The 2020 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Tour schedule is now available, as announced by the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison (GMUG) National Forests in partnership with nonprofit partner Choose Outdoors and Colorado Tourism.

Under the theme, Experience Your Nature, the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree — a 55-ft. tall Engelmann Spruce — will be harvested Nov. 6 in Colorado's Uncompahgre National Forest and prepared for the nearly 2,000 mi. trip.

The journey will include a series of outdoor community celebrations, primarily within the state of Colorado. The tree will arrive in the U.S. Capitol Nov. 20, decorated by handmade ornaments specially created by Coloradans, and lit on the West Lawn in early December.

A Kenworth T680 will transport the tree from the tree harvesting in Colorado to Washington, D.C.

The T680 is equipped with a 76-inch sleeper and the PACCAR Powertrain featuring the 455-hp PACCAR MX-13 engine, PACCAR 12-speed automated transmission, and PACCAR 40K tandem rear axles. The truck also is specified with Kenworth's "Driver's Studio" with 180-degree passenger swivel seat and 90-degree rotating table, Kenworth Diamond VIT interior, premium Kenworth GT703 seats, predictive cruise control, Kenworth Nav+HD system, liftable lower bunk and stowable upper bunk, and Kenworth TruckTech+ remote diagnostics.

The T680 will be driven by Theron Schmalzried and William "Butch" Hanna of Apex Transportation, a Colorado leader in flatbed trucking and specialty transportation services. Schmalzried and Hanna have 42 and 41 years, respectively, of truck driving experience. Schmalzried has spent 23 years with Apex Transportation, while and Hanna has driven for the company for 17 years.

2020 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Tour schedule

• Nov. 10: San Miguel County Fairgrounds (Norwood, Colo.) and Montrose Visitor Center (Montrose, Colo.)
• Nov. 11: Ouray County Courthouse (Ouray, Colo.) and Grand Junction Convention Center (Grand Junction, Colo.)
• Nov. 12: Downtown Paonia (Paonia, Colo.) and Gunnison Community School (Gunnison, Colo.)
• Nov. 13: Salida High School (Salida, Colo.)
• Nov. 14: Bass Pro Shops (Denver, Colo.)
• Nov. 15: Kit Carson County Fairgrounds (Burlington, Colo.)
• Nov. 17: Asheville Outlets (Asheville, N.C.)
• Nov. 20: Delivery to West Lawn, U.S. Capitol Building (Washington, D.C.)

For more information, visit the 2020 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree website (www.uscapitolchristmastree.com/tour).

Choose Outdoors is a non-profit organization that works with the Forest Service on promoting outdoor recreation and public access to federal lands for recreation, assists with coordinating the annual tour.

For more information about Kenworth, visit www.kenworth.com.

This story also appears on Truck and Trailer Guide.

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