The 5 Best Places To Pick Apples In Washington State

Apples abound in the Evergreen State, and September is prime picking season!

As soon as September 1 hits, it’s all about apples. Dreaming about apple pie, sipping hot apple cider, your favorite apple recipes, and, of course, picking apples at an orchard. For decades, apples have been synonymous with the Pacific Northwest. And apple picking has offered a joyful experience for families, students on field trips and visitors who seek a taste of this local fruit. It’s no wonder, then, that farms throughout the Pacific Northwest offer U-pick opportunities, along with other attractions, fairs and festivals for the whole family. As the seasonal harvest approaches in late September and October, here’s where to pick apples and celebrate one of the region’s biggest, most well-known exports.

 Did you know that Washington State is the country’s Apple Capital? 

Washington state is certainly known for its impressive apple production. After all, with a total of 165,000 acres of apple trees, the state produces about 58 percent of all apples grown in the country! Especially east of the Cascades in the central areas of the state, you’ll find an endless number of apple orchards growing Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Fuji, Gala, Granny Smith, Braeburn, Pink Lady and more varieties. While we can grab a handful of apples at the grocery store all year long, there’s nothing quite like biting into a juicy, sweet, locally grown apple during peak harvest season. Pick your own Washington apples this fall straight from the source! But where to go? These apple orchards in Washington offer you-pick throughout the season, plus other attractions and farm activities to entertain the whole family. Hand pick the orchard nearest you using our interactive map, pinpointing locations all the way from Northwest Washington to the southeastern corner of the state. But who knows? Maybe you can make a road trip out of your apple picking adventure!
COVID NOTE: At this time, face coverings are required in Washington state in all public spaces. Please wear a face mask while visiting these apple orchards, practice social distancing, and check each website before your visit to get more information about their COVID-19 policies.

Tips for apple-picking with kids:

Scroll through to discover great places to pick (or taste) apples and celebrate the apple bounty in Washington State this fall. Head to Eastern Washington if you want to turn apple-picking into a fall weekend getaway, or stay close to home and make it an apple-picking day trip.

  • Find family-friendly spots. Many U-pick orchards are kid-friendly (click through to the pages that follow for recommendations). Some keep small trees that offer low-hanging fruit so that kids can reach the apples without assistance, and others have small step ladders (make sure you help little ones up onto them and stay close by).
  • Time it right. Apples are usually ready for picking from September through the end of October, with the peak picking time varying from location to location, but some farms start as early as August.
  • Call or check online to make sure the orchard you want to visit has U-pick open that day (hours and days can change based on the availability of crops). Facebook pages often give more up-to-date information than websites.
  • Bring along your own bags, baskets or boxes in case the farm has run out of them.
  • Pack rubber boots because the orchards may be muddy, and consider bringing a wagon to tote kids.
  • Think about how many pounds of apples you want to end up with before you start picking. You might want a few pounds for the kids’ lunch boxes, and several more for baking and preserving.
  • Check on the pet policy before bringing your pooch. Many farms have a no-pet policy for the safety and comfort of farm animals.
  • Are the apples organic? While few U-pick apple orchards in the region have gone through the process of having their orchards certified organic, many of them implement organic and natural growing practices in their orchards. If this is important to you, feel free to call ahead and ask about their practices.




Beck’s Harvest House Is Located In The Heart Of Green Bluff

Greenbluff, Washington

Enjoy all of your favorite fall activities in one place during the Fall Harvest Festival at Beck’s Harvest House! Wander through our a-maze-ing Giant Corn Maze, presented by Papé, browse Pumpkin Land for your picture-perfect pumpkin, enjoy one of our World Famous Pumpkin Donuts and a glass of fresh-pressed apple cider, and admire the autumn views of scenic Green Bluff.

FIRST, make your reservation for the date of your visit and your estimated arrival time. Once you select a date, choose an arrival time of either 10am-12pm, 12pm-2pm, or 2pm-6pm. This is just an arrival time to let us know when to expect you, not how long you are able to stay at the festival, so please enjoy the festival as long as you’d like! ONE $5 ticket serves as a reservation for a full carload! Please note, this does not include entry to the Friendly Family Farm Funland, which is where you’ll find out Giant Corn Maze. Funland/Maze tickets must be purchased separately, per person entering. Without a Funland ticket, you will still be able to enjoy live music, delicious food, Pumpkin Land, and more!

Once you select your reservation date and time, you will be able to add-on wristbands for our Friendly Family Farm Funland, which includes our Papé Giant Corn Maze and access to all additional fall activities like Tire Mountain and the Jump Pad! Will you be able to track-tor down the exit to our corn-fusing, John Deere-themed maze? Get your tickets now to find out! Make your reservation. HERE

Johnson Orchards

Yakima, Washington

Johnson Orchards is a family-owned and -operated orchard in Yakima that has been in business since 1904. They grow several varieties of cherries, peaches, apricots, pears, nectarines, pears, plums and of course — apples. Starting in August, you can pick your own apples at Johnson Orchards and Honeycrisp apples should be ready by September. Check their website or call before you go for updated hours and information as the season progresses.

West Valley U-Pick

Yakima, Washington

Located in Yakima, West Valley U-Pick is a family-run you-pick farm offering cherries, blueberries, raspberries, apples, pears, pluots, and other fruits and vegetables raised without insect spray. West Valley U-Pick is open from June through November daily from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. They provide buckets and wagons for you-pick, but you must bring your own boxes or bags to transport your harvest!

Stutzman Ranch

Wenatchee, Washington

Wenatchee has historically been known as the Apple Capital of the World, and it’s easy to see why. Every spring, this city of nearly 34,000 hosts the Washington State Apple Blossom Festival, the second-oldest festival in Washington state. In addition, Wenatchee is home to the Apple Capital Loop Trail, an 11-mile paved hiking and cycling path along the Columbia River. Even the local summertime baseball team is named the AppleSox.

Stutzman Ranch in Wenatchee is a haven for you-pick fruit during the summer and fall. In the summer, pick your own nectarines, peaches, cherries and grapes, and return in the fall for pears and apples. Varieties include Fuji, Gala, Golden Delicious and more. Stutzman Ranch is open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. but checktheir websiteand Facebook page for hours and availability as the season goes on! There is a $5 you-pick minimum charge for all pickers over the age of 12.

The Farm at Swan’s Trail

Snohomish, Washington

With an enormous 55-acre pumpkin patch, a corn maze, a petting farm, wagon rides and more, The Farm at Swan’s Trail is packed with fall-themed fun! Not to mention, they have a full acre of delicious Honeycrisp and Jonagold apples ready for picking. Walk through their massive pick-your-own orchard to select your apples of choice — and you can even sample a few along the way! Check their Facebook page for you-pick availability and other updates throughout the season.


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