Every December, Sacramento families load the car and drive out to find a real tree — not the kind vacuum-wrapped at a gas station lot, but one they walked up to, picked themselves, and cut down. The region is well-situated for it. Within an hour of downtown you can reach valley floor operations with flat-rate pricing, foothill farms with 55 acres to explore, and Gold Country tree farms that have been running since before most current residents were born.
Most farms here open the weekend after Thanksgiving and operate Friday through Monday until mid-December. A few get started even earlier. Here’s what’s confirmed for 2026, organized by distance from Sacramento.
Davis Ranch — Sloughhouse
The closest dedicated Christmas tree operation to downtown Sacramento sits about 25 miles east on Jackson Road in Sloughhouse. Davis Ranch runs one of the most straightforward pricing structures in the region: every choose-and-cut tree costs $47.99 plus tax, regardless of height. Bring a 4-foot tabletop tree or a 10-foot statement piece — same price.
The varieties include Douglas Fir, Incense Cedar, Monterey Pine, Nordmann Fir, Deodar Cedar, and Coastal Grand Fir, which gives it one of the broader selections among local operations. Because Davis Ranch is a working produce farm that stays active year-round, it’s worth calling ahead to confirm when their Christmas tree operation opens each season before making the drive.
13211 Jackson Road, Sloughhouse, CA 95683 | 916-682-2658 (u-pick line: 916-502-7983) | davisranchproduce.com
Snowy Peaks Tree Farm — Foresthill
About 55 miles northeast of Sacramento, up through Auburn and into the Placer County foothills, Snowy Peaks sits on 55 acres in Foresthill. The farm opens the day after Thanksgiving — November 27 in 2026 — and runs Friday through Monday, 9am to 5pm, through mid-December.
Pricing is $13 per foot plus tax for choose-and-cut trees. The u-cut selection includes White Fir, Silvertips, and Douglas Fir; pre-cut Noble Fir and Nordmann Fir from Oregon are also available if you want a different look without the foothill trek. They provide netting and tie-down services on-site.
The amenities push this one into a proper outing: hot chocolate, coffee, candy canes, a bonfire, a tree swing, and a picnic area. It’s the kind of farm that earns its own family traditions.
30100 Foresthill Rd, Foresthill, CA 95631 | (530) 367-3766 | snowypeaksfarm.net
Indian Rock Tree Farm — Camino
Indian Rock sits in the Apple Hill corridor of El Dorado County — the same stretch of Camino road that draws Sacramento families for apple picking every fall. The farm opens November 27, 2026, and runs Thursday through Monday, 8am to 5pm (with last entry at 4:30pm).
They offer more than a dozen tree varieties in both choose-and-cut and fresh-cut formats. One practical note: Thanksgiving weekend reservations are required. Tickets went on sale August 1, so check their website for availability before assuming you can walk in that first weekend. If you’re planning a mid-December trip, reservations aren’t required — but hours and operating days can change based on weather and growing conditions, so it’s always worth checking their site before heading out.
For oversized trees exceeding 20 feet, contact the farm directly at the number below.
Camino, CA (El Dorado County) | 916-205-1794 | info@indianrocktreefarm.com | indianrocktreefarm.com
McBurney Tree Farm — Grass Valley
McBurney has been running for nearly 70 years on Cedar Ridge Drive outside Grass Valley in Nevada County — which puts it among the oldest Christmas tree operations in the greater Sacramento region. For 2026, the farm opened early reservations on September 26, with full operations beginning November 20.
Hours are Friday through Monday, 9am to 5pm. If you’d rather not wrestle with the saw yourself, the staff will cut the tree for you — a useful option if you’re bringing kids who are more interested in the hot cocoa than the process. The farm is about an hour from downtown Sacramento.
11197 Cedar Ridge Drive, Grass Valley, CA 95945 | 530-273-2779 | mcburneytreefarm.com
The Details
- Davis Ranch | 13211 Jackson Rd, Sloughhouse | $47.99 any size tree | Call 916-682-2658 to confirm season open dates | davisranchproduce.com
- Snowy Peaks Tree Farm | 30100 Foresthill Rd, Foresthill | Opens Nov 27 | Fri–Mon, 9am–5pm | $13/ft | (530) 367-3766 | snowypeaksfarm.net
- Indian Rock Tree Farm | Camino, El Dorado County | Opens Nov 27 | Thu–Mon, 8am–5pm (last entry 4:30pm) | Reservations required Thanksgiving weekend | 916-205-1794 | indianrocktreefarm.com
- McBurney Tree Farm | 11197 Cedar Ridge Dr, Grass Valley | Opens Nov 20 | Fri–Mon, 9am–5pm | 530-273-2779 | mcburneytreefarm.com
Bottom Line
If the priority is a short drive and simple pricing, Davis Ranch in Sloughhouse is the obvious choice — 25 miles from downtown with a flat $47.99 for any tree. For a full outing where the trip itself is the point, Snowy Peaks in Foresthill and Indian Rock in Camino are both worth the hour on the road. Camino in particular works well as a combined day if you’re already up in Apple Hill.
McBurney is the pick for anyone who wants an established operation with staff who’ll handle the cutting — and for families who appreciate the weight of a farm that’s been doing this since 1956.
All four farms operate primarily on a Friday-through-Monday schedule. If you’re planning a first-weekend-of-December visit, expect it to be busy — and call ahead, because popular farms run out of the best trees earlier than most people assume.
While you’re planning the holidays, check out the best Sacramento Christmas events in 2026 and the top holiday markets around the city.
