For farms

Cornerstone Pines

📍 19180 281st Avenue, Grey Eagle, MN 56336🗓 November 21 – December 24, 2026🏷 Pricing TBD

One of the largest and most activity-rich farms in this batch, with a confirmed 2026 season running Nov 21 through Christmas Eve, but even with everything else this well documented, no tree pricing was found anywhere.

Aerial view of Cornerstone Pines in Grey Eagle, MN

How you get your tree

This farm offers

cut-your-ownchoose-and-cut (staff cuts it for you)

Included

hayridesleigh ridessanta visitspetting areastraw tunnelswreaths for sale

Our take

Cornerstone Pines is one of the larger and more elaborately organized farms in this entire batch. At over 100 acres, it’s explicitly marketed - according to a Brainerd-area tourism guide - as a full day-trip destination rather than a quick stop, and the activity list backs that framing up: a “Santa’s Workshop” theme, straw tunnels, a petting zoo, a hayride, and horse-drawn sleigh rides on select weekends. That’s a genuinely broad set of attractions, closer to what you’d expect from a larger agritourism operation than a straightforward cut-your-own field.

The season dates are real and specific

The farm’s own description resolves cleanly to a confirmed 2026 window: Saturday, November 21 through Christmas Eve, December 24. That’s one of the longer confirmed seasons in this batch, running all the way through the holiday rather than wrapping up in early or mid-December. If you’re a last-minute shopper who tends to wait until close to Christmas, this is one of the few farms in this area explicitly still open that late.

One small wrinkle in the hours

Two different sources gave slightly different Saturday closing times - one said 6pm, another said 8pm. Rather than pick one as more likely correct without a clear reason to, this record notes both and leaves it to you to confirm the specific Saturday’s hours before you go, especially if you’re planning to arrive later in the day for the sleigh ride or evening activities.

Free services that add real value

Tree shaking, baling, and trunk drilling - the last a genuinely useful service if you’re using a stand that requires a drilled hole rather than a simple X-cut base - are all provided at no charge. That’s a meaningful convenience given the farm’s size; hauling a tree across 100 acres without help would be a much bigger undertaking than at a smaller lot.

The one real gap: nothing about price

Given how thoroughly documented the activities, dates, and species are here, the total absence of any pricing information stands out. Nothing found in this research states what a tree costs at Cornerstone Pines, whether it’s priced per foot, by species, or flat-rate. For a farm this clearly set up as a destination trip, that’s worth resolving with a phone call before you commit a full day and a longer drive to the visit.

The bottom line

If a full day out - sleigh rides, Santa’s Workshop, and a big property to explore - is what you’re looking for, Cornerstone Pines is one of the stronger documented options in this batch, especially given how late into December it stays open. Just don’t assume you know what it’ll cost until you ask.

Planning your visit

Best time to go

Any weekend within the confirmed Nov 21-Dec 24, 2026 season, keeping in mind two sources gave slightly different Saturday closing times (6pm versus 8pm) - worth confirming the exact hours for the specific Saturday you plan to visit.

How long to budget

Plan for a genuine half-day or more. At over 100 acres with sleigh rides, a hayride, straw tunnels, and a petting zoo, this is described in tourism coverage as a full day-trip destination, not a quick stop.

Crowds

Not documented directly, but a 100+ acre farm marketed as a full-day destination with sleigh rides and a Santa's Workshop is a reasonable bet to draw meaningful weekend crowds, especially as Christmas Eve approaches and the season narrows.

Parking

Not documented in the record.

Strollers and accessibility

Not documented in the record, though the farm's scale (100+ acres) and straw tunnels/petting zoo layout suggest a fair amount of walking is involved in a full visit.

What to bring

  • Warm layers for the sleigh ride and hayride, both outdoor activities offered on select weekends
  • No saw, rope, or trunk-drilling tools needed - all are provided free
  • A way to pay - not documented whether the farm is cash-only or takes cards

How to spend less here

  • Free tree shaking, baling, and trunk drilling mean there's no add-on cost for those services on top of whatever the tree itself costs
  • No pricing for the trees is published, so ask directly when you visit or call ahead before committing to the drive

Who it suits

Good for

  • families wanting a full day out, not just a tree - sleigh rides, straw tunnels, and a petting zoo are all on offer
  • visitors making a longer drive who want the trip to justify itself with more than just cutting a tree
  • anyone who'd rather not bring their own saw, rope, or trunk-drilling tools, since shaking, baling, and trunk drilling are all provided free

Skip it if

Skip Cornerstone Pines if you want a fast in-and-out visit, since it's built and marketed as a full-day destination, and skip planning a firm budget here until you've asked directly, since no pricing has been published despite everything else being well documented.

Worth pairing with

Located in Grey Eagle, Todd County, in the Brainerd Lakes area - the closest other farm in this directory is Evergreen Park in Glenwood, Pope County, roughly an hour's drive southwest, worth pairing if you're already making the trip out from the Twin Cities.

Common questions

When is Cornerstone Pines open in 2026?

November 21 through December 24, 2026 - resolved from the farm's own description of running from the Saturday before Thanksgiving through Christmas Eve.

How much does a tree cost?

Not published in any source found. Ask directly when you visit.

What tree species are available?

Balsam fir, Fraser fir, white pine, Scotch pine, and white spruce.

What activities are included besides cutting a tree?

A hayride, horse-drawn sleigh rides on select weekends, Santa visits, a petting area, straw tunnels, and wreaths for sale, marketed together as 'Santa's Workshop.'

When is Cornerstone Pines open in 2026?

November 21 – December 24, 2026. Friday–Sunday, or by appointment. Hours: Fri 9am–6pm; Sat 9am–6pm or 9am–8pm depending on source; Sun 11am–6pm.

How much does a tree cost at Cornerstone Pines?

Pricing was not published when we last checked.

Can I cut my own tree at Cornerstone Pines?

Yes. It's cut-your-own and choose-and-cut (staff cuts it for you), and a saw is provided.

Where is Cornerstone Pines?

19180 281st Avenue, Grey Eagle, MN 56336, in Todd County. It is one of 1 farms we track in Brainerd Lakes MN.

Other farms near Grey Eagle

Quick facts

SeasonNovember 21 – December 24, 2026
Days openFriday–Sunday, or by appointment
HoursFri 9am–6pm; Sat 9am–6pm or 9am–8pm depending on source; Sun 11am–6pm
Starting priceNot published
Tree typesBalsam fir, Fraser fir, White pine, Scotch pine, White spruce
Saw providedYes
CountyTodd County
RegionBrainerd Lakes MN

Sources

cornerstonepineschristmastrees.com · visitbrainerdbaxter.com

Checked September 2026.