Here’s where to go apple picking this fall near Charlotte
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- More than a dozen orchards near Charlotte offer U-Pick apples through October.
- Orchards require various entry fees, reservations or bundled picking packages.
- Apple varieties, pricing and amenities like hayrides and food trucks vary by site.
What comes to your mind when you think of fall? I hope it was apples because it’s apple picking season at many farms and orchards in the Carolinas. This magnificent fruit can be candied, bobbed, picked and pied.
It would be pretty hard to have a proper fall season without apple picking. Here at CharlotteFive, we decided to compile a list of apple picking farms you can visit to spice up your social media, take your crush or just have fun with friends.
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PRO TIP: Sky Top Orchard recommends looking for bruising when picking apples.
[READ NEXT: These apple-picking orchards in North Carolina rank among nation’s best. Here’s why.]
Apple Hill Orchard & Cider Mill
Location: 2075 Pleasant Hill Ave., Morganton NC, 28655
Distance from Charlotte: 78.6 miles
Season: Now open through late October
Apple Hill Orchard & Cider Mill allows guests to pick their own apples and flowers. Availability for apple varieties change daily. Guests can pick apples from Monday-Saturday until early November.
If you plan to visit the farm, make sure to purchase an apple picking pass. Passes are non-refundable and must be purchased in advance. Each pass admits one person into the picking area.
Cost: $3.50 per person* and:
$9 for a small pick-your-own bag;
$16 for a medium pick-your-own bag;
$24 for a medium basket,
$24 for a large pick-your-own bag; and
$35 for a large basket.
*Free for guests ages 2 or younger.
Blueberry Thrill Farm
Location: 6938 Eaglesfield Rd, Gibsonville, NC 27249
Distance from Charlotte: 109 miles
Season starts: Sept. 6
Don’t let the name confuse you — Blueberry Thrill Farm offers pick-your-own apples. Apples are in season from early September to the end of October. Baskets will be provided for produce picking. The two quart and four quart baskets are reusable.
The farm began in 1982 with four acres of blueberries. In 2011, a new orchard was added, with apples and peaches. The farm is open select Saturdays in September and October from 8 a.m.-noon; check its Instagram for dates.
Cost:
$20 for half peck bags
Carrigan Farms
Location: 1261 Oak Ridge Farm Hwy, Mooresville, NC 28115
Distance From Charlotte: 31 miles
Season starts: Sept. 2
Carrigan Farms offers apple picking from Sept. 5-22. On weekends in September, a cash-only food truck will be on site, serving apple cider donuts and apple cider slushies.
Tickets include a hayride to the orchard and a half peck bag to fill with juicy apples. You can pick delicious red apples and delicious golden apples.
Cost:
$15 per person
Infants ages 23 months and younger are allowed free admission into the farm.
Creasman Farms
Location: 280 Bent Arrow Ln, Hendersonville, NC 28792
Distance from Charlotte: 106 miles
Season: Opens Sept. 7 for Sundays through October
Creasman Farms’ U-Pick orchard is open from 1-5 p.m. on Sundays starting in September and lasting through October. The U-Pick apples include Honeycrisp, Fuji and Pink Lady apples. Tickets are not required to pick apples. You only pay for how much you pick.
Cost:
$8 for a quarter peck bag
$15 for a half peck bag
$20 for a full peck bag
Jeter Mountain Farms
Location: 1126 Jeter Mountain Rd, Hendersonville, NC 28739
Distance from Charlotte: 109 miles
Season: Now through October
Jeter Mountain Farms offers an entire campus of activities, including an indoor playground, a market and cidery, a bakery with fresh apple cider doughnuts and a creamery with fresh ice cream. A barbecue food truck sits on site, too.
But the star of the show is the apple picking, of course. Hop on one of its wagon rides at the apple depot and take off into the fields to pick the apple variety that’s ripe for that week.
Cost: $32/basket + $4 per person for each picker over four people
Justus Orchards
Location: 187 Garren Rd, Hendersonville, NC 28792
Distance from Charlotte: 108 miles
Season starts: Now through late October
There are so many varieties of apples for you to choose from at Justus Orchards that the place provides a schedule for when certain types of apples will be available for picking. A playground is on site, as well as a barbecue food truck, and a taproom and treat shop with appple cider doughnuts and apple cide floats.
Now, you can pick Gala, Sweetie, Summerset, Honeycrisp, September Wonder, Ruby Mac and Golden Delicious apples. The orchard will be open from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. seven days a week. Tickets are not required to pick apples. You only pay for what you pick.
