Apple Hill is pretty much a farm lover’s paradise! Most farms throughout the US are closed to the public, but in Apple Hill you’ll find over 50 local family farms and small businesses that welcome guests to pick produce and enjoy the countryside scenery.

Apple Hill is not actually a city itself, the territory runs through the small town of Camino into Placerville, CA. The Apple Hill community includes fruit & veggie farms, wineries, B&Bs, flower gardens, Christmas tree farms, restaurants and even a day spa.

While Apple Hill is most popular in the autumn season for apple picking and pumpkin patches, there’s actually plenty to explore year-round. In this blog post I outline all the hidden gems to see, eat, photograph and explore inside Apple Hill.

Important Facts to know Before Heading out to Apple Hill:

Be sure to check the weather before you leave the house. Apple Hill can experience extreme heat waves, even during peak apple season. Come prepared with water and appropriate attire.
The options and open hours for lunch / dinner food in Apple Hill are limited. I have a food section below of delis and restaurants - plan your meals first and bring snacks with you.
The farms are open limited days of the week and can close as early as 4:30pm. Call ahead or check online before you leave to make sure your destination will be open.
Many of the farms are only open Friday - Sunday, 10am - 5pm. If you scroll to the bottom of this blog post, I have a list of Apple Hill farms that are open during the week so you can avoid the crowds.
There’s very limited cell service because you’re driving into the Sierra Nevada Foothills. Make sure to plan your route ahead of time in case your GPS fails.
Many of the farms don’t accept credit cards so make sure to bring plenty of cash.
There’s limited gas stations in the Apple Hill area so come prepared with a full tank.
Apple Hill is a very popular place to visit during the autumn season. Traffic can pile up quickly on the weekends. To avoid the rush, arrive at the farms right when they open and plan on heading out by 11am. You can also figure out things to explore during the week when there’s less visitors.
The beginning of the apple season in September is very busy, but then the crowds tend to reduce in late October and November.
You will be walking through farms and unpaved terrain so make sure to wear comfortable walking shoes.

Everything to Know About Apple Season at Apple Hill

The apple picking season opens up to the public Labor Day weekend and ends sometime around mid-October. The season really depends of the type of apple, the particular harvest for that year, and whether or not the trees get over-picked.

Sometimes they end the u-pick season abruptly because all the apples have been picked from the orchard. You can check the Harvest Calendar on the Apple Hill website to see exactly which apple varieties are in season.

Most Popular Apple Orchards & Farms in Apple Hill:

Top You-Pick Apple Farms in Apple Hill

Larsen Apple Barn

Larsen is a favorite for Apple Hill visitors because they have some adorable classic red barns and a bake shop where you can purchase homemade pastries. They are one of the few places that sell lunch meals such as sandwiches and deli-style food. They have indoor and outdoor seating for eating.

Important things to note about the Larsen Apple Barn:

They are NOT a u-pick farm.
They are closed on Saturdays.
They are open Labor Day through late December.

Abel’s Apple Acres

You could spend a significant amount of time just at Abel’s Acres alone because there’s so much to see and experience. It’s very much centralized around family friendly activities. Your kids will love the maze and animal rides, and the adults will love the bakeshop and shopping the craft fair. Abel’s Acres is also one of the few places in Apple Hill that serves a hearty lunch menu of BBQ and sides.

Boa Vista Orchards

One of the biggest selling points of Boa Vista Farm is that they are open 7 days a week from 7:30am - 6pm. This is a huge bonus for folks like me who want to avoid the crowds and the heat during the daytime.

While one of the main attractions at Boa Vista is the large market with farm-fresh goods, the activities and sights change with the seasons. In the spring there’s blooming apple blossoms and in the summer you can enjoy an outdoor lunch and picturesque farm scenery. Autumn at Boa Vista brings pumpkin patches, apple cider, fall foliage and more!

Goyette's North Canyon Ranch

Most of the apple-picking photos in this blog post are from our fall trip to Goyette's North Canyon Ranch back in 2018. It’s a very simple farm with several rows of apple trees and a small produce stand, doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of the larger farms. The owner was very gracious and let us stay after-hours to pick apples at our leisure until dark. It’s cash only.

