The People's Tree from Idaho is rolling east on a whistlestop tour

An Engelmann spruce standing 76 feet tall is making its way across the country from Idaho. Selected as the 2026 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree, known as the People's Tree, the conifer was harvested from the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests. This marks the very first time that the Capitol tree has been chosen from these specific forests, which span more than 4 million acres.

Before departing Idaho, the Nez Perce Tribe blessed and named the spruce Sew'isnimeepeme, which translates to One from Musselshell. The name honors Musselshell Meadows, recognized as a historic gathering place. According to the U.S. Forest Service and the Architect of the Capitol, the selection highlights the rich landscape of the expansive national woodland.

A tradition of public woodlands

The tree selection continues a regular national custom that has endured for more than half a century. The Forest Service has supplied the tree from one of its 154 national forests every year since 1970, marking 56 years of this annual effort. In keeping with the tradition, the host forest also makes thousands of ornaments that travel alongside the spruce to adorn the branches.

The national partner assisting with the effort this year is the Society of American Foresters. Together, the partner and the agency coordinated the careful loading and transport required to move the 76-foot spruce across the nation, allowing communities along the route to share in the journey.

Whistlestop tour across the states

Rolling east on a whistlestop truck tour, the spruce is visiting several towns and cities as it makes its way toward the Capitol. The stops began in Sheridan, Wyoming, on November 9, with the truck continuing on to Custer, South Dakota, on November 10. Mid-week travel brings the tree to Mitchell, South Dakota, and Albert Lea, Minnesota, on November 12.

From Minnesota, the tour turns toward the Midwest and the eastern states. The truck will make scheduled stops in Peoria, Illinois, on November 13, and in Richmond, Indiana, on November 14. Traveling farther east, the route stops in Morgantown, West Virginia, on November 16, before concluding its road visits in Hagerstown, Maryland, and Littlestown, Pennsylvania, on November 17.

Arrival on the Capitol grounds

Following the whistlestop appearances across the country, the long road trip concludes at the nation's capital. The truck arrives at the Capitol's West Front Lawn on Friday, November 20, at 10 a.m. There, teams will unload the 76-foot Engelmann spruce and set it in place for the season.

Once installed, the tree will be decorated with the thousands of ornaments crafted by the host forest in Idaho. The spruce will be lit from dusk until 11 p.m. each evening through early January 2027, offering a glowing seasonal presence on the West Front Lawn.