Two apple-picking orchards in North Carolina rank among nation’s best. Here’s why
Two of the nation’s best places to go apple picking are in the North Carolina mountains, new rankings show.
Sky Top Orchard, in the Flat Rock area, ranks No. 4 on a list of top orchards across the country, USA Today’s 10Best said in a report published Sept. 18.
The results come after two North Carolina orchards earned spots on a recent Yelp list of the best apple-picking destinations:
- The Orchard at Altapass in Spruce Pine at No. 9
- Sky Top Orchard at No. 25
To create the 10Best rankings, the website said travel experts and editors chose top-notch places to pick apples. Then members of the public could vote on their favorites over the course of a month, resulting in the readers’ choice award winners.
For the Yelp list, the review website focused on orchards that gathered several rankings over time. It then “ranked those spots using a number of factors, including the total volume and ratings of reviews mentioning ‘apple picking,’” Yelp wrote in its August report.
Why are NC apple orchards fan favorites?
Sky Top was the only place in the state to earn spots on both of the apple lists. The orchard is in Henderson County, which “grows more apples than any other in North Carolina and is one of the top 20 apple-growing counties in the nation,” according to its tourism website.
The orchard, a roughly 35-mile drive south from Asheville, on its website said visitors typically can pick their own apples from August until mid-November. On Yelp, fans praised the orchard for its scenery and activities, ranging from an apple canon to hayrides.
“Sky Top Orchard offers its guests the chance to celebrate a nostalgic fall on the mountain,” 10Best wrote in its report. “The cool summer nights and warm days create perfect conditions for growing over 22 varieties of apples.”
In addition to the orchard, 10Best’s fall lists gave nods to a North Carolina corn maze and seasonal beers sold in the state. 10Best has told McClatchy News it doesn’t reveal the number of people who participate in its contests.
Also earning national acclaim was The Orchard at Altapass in Spruce Pine, a roughly 50-mile drive northeast from Asheville. The orchard said it has century-old trees and “has diligently worked to ‘save the good stuff’ — regional traditions, culture, and land on which all was created.”
On Yelp, some customers were fans of the business’ treats, including apple pie. The orchard allows visitors to choose their own apples, which “begin ripening in late July/early August and continue through mid to late October,” according to its website.
“Enjoy views of the Blue Ridge mountains while exploring their many walking trails,” Yelp wrote in its report. “Other activities feature hayrides, a butterfly garden, and their very own restaurant.”
Overall, these were the nation’s top orchards on each list:
- Riley’s Farm in California at No. 1 from Yelp
- Beak and Skiff Apple Orchards in New York at No. 1 from 10Best