Apple Cider, Pies & Apple Baked Goods in Apple Hill

A trip to Apple Hill is not complete without enjoying (and coming home with) some freshly-baked apple goodies and cider. There’s so many options when it comes to bake shops among the farms, but each one has specialities worth looking into while you plan your itinerary. You should also check in advance before heading out to make sure they have your desired sweets available.

Rainbow Orchard

Rainbow Orchard is most famous for their hot apple cider donut which is fried right when you order it and then dusted with cinnamon-sugar… are you drooling yet?! They also press their own cider in-house.

Denver Dan’s Apple Patch

Denver Dan’s Farm has many activities available for visitors and delicious food is just one of them. You’ll find apple turnovers, dumplings, pumpkin rolls and of course pies. Unique pie flavors include apple/blueberry, Bumbleberry (apple, strawberry, blueberry, raspberry and rhubarb), sour cream apple blackberry pie and the classic Dutch apple crumb pie.

Delfino Farms

For all the boozy apple cider lovers, Delfino Farms is one of the rare spots in Apple Hill that brews and serves barrel-aged Henrietta Stich hard cider. While they have many types of fall-themed treats and sweets, they are most known for their signature Walkin’ Pie with cinnamon-scented cider sauce.

Abel’s Apple Acres

Abel’s Acres offers a range of daily baked fresh pies with their specialty being the buttermilk apple pie. You’ll also find the original pie flavor pumpkin apple which combines pumpkin pie with a tart apple - talk about fall flavors!

Abel’s also has fudge-dipped apples and caramel apples.

Mill View Ranch

At Mill View Ranch the bakery serves up apple donuts, pies, cakes, pastries and more. But folks especially love their giant apple fritters which a big enough to share with your special someone.

Fudge Factory Farm

The Fudge Factory Farms makes a variety of sweets including over 75 types of fudge, candy apples and pies. They have the largest selection of candy apples in all of Apple Hill and flavors include caramel, fudge, candy red, snowball, gummy bears, apple pie, salted caramel, Orea, cheesecake, tiger butter and more.

At Fudge Factory they also bake individual and hand pies, so you can enjoy pie on the go!

Grandpa’s Cellar

Grandpa’s Cellar describes themselves as your place for pure old-fashioned apple delights. They have all the traditional pie flavors and then originals you won’t see anywhere else including double crusted pie, cranberry orange apple pie, pecan crunch apple pie, cream cheese pies and so many more.

Grandpa’s Cellar is open Wednesday - Sunday so you can swing by on a weekday and avoid the weekend traffic.

High Hill Ranch

At High Hill they offer all the traditional pie flavors, but it’s the only place I’ve ever seen offer vegan pie! They also have apple donuts, caramel apples and several types of boozy apple beverages.

High Hill Ranch is another spot that is open during the week so you can avoid the traffic and enjoy a calm experience. They also open at 7am on the weekends for all the early birds.

Apple Ridge Farms

Apple Ridge Farms is one of the larger farms with multiple areas to explore during your visit. The bakery bakes all your favorite apple goodies and pie flavors include Triple Berry (black, blue, raspberry), peach, strawberry rhubarb and blackberry.

Harris Tree Farm

Although the name implies that Harris is a Christmas tree farm, they’ve actually got many other things going on during the rest of the year. Their bake shop includes pies in the flavors apple, nectarine, apricot, triple berry, blackberry, blackberry nectarine, blueberry and more. Also their turnovers come is many more flavors beyond just apple.

During their Christmas season they serve tamales!

Bodhaine Ranch

On the menu at Bodhaine Ranch you’ll find both lunch and dessert items. Fall themed desserts include caramel apple bars, apple cake, apple cookies, apple turnover and pies.

Bodhaine Ranch is one of the few places I’ve seen with cream cheese pies at the bakery - Harvest Delight is traditional pumpkin pie flavor with a swirl of our cream cheese, and then there’s the Raspberry Apple Cream Cheese Pie.

Where to Eat Lunch in Apple Hill:

I mentioned earlier that it’s not always easy to find a solid meal when you’re cruising around Apple Hill. There’s always plenty of options for sweets and pastries, but after a day of exploring the orchards you’re going to want to eat a savory and hearty lunch. I did some research to compile a comprehensive list of joints offering lunch and early dinner menus.

