, as a bonus, the pre-cut trees are cheaper!)
A tree purchase includes a free family photo from a professional photographer, and while you’re visiting, you may want to keep an eye out for the Grinch himself, as he tends to pop in around the farm. There are also plenty of seasonal events, like wreath classes, food trucks, and holiday shopping, to enjoy.
8. Gwinn’s Christmas Tree Farm
- Address: 4226 Farwell Lk Rd, Horton, MI, 49246
- Hours: Monday-Friday, 2 p.m.-dark; Saturday-Sunday 9 a.m.-dark
- Cost: starting at $80
Another family owned farm, Gwinn’s Christmas Tree Farm in Horton is a busy place to be during the holidays, with free wagon rides, Santa visits on the weekends, and a wide varitiey of trees to choose form, including Balsam Fir, Balsam Fir, Canaan Fir, Concolor Fir, Douglas Fir, Fraser Fir, Scotch Pine, Blue Spruce, and White Spruces.
Choose and cut down your own tree, but before you visit, be aware that this farm does not accept credit cards, so you’ll want to have cash on hand.
9. Country Roads Farms
- Address: 150 E Snover Rd, Mayville, MI
- Hours: Thursday-Saturday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Sunday: 12 p.m.-5 p.m.
- Cost: Varies
Admittedly, we’re breaking our rule a little bit with Country Roads Farms in southeastern Michigan, because the farm only sells pre-cut trees. However, we think it’s worth a visit because the small, family-owned operation offers a full day’s worth of festivities.
Think cuddle-a-mini cow sessions and photo ops, wreath-making classes, a hands-on “Santa’s Post Office” station where kids and families can write, decorate, and mail their letters straight to Santa (and he writes back!), crafts, hot chocolate, visits with Santa, a petting farm, and a farm market with goodies like fresh poinsettias to take home with you.
10. Mutch’s Hidden Pines
- Address: 303 Newark Rd. Lapeer, MI 48446
- Hours: Friday: 12 p.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Cost: Varies
My 13-year-old son just spent an afternoon volunteering at Mutch’s Hidden Pines in Lapeer, Mich., so I can attest that the hands-on service and quality you’ll find at this southeastern MI tree farm is top-notch. The farm is downright magical in the snow, and you will almost feel like you’ve been transported to another world with a wagon ride through the woods to choose your tree.
Shaking, baling, and drilling are all free services with a tree purchase (and as someone who once found a massive amount of spiders in a real tree from our backyard, I really appreciate the thorough job Mutch’s does, so it’s a necessity!). There’s also a warming barn, hot chocolate, and a gift barn to browse after you find your tree—or while you wait for your tree to be bundled up for a cozy ride home. The farm will be closing its U-cut fields on December 13th, so plan your visit soon if you’d like to experience choosing your own tree fresh from the field.
11. Runyans Country Tree Farm
- Address: 10235 N Webster Rd, Clio, MI 48420
- Hours: Thursday-Sunday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Cost: Varies
The small town of Clio, Mich., may not strike you as a place for an expansive tree farm offering over 10 varieties of Christmas tree types, but then again, small towns in Michigan are exactly where Christmas tree production got its start. Runywans Country Tree Farm is a great place to visit with an extended U-cut season, so even if you’re a last-minute decorator, they’ve got you covered.
They also have other seasonal fun, like barrel train rides the whole family can enjoy, visits with Santa, hot chocolate and coffee, holiday photography, hayrides, Santa’s mailbox, and wreath-making classes. Pets are also welcome on the farm!
12. Blake Farms
- Address: 17985 Armada Center Rd, Armada, MI 48005
- Hours: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Cost: Varies
If you live in Southeastern Michigan, chances are, you’re familiar with Blake Farms, because it’s renowned for its fall events, homemade cider and donuts, and all the pumpkins you could dream of. But Blake Farms also comes alive in the winter, with a U-cut location in Armada that is open all the way through December 23, making it ideal for anyone shopping for a tree up until the big day.
The farm team will shake and package your tree for you, giving you plenty of time to browse the gift shop, sip a holiday beverage, or get a quick bite at the Cider Mill.
Our stories may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. We ask that you edit only for style or to shorten, provide proper attribution and link to our web site. Please see our republishing guidelines for use of photos and graphics.
