Fall in the Virginia mountains means one thing for a lot of folks: apple season. And when the apples come in, so does the good stuff, especially thick, slow-cooked apple butter you can spread on toast all winter.
The orchards on this list sit up in the Blue Ridge and beyond, where the views are big and the country stores are stocked with cider, doughnuts, and jars worth taking home. Some let you pick your own apples, some just want you to shop and snack.
Grab a friend, pick a weekend, and start planning your drive.
1. Carter Mountain Orchard and Country Store, Charlottesville, VA
The drive alone earns this place a spot. You climb up Carters Mountain Trail with turns that feel like a gentle roller coaster, and the payoff at the top is a wide look at the Appalachian Mountains and the valley Charlottesville sits in.
Once you park, the country store and bakery are the main draw. Apple cider doughnuts get most of the attention, but the shelves also hold apple butter and plenty of specialty foods and produce.
Seasonal fruit picking runs through the orchard, so families can grab a bag and head into the rows. Apple and peach cider round out the sips.
The store is open daily from 9 AM to 6 PM, and both free and paid parking options exist, which helps on busy weekends. If you want the classic Virginia orchard experience with a view, this is an easy first stop just a short drive from town.
2. Stribling Orchard, Markham, VA
Easy access off I-66 makes this Fauquier County orchard a simple weekend run for anyone in northern Virginia. Once you arrive, the views stretch for miles across the Blue Ridge foothills.
The trees here are mature and robust, and there are many different types of apples to pick. Staff hand out a map showing where each variety grows, so you know exactly where to head.
The farm market is where the fall haul happens. You’ll find jams, apple butter, apple cakes and pies, apples you may have missed picking, plus kettle corn, apple cider, and pumpkins.
They also raise their own grass-fed beef and sell it in the store alongside the baked goods. Dogs are welcome inside, which is a nice touch for anyone traveling with a four-legged co-pilot.
Hours run Friday through Sunday, 9 AM to 4:30 PM, so plan your visit for the back half of the week. Parking is free.
3. Dickie Brothers Orchard, Roseland, VA
History runs deep at this Nelson County farm, one of the oldest continuously family-owned and operated farms in the country. That kind of longevity shows in the care you see across the property.
Pick-your-own is the heart of the visit. Apples are abundant, but the farm also grows peaches, plums, berries, pumpkins, and corn, so the picking calendar stays busy through the seasons.
The apple butter here has a real following, and it belongs in your basket next to the fresh produce and other homemade farm goods. Prices tend to be fair, and the family running the place keeps things friendly.
Set back in the rural mountain hollows, the drive gives you scenic views before you even reach the trees.
The orchard is open Thursday through Saturday from 10 AM to 5 PM and Sunday from noon to 4 PM. Time your trip accordingly, since it stays closed early in the week.
4. Gross Orchard, Bedford, VA
Sitting beneath the Peaks of Otter along Wheats Valley Road, this Bedford County orchard puts you right in the thick of Blue Ridge scenery. It’s a friendly, family-run operation built around apples and peaches.
The store inside is the reason to linger. Shelves hold apple butter, honeycrisp applesauce, apple cider, and honey, plus a large selection of other pantry items.
Pink Lady apples earn a lot of return visits, and the cider comes in several flavors, which makes picking just one tricky. A restroom on site keeps things comfortable for a quick family stop.
Weekends, especially Saturday mornings, tend to draw the crowds, so a weekday visit means shorter lines and calmer parking. Hours run Monday through Saturday, 8 AM to 6 PM, with the orchard closed on Sunday.
If you want good fruit plus a jar of apple butter without a long detour, this one keeps it simple and worthwhile.
5. Graves Mountain Farm, Syria, VA
Roll up to this Madison County farm and you’ll notice you’re already close to the mountain top, with the property carved out in the middle of the ridge. The setting is peaceful and secluded, with good trails to wander.
There’s more here than just orchard rows. Visitors come for the farm animals, the orchard, and the river running through the property, which makes it a fuller day out than a quick market stop.
Fall is when things really pick up, thanks to the annual Apple Harvest Festival. Vendors set up, and the traditional kettle foods come out in full force, including fried apples, cider, and Brunswick stew.
Apple preserves fit right in with that old-fashioned harvest spirit, so it’s a natural place to stock the pantry.
Because the big draw is seasonal, check ahead for festival dates before you plan the drive. Then bring an appetite and a little time to explore.
6. Morris Orchard, Monroe, VA
Down along Tobacco Row Lane, at the base of Tobacco Row Mountain, this family farm keeps things straightforward and welcoming. A kind greeting seems to come standard with every visit.
Apples are the headliner, with a great variety on hand and homemade cider that’s fresh-pressed and worth grabbing. If you’re canning at home, this is a smart place to load up on apples meant for apple butter.
Beyond the fruit, you can find other seasonal produce like sweet potatoes, which makes it handy for anyone stocking up for fall cooking.
The pace here is relaxed, service is good, and the Blue Ridge countryside setting adds to the appeal without a long climb.
Hours run Monday through Saturday from 9 AM to 5 PM and Sunday from 1 to 5 PM, so there’s plenty of flexibility to fit a stop into your weekend. Come for the apples, leave with cider and a jar or two.
7. Dickie Brothers Orchard – 151 Farm Market in Afton, Afton, VA
If you love the Roseland farm but want an easier stop right along Route 151, the Afton market is the answer. It’s the orchard’s country market at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, set up for straightforward in-store shopping.
Peaches, plums, and apples fill the shelves in season, along with vegetables and specialty products from the farm and other local makers. The apple butter is a standout you’ll want to add to the cart.
Those cider doughnuts are the sneaky danger here, the kind of treat that’s hard to buy just one of. It’s a smaller store, so think of it as a focused pantry run rather than a sprawling market.
Parking is on site, and it fits neatly into a day exploring the Rockfish Valley area.
The market runs Wednesday through Saturday from 10 AM to 5 PM and Sunday from noon to 4 PM. Swing by, grab your produce and a jar, and you’re set for the season.
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