Cost:
$22 for a half bushel
$10 for a half peck
$15 for one peck
Millstone Creek Orchards
Location: 506 Parks Crossroads Church Rd, Ramseur, NC 27316
Distance from Charlotte: 98.6 miles
Season: Select Saturdays and Sundays in September
Millstone Creek Orchards will offer pick-your-own apples this year. But in order to go apple picking, you have to make a reservation. Each ticket includes access to the U-Pick apple orchards, fresh apple tasting, a quarter peck bag, apple cider pressing demonstration and a sample, and an orchard hayride.
Cost:
$18.95 per person for u-pick plus $10 for 1/4 peck bag of apples or $19 for a 1/2 peck bag of apples.
Ages 2 and younger can attend/pick for free
The Orchard at Altapass
Location: 1025 Orchard Rd, Spruce Pine, NC 28777
Distance from Charlotte: 113 miles
Season: Now through late October
Bring the whole family to The Orchard at Altapass. The orchard offers U-Pick apples starting in August. Since Mother Nature is pretty finicky about when she’ll allow apples to grow, the farm can only predict when apples will be ripe for the picking a couple of days in advance.
Check out this chart the orchard provides to learn more about the apples you’ll be picking and how you can put them to best use.
Cost:
- $10 for a U-Pick apple bag
- $15 for a small basket
Perry Lowe Orchards
Location: 8741 NC-16, Moravian Falls, NC 28654
Distance from Charlotte: 71 miles
Season: Now through mid-October
Perry Lowe Orchards starts apple picking on Labor Day weekend with Gala, Blondee, Honeycrisp, Crimson Crisp, Shizuka and Early Fuji apples. Make a reservation to ensure you have apples to pick. Each reservation will be limited to 90 minutes to ensure everyone has a chance to enjoy the orchard.
PRO TIP: Each row will be marked as “Sweet” or “Tart” along with the name of the apple or “Not Ready” if the apples in that row aren’t ripe yet. Different apple varieties will be available each weekend.
Cost:
Admission tickets are $2 per person and free for children ages 2 and younger.
Prices for what you pick vary; u-pick bags are being discounted due to hail blemishes
Sky Top Orchard
Location: 1193 Pinnacle Mountain Rd, Flat Rock, NC 28731
Distance from Charlotte: 103 miles
Season: Now through Dec. 1
Sky Top Orchard offers U-Pick apples from early August to mid-November. U-Pick begins at 9 a.m., and ends 30 minutes before the orchard closes at 5 p.m. The variety of available apples depends on the weather along with supply and demand.
The orchard provides a list of the available apples during each month in the season.
Cost:
$25 for a 12-15 pound bag of U-Pick apples
$3 per person for the tractor ride
$4 per person for the Bee Train ride
$7 for eight apples at the Apple Cannon
Costs vary depending on bucket size at the Gem Mine
Stepp’s Hillcrest Orchard
Location: 170 Stepp Orchard Dr, Hendersonville, NC 28792
Distance from Charlotte: 105 miles
Season: Now through October
U-Pick apples are available to guests at Stepp’s Hillcrest Orchard. Picking equipment will be available at the orchard. Apple picking can work up an appetite, so make sure to bring a picnic lunch to enjoy during your break.
Different varieties of apples are available at different rows of the different orchards. There are seven orchards available for apple picking. Look for the “Ready to Pick” sign next to the apples to know which are available at that time.
Cost:
Varies, depending on variety. Last year, Ginger Gold apples were $20 for a half bushel, $15 for a peck basket and $13 for a half peck basket; and Honeycrisp apples were $30 for a half bushel, $20 for a peck basket and $15 for a half peck basket.
Windy Hill Orchard & Cider Mill
Location: 1860 Black Hwy, York, SC 29745
Distance from Charlotte: 36 miles
Season: September through October
A prepaid reservation is required to pick Windy Hill’s Stayman Winesap apples, and those are now open.
The orchard’s cider bar will be open from noon to 7 p.m. on Friday, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, and no reservations are required for that. Events include hard cider tastings, live music and more. You can pack a picnic lunch (but outside beverages are not allowed), or purchase seasonal treats at the farm, including apple cider doughnuts, fried apple pies, pork skins and soft pretzels.
Cost:
$8.14 per person (which includes a ¼ peck bag)
This article was originally published Sept. 16, 2022, and has been updated annually.
This story was originally published August 16, 2022 at 6:00 AM.
