Each year, one of America’s national forests gets the chance to send a little piece of home to Washington, D.C., where it becomes the nation’s Christmas tree. For 2026, that honor belongs to Idaho’s Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests, which will provide an 80-foot grand fir for the West Front Lawn of the U.S. Capitol. Known as “The People’s Tree,” the Capitol Christmas Tree has become a holiday tradition that connects communities across the country with the nation’s capital, and this year Idaho will take center stage during America’s 250th birthday celebration.
The tree itself was selected in August after a careful search through the vast Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests. Jim Kaufmann, Executive Director of Capitol Grounds and Arboretum for the Architect of the Capitol, spent a week touring the region. Forest Service employees had identified more than 60 potential trees, which were narrowed to about a dozen finalists before the winning grand fir was chosen from the Salmon River Ranger District. Kaufmann said the tree stood out because of its “perfect form and full shape.”
The Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests encompass more than 4 million acres of mountains, deep canyons, rivers, meadows and old-growth forests in north-central Idaho. The region is closely connected to the homeland and history of the Nez Perce Tribe, and the forests include places associated with the Lewis and Clark expedition, and the development of smokejumping.
For Idaho, the 2026 selection is especially significant because it marks the first time the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests have supplied the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree. The project will give communities throughout the state an opportunity to participate in the celebration, with Idaho residents creating thousands of handmade ornaments for the tree. The journey from Idaho to Washington will also include a whistle-stop tour, allowing communities along the route to celebrate the tree before it makes its grand entrance at the Capitol. The precise location of the tree is being kept confidential until it is harvested.
The grand fir is scheduled to be harvested in late October and will then begin its journey across Idaho and the country. It is expected to arrive at the U.S. Capitol in late November, where it will be put up on the West Front Lawn and decorated. Thousands of handmade Idaho ornaments will be joined by lights as the tree is transformed into the sparkling centerpiece of the Capitol’s holiday season.
The official tree-lighting ceremony is expected to take place in early December. The ceremony is generally held during the last week of November or the first week of December, and specific 2026 dates will be announced this fall. Until then, Idaho can enjoy the anticipation of knowing that somewhere in the Salmon River Ranger District, an 80-foot grand fir is preparing for a journey to the front lawn of the United States Capitol, where it will help illuminate Christmas in Washington for visitors from across the nation.
