The 2026 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree, a 76-foot Engelmann spruce from Idaho’s Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests, arrives at the Capitol on Friday, November 20. It replaced an 80-foot grand fir that was ruled out after foresters found needle cast disease, and it is stopping in towns across 10 states on its nearly 3,000-mile trip.
Key Takeaways
- The tree arrives at the U.S. Capitol on Friday, November 20, at 10 a.m., and will be lit each evening from dusk until 11 p.m. through early January 2027 after a lighting ceremony on a date still to be announced.
- The original selection, an 80-foot grand fir from the Salmon River Ranger District, was replaced after it showed signs of needle cast disease.
- Forest Service crews harvested the backup spruce at Musselshell Meadow on October 24 after a blessing by the Nez Perce Tribe’s Wap’qawan Drum circle.
- This is the third Capitol Christmas Tree from an Idaho national forest, and all three have been Engelmann spruces, following trees from the Boise National Forest in 2003 and the Payette National Forest in 2016.
- Public tour stops continue from Sheridan, Wyoming, on November 9 through Littlestown, Pennsylvania, on November 17, followed by a stop for military ID holders at Joint Base Andrews on November 19.
- Grace Benson, a fourth grader from Salmon, Idaho, won the 2026 Youth Tree Lighter Essay Contest.
Needle Cast Disease Ruled Out the Original Grand Fir
The 2026 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree was not the first tree chosen for the job. The Architect of the Capitol initially selected an 80-foot grand fir from the Salmon River Ranger District of the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests. Before harvest, foresters found that it had needle cast disease, a fungal infection that causes needles to discolor and drop.
The Forest Service had a backup ready. A Forest Service official, Peterson, described the replacement as a 76-foot Engelmann spruce on the Lochsa-Powell Ranger District, very similar in size and close in shape to the original. Selecting a backup is standard practice for a tree that has to look its best on the West Lawn for more than a month, and in 2026 the backup ended up being used.
The Backup Tree Was Harvested at Musselshell Meadow on October 24
Forest Service employees cut the spruce on October 24 at Musselshell Meadow, deep in the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests about two hours from Lewiston. Before the harvest, the Nez Perce Tribe’s Wap’qawan Drum circle offered a blessing, recognizing the tribe’s connection to the land where the tree grew.
Once the tree was secured for travel, it began a public whistlestop tour through Idaho in late October, stopping in Lewiston, Moscow, Orofino, Kamiah, Grangeville, and other communities before heading east.
Idaho’s Third People’s Tree Continues an Engelmann Spruce Tradition
The U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree, often called the People’s Tree, is a 56-year tradition in which one of the country’s 154 national forests provides a tree for the Capitol’s West Lawn. The Architect of the Capitol selects the tree each year in consultation with the U.S. Forest Service.
Idaho has filled the role three times, and each time with an Engelmann spruce: a 65-foot tree from the Boise National Forest in 2003, a tree from the Payette National Forest in 2016, and this year’s 76-foot spruce. The species appears often in the Architect of the Capitol’s records, including trees from Montana’s Kootenai National Forest in 2017 and Colorado’s national forests in 2020. Its narrow, symmetrical shape holds up well through the long trip east and weeks of display.
Where to See the Tree Before It Reaches Washington
The Capitol Christmas Tree’s route includes 21 stops in 10 states, and community events along the way are free and open to the public. Visitors can see the tree and truck up close, sign a banner, and learn about the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests. Remaining stops, with local times, include:
- November 9: Sheridan, Wyoming, 6 to 8 p.m. MDT, at 355 N Main St.
- November 10: Custer, South Dakota, 4 to 6 p.m. MDT, at 424 Mt Rushmore Rd.
- November 12: Mitchell, South Dakota, 9 to 11 a.m. CDT, at the Corn Palace, and Albert Lea, Minnesota, 5 to 7 p.m. CDT, at Fountain St and Broadway Ave.
- November 13: Peoria, Illinois, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. CDT, at the Peoria Riverfront Museum.
- November 14: Richmond, Indiana, 5 to 7 p.m. ET, at 814 E Main St.
- November 16: Morgantown, West Virginia, 5 to 7 p.m. EDT, at 3450 Monongahela Blvd.
- November 17: Hagerstown, Maryland, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. EDT, at 21 S Potomac St., and Littlestown, Pennsylvania, 4 to 6 p.m. EDT, at 790 W King St.
- November 19: Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, open to visitors with military ID only.
Thousands of Idaho-Made Ornaments Will Decorate the West Lawn
The Capitol Christmas Tree will carry Idaho with it in more than its wood. Thousands of handmade ornaments created by Idaho residents will decorate the tree once a team from the Architect of the Capitol secures it on the West Front Lawn.
Idaho will also be represented at the lighting. Grace Benson, a fourth grader from Salmon, won the 2026 Youth Tree Lighter Essay Contest and will help light the tree in Washington. The Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests organized the project with nonprofit partner the Society of American Foresters and presenting sponsor Idaho Forest Group.
Visiting the Capitol Christmas Tree in Washington
The tree is scheduled to arrive at the U.S. Capitol at 10 a.m. on Friday, November 20. The lighting ceremony on the West Front Lawn will take place on a date the Architect of the Capitol has yet to announce. After the ceremony, the tree will be lit from dusk until 11 p.m. every evening through early January 2027. Visiting is free and open to the public, with no ticket required.
FAQs
Where Is the 2026 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree From?
The 2026 tree is a 76-foot Engelmann spruce from the Lochsa-Powell Ranger District of the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests in Idaho. It is the third Capitol Christmas Tree from an Idaho national forest.
Why Was the Capitol Christmas Tree Changed?
The originally selected 80-foot grand fir showed signs of needle cast disease. The Forest Service replaced it with a backup Engelmann spruce of similar size and shape.
When Will the 2026 Capitol Christmas Tree Be Lit?
The lighting ceremony date has not been announced. After the ceremony, the tree will be lit from dusk until 11 p.m. each evening through early January 2027.
Is It Free to See the Capitol Christmas Tree?
Yes. Visiting the tree on the Capitol’s West Lawn is free and requires no ticket. Tour stops along the route are also free and open to the public, except at Joint Base Andrews, which requires a military ID.
