Home / Counties / Carlton County, MN
Last reviewed 2026-10-20

Tree Removal Cost: Carlton County, MN

Carlton County sits just southwest of Duluth, where the St. Louis River cuts through Jay Cooke State Park and aspen, birch and spruce cover most of the land between Cloquet, Moose Lake and Carlton. Jobs here are mostly aspen and birch near houses and cabins, wind-thrown spruce and storm cleanup. HomeGuide's latest national price data (February 2026) sets an ordinary removal somewhere from $400 to $1,200.

This is aspen country. The Forest Service's FIA estimates (Minnesota 2025 evaluation) count about 354,500 acres of forest land countywide: 52.2% aspen/birch, 17.2% spruce/fir, 10.4% elm/ash/cottonwood and 8.7% maple/beech/birch.

Building is modest: Census Bureau permit files record 109 new one-unit homes permitted in Carlton County in 2025, 96 in 2024 and 78 in 2023.

Permits

Burning takes a DNR permit, and sometimes it isn't allowed at all. The Minnesota DNR sells an annual online burning permit for $5, good for brush and yard waste through the calendar year, but when the DNR puts a county under burning restrictions, as it did with Carlton this year, no permits are activated until conditions improve.

Disposal: Carlton County's disposal guide says the Carlton County Transfer Station on Highway 210 in Carlton takes leaves and grass free and branches and brush under 4 inches in diameter for a fee; larger wood needs another outlet, such as firewood or a private chipper.

We found no county permit for cutting trees on your own land. Shoreland lots on lakes and the St. Louis River fall under county shoreland rules that limit vegetation removal near the water, so ask Zoning first.

Step 1: check the DNR burning restrictions map. Step 2: decide on burning (with the $5 permit when allowed), the transfer station or chipping. Step 3: ask Zoning about shoreland limits on a lake lot. Step 4: compare written quotes. Step 5: get utilities marked (811) before anyone grinds.

Local conditions

Wet, flat ground: NRCS soil survey data for Carlton County (MN017) rate 33.0% of mapped acres as hydric, 47.9% as poorly or somewhat poorly drained and 40.5% with a water table within about 30 cm, especially in the peat lowlands in the south near Moose Lake and Barnum. Shallow-rooted spruce and balsam fir there tip over in wind.

Rocky river gorge: along the St. Louis River near Thomson and Jay Cooke State Park, slate bedrock sits close to the surface, and the NRCS data put 7.0% of the county at 15% slope or more.

Flood and storm record: FEMA's declarations data list 6 weather-driven major disaster declarations that include the county, 5 of them floods, including the June 2012 flood that tore through Thomson and Carlton, and a 2023 storm and flood declaration.

Aging aspen: aspen is short-lived, and many stands near homes in Cloquet and Esko are past their prime, with heart rot that makes them snap in summer storms.

What drives local prices

  • Aspen and birch are usually 30 to 60 feet, a $500 to $1,500 job in HomeGuide's height table.
  • Dead ash costs $650 to $2,000 to remove in HomeGuide's species list, because it breaks unpredictably.
  • Wet ground and lake access can add matting or hand carry; expect an est. \1% to 30%.
  • The DNR burn permit is $5; the transfer station fee for small brush is set by the county, and stump grinding adds $100 to $500 or more per HomeGuide.
  • Method: figures quoted from HomeGuide's published guide (February 4, 2026) plus the DNR permit fee; lines marked est. are our estimate. Checked October 20, 2026.

Common jobs

  • Removing old aspen and birch near homes and cabins in Cloquet and Esko.
  • Clearing wind-thrown spruce and balsam fir after summer storms.
  • Shoreline tree work on lake lots, within county limits.
  • Cutting dead ash killed by emerald ash borer.

Service area

Requests come from Cloquet, Carlton, Moose Lake, Barnum, Esko, Scanlon, Wrenshall and Kettle River. I-35 runs north to south through Cloquet, Carlton and Moose Lake, and Highway 210 and Highway 73 cross the county.

Minnesota Power and Lake Country Power lines run through most areas.

Tell us about the tree in the free form below, including whether it is near water or a cabin.

Communities: Cloquet, Carlton, Moose Lake, Barnum, Esko, Scanlon, Wrenshall, Kettle River

When something can’t wait

Stay away from downed lines and call Minnesota Power or Lake Country Power. Emergency rates can run 2-3x normal per HomeGuide.

Questions about Carlton County

What do crews charge to take down a tree in Carlton County?

About between $400 and $1,200 for one average tree by HomeGuide's 2026 numbers.

Is brush burning allowed in Carlton County?

Only with the $5 DNR burning permit and only when the county isn't under DNR burning restrictions.

Where can I take branches?

The Carlton County Transfer Station takes brush under 4 inches in diameter for a fee; leaves and grass are free.

Why do spruce trees fall over here?

Wet, peaty soil and a high water table. NRCS data rate 33.0% of the county as hydric.

Sources

Related tree removal guides

Local fees and rules change. Confirm with the county or state office named above before you clear. For published price ranges, see land clearing cost per acre or follow the worked estimate. Estimate your clearing cost.

Other counties we serve

Free, no obligation

Ask about your clearing project

Tell us the acreage, what is growing on it and what the land is for: pasture, house pad, trails or a view. The form goes to Cornelia Cove LLC, which runs this site, and we reply by email. We use your details only to answer this request, and we pass them to a contractor only if you ask us to.

Bring a range from our estimator to every site visit. A clearing bid should price clearing, stumps, debris disposal and grading separately, and say who handles permits.