Larsen’s Apple Barn

For lunch at Larsen’s you’ll find a deli with sandwiches, burgers, BBQ, hot dogs, nachos and side options. You can eat inside the dinning room or grab a picnic table outside.

Larson’s is open Friday, Saturday and Sundays from 9am - 5pm during the fall and holiday season.

Terri’s Country Cuisine & BBQ

Inside Abel’s Apple Acres there’s Terri’s BBQ spot. On the menu you’ll find sandwiches with beef, pork ,turkey and chicken, a variety of BBQ chicken, garlic fries, beef and veggie burgers, hot dogs, chili cheese dogs, salads and homemade soups.

Abel’s Apples is open everyday from Labor Day weekend to 3PM Christmas Eve from 8:30am to 5:30pm.

Boa Vista Orchards Market

At the Boa Vista Orchards they have a large market and deli. Any day of the week you can order gourmet deli sandwiches, hot dogs, hamburgers, tri-tip sandwiches, cheeseburgers, polish dogs and all kinds of sides and snacks.

Denver Dan’s Apple Patch

Enjoy their signature savory chicken pasties (also known as Cornish meat pies or hand pies). This is a welcome change from most of the other Apple Hill food spots that mostly serve sandwiches and BBQ.

High Hill Ranch

At High Hill they have a big BBQ lunch menu, and they’ve also got a few meat-free meal options such as grilled cheese, spicy black bean burger, french fries and nachos.

Mill View Ranch

My husband really loves their BBQ ribs and they also have chicken right off the grill. After lunch grab some baked goodies including apple donuts.

Apple Ridge Farms

Their BBQ lunch menu serves tri-tip sandwich, smoked pulled pork sandwich, BBQ chicken sandwiches, chicken pot pie in bread bowl and hamburgers.

If you're looking for a spot with healthier food options, they also have a grilled chicken wrap, salads, vegetarian and vegan options.

Harris Tree Farm

If you’re heading into Apple Hill during the holiday season to pick up your Christmas tree, the Harris Tree Farm offers tamales made of chicken, pork and jalapeño.

Bodhaine Ranch

At Bodhaine Ranch they serve-up some unique lunch options including one of my favorites - empanadas! You’ll also find barbecue tri-tip, hot wings, apple sausage, chicken pot pie and veggie pot pie.

Family-Friendly Places to Take Your Kids in Apple Hill

Apple Hill is definitely a great place to spend time as a family, but not all the farms are created equal when it comes to activities for young children. The farms listed below have extensive play areas set up to both delight and educate your kids.

If you have babies and toddlers who are still using strollers, I highly suggest bringing along a wagon instead of stroller because of the uneven pavement (or lack of pavement). Make sure to bring plenty of snacks, water and put comfortable walking shoes on your kids.

Abel's Apple Acres

On the weekends Abel’s has horse and pony rides for kids, and a large wooden maze to navigate. They also have many fun and festive painted backdrops for photo opportunities.

High Hill Ranch

High Hill Ranch has a special kid-friendly activity you don’t see at the other farms - fishing for trout in a large pond! They also the classic fall-themed entertainment such as apple picking, pony rides and a hayride tour.

Apple Ridge Farms

Families are welcome to a variety specialized events for kids including a hay maze, the butterfly nature trail, mining for gemstones and face painting. In the fall there’s a pumpkin patch and you can visit Santa during the holidays.

Delfino Farms

My daughter really loves to see all kinds of animals and Delfino Farms has babydoll sheep for the kids! They’ve also got corn mazes, large picnic area, a nature trail and in the fall you can pick your own pumpkin off the vine.

Denver Dan’s Apple Patch

At Denver Dan’s Apple Patch they are all about making learning fun for the older kids. They have the Cookin’ Kids cooking program to teach children the farm-to-table lifestyle, and fun educational tours for families. They also have a petting zoo and pony rides for little ones.

Fudge Factory Farm

At Fudge Factory they have the cutest alpacas for everyone to visit. Families are welcome to enjoy the kids’ play area, and on the weekends they have face painting and balloon artists.

Sloan Winters Mountain Orchard & Garden

All aboard the tractor hay rides, children can visit the farm animals, and in the autumn season you can pay a visit to the pumpkin patch. Adults and older children can take tours of the organic farm and even sample some produce.

