Bethlehem · New Hampshire
The Rocks
Balsam and Fraser fir fields, a historic Carriage Barn shop and a holiday calendar of horse-drawn rides and children’s activities.
At a glance
Your tree visit.
- Tree choices
- Cut your own
- Choose-and-cut trees
- $75 each
Balsam and Fraser fir, 4–8ft; cut your own.
Prices & conditions ↓ - Visit times
Main season November 27–December 13, 10am–3pm. Separate early and late dates below.
Full schedule ↓
Find your tree
Choose your Christmas tree.
The Rocks is a field-selection visit: walk among hand-sheared balsam and Fraser fir, choose a tree from the open fields and cut it yourself. Published sizes run from four to eight feet, with eight feet the stated maximum. Staff can direct you to the open fields; neither a larger tree nor an individually reserved tree is promised.
Hand saws are provided, and you may bring your own hand saw. Power tools are prohibited. Carry the tree back or use a supplied sled, then use the farm’s twine to secure it for the journey home. The horse-drawn wagon is a holiday attraction, rather than a promised tree-retrieval service.
Main-season sales do not include a fresh-cut selection. If cutting is a barrier, contact info@therocks.org or the farm number at least one week before the desired pickup to discuss possible arrangements. This is an advance conversation about options, rather than a guarantee of accessible fields or a staff-cut service.
Published varieties
- Balsam fir
- Fraser fir
Which variety suits your decorations?
General tree guidance; the farm’s selection, sizes and services are described above.
- Fraser fir
- Upward branches and good needle retention; firmer branches can suit heavier ornaments.
- Balsam fir
- A notably fragrant choice with soft needles.
Learn more: University of Wisconsin Extension ↗ · National Christmas Tree Association ↗
Compare the options
Trees & prices.
Cash, checks and all credit cards are accepted.
| Selection & size | Price |
|---|---|
| Choose-and-cut balsam or Fraser fir, 4–8ft | $75 each Main-season offering; all trees are cut-your-own. |
| Handmade wreaths | From $27 Individually priced; starts at $27. |
Horse rides, crafts and a winter warm-up
A tree visit can include a complimentary horse-drawn wagon ride on selected days, with the estate’s mountain setting as the backdrop. Follow the dated ride list below: the last listed horse-ride day is December 12, even though children’s activities continue on December 13.
The indoor children’s activity center runs on the listed holiday weekends. The Carriage Barn also has an exhibit where children can measure themselves in Christmas-tree years. On seasonal weekends, a fire pit offers a place to warm up; drinks and snacks inside are sold by local nonprofit groups, rather than included with the tree.
| Experience | Dates and conditions |
|---|---|
| Complimentary horse-drawn wagon rides | November 21; November 27–29; December 5–6; December 12 |
| Indoor children’s activity center | November 27–29; December 5–6; December 12–13 |
| Carriage Barn craft fair | November 21, 10am–4pm |
| Drinks and snacks for purchase | November 27–29: Bethlehem Elementary School PTO; December 5–6: Hugh J. Gallen HOSA; December 12–13: Friends of Littleton Elementary School |
The Carriage Barn and the trails
The renovated historic Carriage Barn combines the gift shop with exhibits about forests, the estate and the Forest Society’s conservation work. The shop carries handmade ornaments, work by local makers and artists, nature and history books, children’s gifts, greeting cards, Rocks clothing, tree stands and accessories, and maple syrup made at The Rocks. Handmade wreaths and holiday greenery make this a useful second stop after choosing a tree.
Public trails are open dawn to dusk. The easy, 0.8-mile Christmas Tree Trail has 15 interpretive stops; it offers a way to see more of the working landscape without turning a tree purchase into a booked tour. Trail conditions and field access remain separate from the heated, accessible restrooms in the Barn, two of which have changing stations. The vestibule’s accessible restrooms remain open daily from dawn to dusk even when the rest of the Carriage Barn is closed.
Late-season trees need a different plan
December 14–19 is a reduced-service period: the gift shop is open 10am–4pm and cut-your-own continues, but tree baling is unavailable. The holiday page does not give a separate field-cutting clock schedule for these days, so arrange the timing before setting out.
Some fresh-cut trees may be available during this late window. Contact the farm ahead if that is the reason for your trip; it is a possibility to confirm, rather than a guaranteed stock of pre-cut trees. The tree farm closes on December 20, while the Barn has its own later opening and closure dates.
Make it a longer stay
The separately purchased Christmas Memory Package combines a stay at a participating inn or hotel with a tree, a decorated 12-inch wreath and a horse-drawn wagon ride. Contact the participating inn directly for its seasonal price and booking terms; lodging is not included in an ordinary tree purchase. The three-bedroom Gardener’s Cottage is another separately booked option and sleeps up to nine.
Private tree-farm tours, on foot or by motorcoach, are arranged separately through The Rocks. They are useful for groups seeking a guided visit, rather than an activity automatically attached to retail opening hours.
A crop that supports conservation
The Glessner family’s estate became part of the Forest Society with the condition that a crop remain in the fields. Christmas trees now connect that working-landscape promise with conservation: tree sales support the organization’s work, while the open fields and surrounding woods remain part of a much larger protected property.
Seedlings arrive several years old and are tended for another six to nine years before harvest. Summer hand pruning shapes the crop. That patient growing cycle explains why the open retail fields, rather than every tree visible on the property, are the place to make your selection.
Pick your day
Dates & hours.
Tree season: November 21; daily November 27–December 13; reduced service December 14–19
The tree farm closes December 20. November 22–26 are not listed selling days. Late-season service differs from the main calendar.
| Tree sales and shop dates | Hours |
|---|---|
| November 21 | Trees 10am–3pm; shop and craft fair 10am–4pm |
| November 27–December 13, daily | Trees 10am–3pm; gift shop until 4pm |
| December 14–19 | Gift shop 10am–4pm; cut-your-own continues without baling. Confirm field hours. |
| December 20 | Tree farm closes for the season |
| December 22–23 | Carriage Barn and gift shop open to visitors; tree season has ended |
| December 24–28 | Carriage Barn and gift shop closed |
| From December 29 | Regular gift-shop hours Tuesday–Saturday, 10am–4pm |
Use the separate activity calendar for horse rides and children’s activities. Shop hours do not extend main-season tree cutting beyond 3pm.
Before you go.
- Navigate to 113 Glessner Lane, Bethlehem; the farm explicitly warns against using the Google Maps destination “The Rocks Estate.” Parking is directed at the Carriage Barn.
- Avoid bringing a trailer: busy parking areas cannot accommodate vehicles towing one.
- Dogs are permitted; keep them leashed within sight of the buildings.
- Personal, unpaid and noncommercial family photos are allowed. Commercial photography requires an advance Special Use Permit and fee through Kristine Arey at karey@forestsociety.org. Drones are prohibited.
- No advance tagging or mail-order trees are offered.
113 Glessner Lane, Bethlehem, NH
Keep exploring
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Glove Hollow Christmas Tree FarmPemigewasset River tree fields, changing seasonal field prices and a family outing with goats, a tube slide, tunnels and viewing towers.
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Conley Christmas Tree FarmFour fir choices on mountain-sheltered fields, $75 choose-and-cut trees and included shaking, baling and pin-stand drilling.
Barnstead, New Hampshire
Third Stone FarmA small permaculture-minded fir farm with height-based prices, tall-tree choices, a woodstove cabin and a marshmallow fire.