Denver Recycles annual FREE Treecycle program will be recycling thousands of Christmas trees into mulch again this holiday season. The mulch is made available FREE to Denver residents in the spring. To ensure your tree is composted you must drop it off this year. Trees picked up by Denver Waste Management will not be composted. Tree-cycling is easy, but it’s important to follow these steps.
1) Remove all tinsel and decorations for the tree. Real evergreen trees only! No artificial or flocked (spray painted) trees.
2) Bring your tree to one of the Treecycle locations:
3. Treecycle is for Denver residents only.
The following Treecycle locations will be open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. January 2 to 31*, 2023
Cherry Creek Transfer Station – 7301 E. Jewell Ave. (enter on E. Jewell Ave.)
Havana Nursery – 10450 Smith Rd. (enter on Smith Road)
Central Platte Campus – 1271 W. Bayaud Ave. (next to the Denver Animal Shelter)
*These locations will be closed on Monday, January 16, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. holiday
Weekend Drop Sites: Saturday Jan. 14, 21 & 28, 2023
The following Treecycle locations will be open 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Sloan’s Lake Northwest Parking Lot – W. Byron Pl. and Yates St.
Bruce Randolph – E. 40th Ave. and Steele St.
Fred Thomas Park – 2400 Quebec St.
Evie Dennis School Campus – 4800 Telluride St.
Central Platte Campus – 1271 W. Bayaud Ave.
Carson Elementary – 5420 E 1st Ave.
Kennedy High School – Newland St. and Brown Pl.
Slavens Elementary – 3000 S Clayton St.
East High School – 1600 City Park Esplanade
For more information about drop-off options, check here for days and times the recycling centers are open.
If you can not take your tree to a recycle location, the city will pick it up as part of large item collection. Important! Trees left out for large item pickup will NOT be composted.
For home pickup: Set your tree out for collection on your Large Item Pickup days during the Treecycle collection period of January 2 to 21, 2023. Your tree should be set out no later than 7 a.m.
Do not place trees inside bags or carts. Trees should be at least 2-feet away from trash, recycling containers and other obstacles. Your tree will be picked up by a special tree collection truck.
If you don’t live in the city of Denver, check here for other tree recycling programs.