Q3 Timber Prices Vary Across the Lake States

As the third quarter closes, “steady as she goes” seems like the trend in Lake States timber pricing.

As is often the case, price trends moved in varying directions across the three states and their regions. Cordwood prices continued to draw uniform complaints from loggers and landowners and jeopardize harvest plans due to continuing prices at a historically weak level. About half of the species showed an increase and half a decrease in the three states.

Minnesota prices tend toward less variability in general year to year. However, the exception so far in the third quarter was for maple sawlogs, which notched a 5-year high for this period in the state.

In the Wolverine state, half of the species sold as cordwood actually showed an increase over the same period in 2025, while half declined.

Ash sawlog prices in Wisconsin increased, as did the volume harvested (despite the impact on availability due to emerald ash borer disease). Black walnut prices were also strong based on a limited number of private harvests.

For the full picture of timber prices in the Lake States, week by week down to the regional or county level, major organizations in the forestry world rely on the Forest Data Network Prime database. You can learn more or schedule a demo of FDN Prime here. (forestdatanetwork.com/prime)