These 15 Orchards in the West Offer the Best Apple Picking Experiences

At the turn of the 19th century, Eric Johnson’s great-granddaddy, Alfred, took the railroad up on a sweet deal for a free train ride over to the sunny Yakima Valley to scope out land ripe for planting fruit trees. Johnson Orchardswas born in 1904, and today it’s one of the few left in an area built out with residential and commercial developments. Eric, a fourth-generation apple grower, and his family cultivate Pink Ladys, Honeycrisps, and Red Delicious apples, among others. For those who don’t want to do their own picking, the original packing house serves as a fruit stand stocking all the classics. Don’t miss the bakery for apple pies and tartlets, and the perfect apple pairing: caramel made onsite by Coppet Pot Caramels.   

SLO Creek Farms, San Luis Obispo, CA

Organic fiends should get the fam to SLO Creek Farms, where Braeburns, Granny Smiths, and Fujis are grown with no pesticides or other chemicals. The farm is wild, lush, and backdropped by San Luis Obispo’s hilly landscape, offering apple picking at its most unadulterated. Of SLO Creek’s 44 acres, 40 are reserved for apples, but you’ll also find patches with certified organic veggies, other fruits, and colorful flowers. Check the Facebook page for updates on wellness-driven events like wild edibles and oil infusion classes and a family-favorite pumpkin patch. If you’re not driving, snag a bottle of Liquid Gold—the farm’s sparkling, dry hard cider released last year—to enjoy among the orchards. 

Willow View Farms, Abbotsford, B.C. 

In B.C.’s Fraser Valley, Willow View Farms is about as photogenic as it gets with its lush orchards, charming barn, and cotton candy-colored sunsets. Since 1960, the family owners have been growing a range of apples, plums, pears, and other fruits and veggies. Start at the country store, where you can pick up an orchard map that will point you toward trees ripe for apple picking, as well as the pumpkin patch. While you’re at it, this is a good place to fill up on all sorts of apply treats like cider slushies, donuts, and pies.  

Paradise Valley Orchard, Paradise, UT 

On Saturdays from mid-September through October, look for a colorful, wooden sign pointing the way to this orchard in Utah’s Cache Valley. On a visit, you can pick from the 10 to 12 varieties that are usually available to harvest on any given day. Then, head to the shed where the team, who runs one of the biggest cider presses in the area, can turn your loot into juice. For the same reward without the work, just get the farm’s house cider made with a perfectly balanced mix of sweet and tart apples and zero additives.

Apple-A-Day Ratzlaff Ranch, Sebastopol, CA

Start your day of apple picking at Ratzlaff with a glass of the winningest cider around. The ranch, set among Sonoma’s rolling hills, has earned dozens of gold medals and Best of Show awards at the Sonoma County Harvest Fair and other competitions for its pure juice made with hand-sorted apples, no sugar, and minimal fuss. The base products—fruits that comes from decades-old Gravensteins, Goldens, Reds, and Rome trees—shine on their own, and they’re the same ones you’ll pick when you visit.

Kiyokawa Family Orchards, Mt. Hood, OR 

Fall is epic in the PNW thanks in big part to the scenic and fertile orchards this region produces. You couldn’t ask for a more picturesque location for your apple picking pursuits than Oregon’s “Fruit Loop”—a 35-mile route stretching from the town of Hood River with more than 30 fruit stands and wineries. Along that path, Kiyokawa benefits from stunning views of the snow-capped Mt. Hood. The family-run operation was established in 1951 by the current owner’s grandfather (a man who spent World War II in an internment camp in Oregon). The orchard remains a labor of love and talent with the third-generation grower dealing in 25 apple varieties (including Arkansas Black, Crimson Gold, Empire), as well as 15 types of Asian pears.

Chileno Valley Ranch, Marin County, CA 

Chileno Valley Ranch, located on the edge of northern Marin County just outside Petaluma, is a 600-acre grass-fed beef and lamb ranch that also happens to include a small orchard producing over a dozen varieties of apples and several varieties of pears. At the time we visited, the ripest fruits were Senshu, Mutsu, Pinova, and Candy Crisp apples (you can probably guess which one the kids were most excited about). Also on offer are short tours of the animal life on the farm, as well as the ranch’s own grass-fed beef and lamb for purchase by the pound and a local honey farm stand providing honey tastings. You need to reserve your u-pick spot in advance, as the ranch tries to limit the number of visitors and resulting impact on the farm; this amounts to an $8 fee on top of what you pick and buy by the pound.

Skipley Farm, Snohomish, WA

It’s no-frills, straight-up glorious apple picking in this 7.6-acre working farm with more than 200 varieties of apples. Sure, you get your standard juicy Fujis and Galas at Skipley, but why not branch out? On tap, you’ll find lesser-known types like the Macoun (great for holidays pies), Pixie Crunch (great for eating straight off the tree), and Silken (great for tarts). With so many varieties, trees ripen at different times, so you’ll just about always have something to pick here from August into November.

Riley’s at Los Rios Rancho, Yucaipa, CA

https://www.instagram.com/p/B2cqVlllExp/ You’ll get more than your fill at this 113-year-old farm that’s home to more than 8,000-plus trees. Still family owned, Los Rios offers the full apple picking weekend experience, complete with a café that serves up chicken apple sausage and grilled cheese sandwiches (and yes, apple pie), horse-drawn wagon rides, live music, a petting zoo, and DIY cider making on 300 acres. Take the whole family to the Apple Butter Festival November 29-December 1, or make it a date night for the Harvest Dinner and Dance on November 30. 

Date Creek Ranch, Wickenburg, AZ

A grass-fed beef farm is also home to one of Arizona’s most legit apple picking. Don’t expect a tony dude ranch; the owners are clear the u-pick is a bonus to the quality beef offerings and gritty ranch setting. On weekends, you’ll find kiddos and parents wandering through the low-slung trees at this real working cattle ranch where pigs and farm dogs get free range of the orchards, too. Throughout the season, Date Creek sometimes hosts Rainbow Girls (a nonprofit focused on empowering young girls with leadership skills), and offers homemade pies, apple butter, and cakes.

Taves Family Farms Applebarn, Abbotsford, B.C. 

A few minutes down the road from Willow View, Taves is like an amusement park for apple picking lovers. In addition to about a dozen varieties of PYO apples, Taves has hayrides, a petting zoo, a corn maze, and a pumpkin patch. Time your visit toward the beginning of the season, and you’ll get to scope the Insta-favorite sunflower field as well.

Kelley’s Canyon Orchard, Filer, ID

The fifth generation is now stepping up to man this orchard that’s been around since 1908. With over a century under its belt, the family farm—now run by the founders’ two great-granddaughters—sure knows what it’s doing in the apple growing department. Pick crisp, juicy Jonagold, Macintosh, and Rome apples to your heart’s content. Then, if you want to make a night of it, book to stay in the darling cottage on the farm.

Gizdich Ranch, Watsonville, CA

All are welcome to stroll through the orchards of Gizdich’s 60-acre ranch year-round at no cost (except certain holidays when they close), and you can take your pickings home for just $1.65 a pound. The farm is known for its apple pies (they get thousands of orders for the holidays), but the pressed cider is pretty darn good too. Gather the kiddos for a family picture in front of the classic red barn.