Land clearing in Grand Junction, CO: Clear the lot without the surprises
Clearing a Grand Valley lot usually means cutting and chipping trees and brush, dealing with stumps, and following burn, noxious weed and easement rules. National guides put tree clearing around $500 to $6,000 an acre, depending on how thick it is. Those are planning figures, and a tree service professional walks the site for a real price.
Get a free quote Call 970-902-1212Rough numbers
What an acre might cost
These are national per-acre figures, not local prices, and the guides do not agree. If a lot has only a few trees, Fixr says paying per tree may be cheaper, so try our estimator for those.
| Lot | Published range | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Lightly wooded | $500 to $2,500 an acre | Fixr |
| Heavier growth | As much as $5,000 an acre | Fixr |
| Clearing trees in bulk | $850 to $6,000 an acre | Lawn Love |
Weeds you must deal with
Russian olive, tamarisk and the rest
Some of what you are clearing may be a legal problem already. Colorado lists Russian olive and salt cedar on noxious weed List B, and Siberian elm and tree of heaven on List C. Mesa County treats Russian olive and tamarisk as suppress species, so cutting alone may not be the end of the job.
The Mesa County weed plan and the Mesa Conservation District describe cost share for tamarisk and Russian olive treatment. We did not verify the amounts, so ask them directly. Ask your crew how the stumps will be handled, since cut Russian olive can resprout.
Before the saws
Five calls that save a headache
Clearing touches more rules than single tree work. We found no private tree permit in the valley, but these still apply, and development rules differ.
- 1
Colorado 811
State law requires notice before digging, including removing tree roots. Allow at least 3 full business days for marks.
- 2
Canal and drain companies
Grand Valley Irrigation claims 25 feet from the water or the toe of an embankment. Call before working near any canal, ditch or drain.
- 3
Your electric utility
Xcel Energy at 800-895-4999 or Grand Valley Power at 970-242-0040, before any cutting near lines.
- 4
Planning, if you will build
Grand Junction repealed its significant tree rule in 2026, but other landscaping rules apply to development. Ask planning for your parcel, and check our permit checker.
- 5
Your HOA
Most covenants we read need committee approval first. Search our HOA list.
Debris
You probably cannot burn it
Mesa County Public Health limits residential burns to lots of one acre or more, in season, with a permit, and to dry trimmings under one inch thick. Agricultural burning has its own permit and rules. Most clearing debris is chipped or hauled, so get that in the quote.
- County season
- March 1 to May 31, and September 1 to October 31
- City season
- March 1 to April 30, and September 1 to September 30
- No burn days
- Short-term advisories for wind, dryness or air quality stop all open burning
- Questions
- Call 970-248-6900 before you plan on burning
Short answers
Land clearing questions, answered first
Short answers from county, state and published cost sources.
How much does it cost to clear an acre?
National guides range from about $500 for light growth up to $6,000 an acre. Our sources disagree, and none are local, so use them only to plan. Stumps, hauling, slope and access can move the number a lot. Few trees? Paying per tree may be cheaper, according to Fixr.
Do I need a permit to clear trees on my land?
We found no permit rule for removing private trees in the valley towns or county. Development, right-of-way, easements and HOA covenants are different, and digging needs Colorado 811 first. Check our permit checker, then ask county or city planning about your parcel if you plan to build.
Do I have to remove Russian olive?
Colorado lists it as a noxious weed on List B, and Mesa County lists it for suppression. What that means for your parcel depends on the county plan and enforcement, so ask Mesa County Weed and Pest. If you do remove it, plan for the stump, because cut trees can resprout without follow-up.
Can I burn what I clear?
Usually not as a homeowner, since residential permits only cover thin, dry trimmings. Mesa County Public Health limits them to trimmings under one inch, on lots of one acre or more, in season. Agricultural burning has separate rules, and advisories and fire restrictions can stop any burn. Call 970-248-6900 first.
Sources
Where this came from
We read each page below on November 3, 2026, except the weed plan and the Mesa Conservation District cost share page, which come from our research notes. Cost guides are national, and several are marketing sites, so read them as rough evidence.
- How Much Does Tree Removal Cost? . Lawn Love.
Per acre clearing range.
Accessed - Tree Removal Cost . Fixr.
Per acre clearing ranges and the note about paying per tree.
Accessed - Burn Permits . Mesa County Public Health.
Seasons, the one acre rule, materials, advisories and phone number.
Accessed - Colorado Noxious Weed List . Colorado Department of Agriculture.
List B and List C trees.
Accessed - Mesa County Noxious Weed Management Plan . Mesa County.
Russian olive and tamarisk suppression. Via our research notes.
Accessed - Residential digging . Colorado 811.
Notice before digging, and examples including tree roots.
Accessed - Use of canal facility . Grand Valley Irrigation Company.
Easement claim and the request to call before landscaping.
Accessed - City repeals tree protection policy . The Daily Sentinel.
The September 2026 repeal of the significant tree rule.
Accessed
Send the details
Got a lot to clear?
Tell us the size, what is growing on it and what you plan to do with it. A tree service professional can walk it and give you a written price.
What happens next
- 1 Send the details What the tree is doing, where it is, and a photo or two if you have them.
- 2 We follow up You hear back the way you asked, with next steps.
- 3 Price in writing You see it before a saw starts, and the yes or no stays with you.
What helps us price it
- A photo of the whole tree and one of the problem
- Roughly how tall it is and how thick the trunk is
- What it could hit: a roof, a fence or power lines
- How a truck gets there, and how wide your gate is
- Whether you also want the stump ground and the wood hauled
If a tree is on a power line or anyone is hurt, call 911 or your electric utility first.
More tree services across the valley
Tree removal
Dead, leaning or too close to the house.
Tree trimming and pruning
Deadwood, heavy limbs and clearance.
Stump grinding
Ground below grade, ready to replant.
Storm and emergency tree service
Who to call first, and what comes next.
Tree health and disease
Yellow leaves, dead limbs, beetles and cankers.
Cabling and bracing
Support for a weak fork or a heavy limb.
Wildfire mitigation
Thinning and cleanup around the home.
Guides and tools: Grand Valley tree guide, Tree permit and HOA checker, Tree removal cost estimator, Storm alerts and damage help.