News

U-pick or 'we pick,' here's where to buy apples

Ann Branhan, of Columbia, S.C., picks an apple at Grandad’s Apples in Edneyville. [AMY B. MCCRAW/Hendersonville Lightning]

By Bill Moss, Published: August 30, 2026

There’s no better way to honor Henderson County apples — the reason, after all, for our fabulous North Carolina Apple Festival — than to buy the crunchy, tangy fruit from the farms that grow them.

In downtown Hendersonville and beyond, Apple Festival weekend offers plenty of opportunities to buy apples — whether U-pick or “we pick.”

From opening day of the festival through Labor Day, Friday 14 apple stands line Main Street, offering a wide variety of fresh apples plus baked apple goodies, apple slushies and more. Check out the apple sellers that line the festival from Barnwell Street to Sixth Avenue.

For full immersion, visit any of the U-pick orchards. They’ve gotten increasingly sophisticated in the retail experience for local folks and tourists alike — offering in addition to fresh apples jams, jellies, pickles and preserves, an apple cannon (Stepp’s Hillcrest), even a taproom pouring local craft beer, cider and wine (Justus Orchard).

Here’s where to go to pick your own:

• Stepp’s Hillcrest Orchard, 170 Stepp Orchard Drive. Visitors can pick from more than 25 apple varieties as they ripen from through late October and also find U-pick grapes, sunflowers and zinnias and, later in the season, pumpkins. Weekend attractions include a 5-acre corn maze (open daily), wagon rides, apple cannons, and more. The Apple House sells fresh cider donuts and other bakery favorites, cider slushies and an assortment of locally crafted products.
• Justus Orchard, 187 Garren Road. Open Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Bakery closes at 5 p.m. Taproom open Friday-Saturday 10:30 a.m.-8 p.m., Sunday noon–8 p.m. U-pick apples opened Aug. 4. Well-behaved leashed dogs welcome; owners must clean up.
• Sky Top Orchard, 1193 Pinnacle Mountain Road, Flat Rock. Open 7 days a week, through the first Sunday after Thanksgiving. Closed Thanksgiving Day. Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. from opening through Labor Day, then 9 a.m.-6 p.m. through the end of Daylight Saving Time, then 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Offers U-pick apples, hayrides, farm animals, picnic areas, an apple cannon, playground, nature trail through a bamboo forest and apple cider donuts made fresh on site. Over 22 apple varieties; check weekly picking schedule at skytoporchard.com/varieties.
• Coston Farm & Apple House, 3748 Chimney Rock Road. Open September through mid-December. Monday-Saturday 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.; Sunday hours optional in September and October. Offers U-pick and pre-picked apples across more than 20 varieties; wagons provided, no ladders needed. Apple House and bakery sell fresh cider, fried apple pies, apple butter, jams, jellies and baked goods. Covered picnic and play area on site.
• Creasman Farms, 280 Bent Arrow Lane. U-pick orchard open Sundays only, 1-5 p.m., in September (after Labor Day) and October. Check Facebook for 2026 U-pick dates. Grows more than 40 varieties of heirloom and new apples. A smaller, lower-key option with fewer crowds than neighboring orchards.
• Pilot Mountain Pears, Circle L Farm Drive. The only dedicated Asian pear orchard in the area, with more than 5,000 trees — opens for U-pick Sept. 4. No pets. Check Facebook page for picking status.

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Always confirm current picking availability before visiting. U-pick status may change based on weather and crop conditions. For a complete list of Henderson County farms open to the public, visit visithendersonvillenc.org/apples-farms-markets or download the Visit NC Farms app.