Indian Rock Tree Farm

Indian Rock Tree Farm opens late in the season around Thanksgiving and they focus on Christmas holiday events. They specialize in selling Christmas trees and wreathes. For family fun events they have gold mining, an Indian Hut and trout stream fly fishing.

Harris Tree Farm

The Harris Tree Farm is open throughout the spring, fall and holiday season. They are located very far east in Apple Hill so they are away from the main areas where traffic tends to build-up.

One of the most fun things for kids to do is go camping… and you can camp on the farm! They also have a nature trail, scavenger hunts, pumpkin patches and Santa visits during the holidays.

Wineries & Breweries in Apple Hill

In more recent years Apple Hill has really begun catering to an adult demographic with more sophisticated attractions. Several wineries and breweries have been sprouting up, and they aren’t too shabby!

Top places to grab boozy beverages in Apple Hill:

Dog-Friendly Places in Apple Hill

We bring our Black Labrador Holly with us often when we travel, so I’m always looking for dog-friendly destinations. Some of the farms in Apple Hill welcome canine visitors as long as they remain on leash. You must stay with your dog at all times, you cannot tie your dog to a picnic table or tree while you grab food.

All of the farms listed below have confirmed on their website that dogs are welcome. On Apple Hill’s official website they say that nearly every farm allows dogs, but they don’t specifically list any farms.

More to See & Do in Apple Hill:

Camping in Apple Hill

Very few people know that you can actually go camping in Apple Hill. At Harris Tree Farm you can camp out in the forrest!

Nature Hikes in Apple Hill

Walking through beautiful nature trails is one of the best ways to enjoy the fall foliage.

The below farms offer nature walks through their farm properties:

Granda’s Cellar Nature Trail
O’Halloran’s Apple Trail Ranch’s Nature Trail
Harris Family Farm’s Nature Trail
Apple Ridge Farms has their Butterfly Walk

More You-Pick Produce & Flowers

There’s so much more happening in Apple Hill beyond the traditional fall harvest activities you always hear about. I personally really love the time-honored tradition of picking out your own produce and flowers straight from the ground.

The below farms offer you-pick for a variety of fruits, vegetables, flowers and produce:

Smokey Ridge Ranch - Offers you-pick chestnuts and pumpkins.
Argyres Orchards - You-pick apples and Concord grapes.
Camino Ridge - You-pick blueberries.
Harris Tree Farm - You-pick thornless blackberries, apples and pears.
24 Carrot Farm - You-pick flowers, berries, vegetables, apples and pumpkins.
Bluestone Meadows - You-pick flowers.
Goodness Orchard - You-pick cherries, berries, strawberries, peaches, vegetables, apples, pears and pumpkins.
Patrick's Berry Farm - You-pick berries.
Sloan Winters Mountain Orchard & Garden - You-pick veggies, apples, pumpkins and pears.
The Hangtown Kid U-Pick Apple Orchard - You-pick apples, chestnuts, honey pears and persimmons.
Sun Mountain Farm - You-pick apples and blueberries.
Berry Heaven - You-pick raspberries, blueberries and blackberries.
American River Cherry Company - You-pick a variety of cherries and berries.

I found this handy website called Pick Your Own that allows you to search you-pick produce farms in multiple counties throughout California and other states.

Pumpkin Patches in Apple Hill

Christmas Trees in Apple Hill

I have a whole separate guide to u-pick cutting down your own Christmas tree in Apple Hill here. We’ve done this as a family for multiple years in a row and I have some great tips!

Here’s a quick list of the farms in Apple Hill that grow Christmas trees:

Apple Hill Farms Open During the Week:

Avoid the crazy weekend traffic and crowds and visit any of the below farms on a weekday.

Abel’s Apples is open everyday from Labor Day weekend to 3PM Christmas Eve from 8:30am to 5:30pm.
Boa Vista Orchards is open 7:30am - 6pm everyday.
High Hill Ranch is open everyday. Monday - Friday from 9am - 5pm, Sat - Sun from 7am - 6pm.
Mill View Ranch is open Thursdays - Mondays from 8am - 5pm.
Harris Tree Farm is open June - December 24 on Thursdays - Sundays from 9:00am-4:30pm.
Bodhaine Ranch is open daily from late August to late November between 9am - 4:30pm. After Thanksgiving to December they are only open weekends.