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Last reviewed 2026-10-17

Tree Removal Cost: Deschutes County, OR

Around Bend and Redmond the tree coming down is usually a ponderosa pine, a lodgepole or a western juniper, and HomeGuide's February 2026 national survey puts pine removal at $250 to $1,600, with an average tree of any kind at $400 to $1,200. A small juniper in an open Redmond yard is cheap; a tall ponderosa between a Bend house and its neighbor's garage is not.

This is pine and juniper country. The Forest Service's 2024 FIA evaluation counts about 1.25 million forested acres in Deschutes County: ponderosa pine 37.9%, lodgepole pine 24.1%, an "other western softwoods" group that in Central Oregon includes western juniper 16.5%, and fir/spruce/mountain hemlock 15.4%. Much of it lies in the Deschutes National Forest, but the wildland edge runs straight through subdivisions.

Wildfire, not storms, drives most work here: homeowners thin and remove trees to create defensible space, and the county runs free yard debris collection each spring for exactly that reason. New homes keep pushing into the pines, too: the Census Bureau's Building Permits Survey counts 1,166 single-family buildings authorized in Deschutes County in 2025.

Cost at a glance

Deschutes County tree removal cost at a glance
Item	Typical cost	Source
Pine (most common forest group here)	$250-$1,600	HomeGuide, Feb 2026 (national)
Typical single tree	$400-$1,200	HomeGuide, Feb 2026 (national)
Stump removal	$100-$500+	HomeGuide, Feb 2026 (national)
Clean yard debris, Knott Landfill	$7 per cubic yard	Deschutes County rates
FireFree spring drop-off (wildfire debris)	Free	Deschutes County
Yard debris burning inside Bend	Never allowed	City of Bend
Bend Fire burn permit (Rural District #2)	$20 per year	City of Bend

Permits

Bend's development tree code applies when you build, not when you simply cut. The City of Bend says its preservation standards generally apply to land divisions, site plan reviews and similar applications on properties larger than one acre, counting trees 6 inches DBH or larger as regulated and 20 inches or larger as priority trees. A site of one acre or smaller with one or more homes is generally exempt. Trees in the public right-of-way, such as the strip between sidewalk and street, need city approval before any work.

Burning is the big rule. Inside Bend city limits, the City of Bend says burning yard debris is never allowed, by permanent city code: no burn piles, barrels or weed torches. In the surrounding Deschutes Rural Fire Protection District #2, debris burning is usually open from November to May and closed in fire season; piles 6 feet wide and 4 feet tall must sit 50 feet from buildings, need 10 feet of bare dirt around them, and anything larger needs a Bend Fire permit at $20 a year. Call the burn line (541-322-6335) the morning of any burn.

Commercial burning near Bend needs Oregon DEQ approval first, then a fire department permit. Areas protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry can carry extra rules under the Forest Practices Act.

Step 1: check whether your lot is inside Bend, in Rural District #2 or in another fire district such as La Pine. Step 2: plan disposal: FireFree drop-off in spring, Deschutes Recycling at Knott Landfill, chipping, or a permitted rural burn. Step 3: walk the drop zone for the house, fence and power lines. Step 4: compare itemized written bids. Step 5: call Oregon 811 before grinding.

Local conditions

Shallow volcanic ground: the NRCS soil survey for the Upper Deschutes River Area (OR620), which covers much of Deschutes County plus parts of Jefferson and Klamath, finds bedrock within about 39 inches (100 cm) on 59.7% of mapped acres, so stump grinding often stops at lava rock and roots spread wide rather than deep.

Slopes: NRCS data put 49.2% of mapped acres at 8% slope or more, from the buttes around Bend to the Cascade foothills west of Sisters.

Fire and wind: FEMA's declarations data list 5 weather-related major disasters for Deschutes County from 1964 through 2020, including severe winter storms in 2004 and 2017 and the September 2020 wildfires and straight-line winds. Snow load and wind topple shallow-rooted pines.

Juniper spread: western juniper crowds rangeland and yards in the eastern county, and dense, resinous juniper is heavy work to cut and chip.

What drives local prices

Species: HomeGuide's table lists pine at $250-$1,600 and cedar at $600-$2,000; dense juniper is often closer to the cedar line in practice (our est.).
Height: 30-60 ft trees run $500-$1,500 and 60-80 ft trees $850-$2,000 on HomeGuide's survey, which covers most mature ponderosas.
Disposal: Deschutes County's rate sheet charges $7 per cubic yard for clean yard debris at Deschutes Recycling at Knott Landfill and at most transfer stations; FireFree drop-off is free for wildfire-mitigation material in spring.
Rock: shallow lava rock can make full-depth grinding impossible; HomeGuide's survey puts stump removal at $100-$500+ per stump.
Seasons: HomeGuide says summer and fall can cost 10% to 20% more; in Central Oregon that's also when burning is closed.
Method: per-tree, height and stump ranges are HomeGuide national figures (Feb 4, 2026); disposal rates and FireFree terms come from Deschutes County; burning and tree code rules from the City of Bend; est. marks our own judgment. Checked October 16, 2026.

Common jobs

Ponderosa and lodgepole pine removal near homes
Defensible-space thinning and limbing
Juniper removal on rural lots
Snow and wind damage cleanup

Service area

Most calls come from Bend, Redmond and Sisters, with more from La Pine, Sunriver, Terrebonne, Tumalo and the Three Rivers area south of Sunriver. US 97 runs north and south through Redmond, Bend and La Pine, US 20 links Sisters, Bend and Burns, OR 126 runs Sisters to Redmond, and the Cascade Lakes Highway (OR 372) climbs west from Bend.

No neighboring Oregon county has a page on the site yet, and Deschutes is our only Oregon page, so there is no Oregon hub.

Want a price? Use the form below to tell us the species, rough height and distance from the house, and whether you're inside Bend city limits. We reply by email with next steps and, when we know them, insured Central Oregon crews.

Communities: Bend, Redmond, Sisters, La Pine, Sunriver, Terrebonne, Tumalo, Three Rivers

When something can’t wait

If snow or wind drops a pine on the house or a line, keep everyone away and call the utility or 911 before any cutting. Emergency work often costs 2 to 3 times standard rates on HomeGuide's survey. Never burn storm debris inside Bend; it has to be chipped or hauled.

Questions about Deschutes County

How much does tree removal cost in Deschutes County, OR?

HomeGuide's 2026 survey puts a typical tree at $400 to $1,200 and a pine at $250 to $1,600. Tall ponderosas over homes and lava-rock stumps cost more.

Can I burn branches in Bend?

No. The City of Bend says yard debris burning is never allowed inside city limits. Outside the city, Rural District #2 usually allows debris burning from November to May on approved days.

Is there free yard debris disposal?

Yes, in spring. Deschutes County's FireFree program took wildfire-mitigation debris free at Knott Landfill May 15-24, 2026, and at Redmond, Sisters and La Pine transfer stations in June; stumps and trees larger than 12 inches across were not accepted.

Do I need a permit to cut a tree in Bend?

Not for most yard trees on an existing home lot of an acre or less. Development on larger sites follows Bend's tree preservation code, and right-of-way trees always need city approval.

What does the landfill charge otherwise?

Deschutes County lists clean yard debris at $7 per cubic yard at Deschutes Recycling at Knott Landfill.

Sources

Tree problems

Local fees and rules change. Confirm with the county or state office named above before you clear. Estimate your clearing cost.