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Fall in the Catskills arrives with a sweet crispness in the air, golden light filtering through apple branches, and baskets brimming with new harvest. Visiting the best orchards in the Catskills means more than just picking apples — expect cider donuts still warm, wagon rides, mountain panoramas, rows of sunflowers, and the delight of farm animals close at hand.
Best All-Ages Classic: DuBois Farms — Bustling weekends, fresh cider donuts, and plenty for kids and dogs.
Most Scenic Harvest: Seminary Hill Orchard — Sweeping terrace views and a taproom pouring estate ciders.
Best U-Pick Experience: Kelder's Farm — Corn maze, petting zoo, and dozens of u-pick apple rows in season.
U-pick reds and Asian pears cover hillside rows at Stone Ridge Orchard. The farm-stand pours local cider, pizza is wood-fired under an old oak, and filtered light drifts through the trees as you gather your basket.
🍏 Apple Timing: Early September brings fresh Galas and Honeycrisps; peak pick-your-own for classics like Macoun and Empire hits mid-late September.
🍩 Donut Rush: Donuts sell out before 2:00 PM most weekends in October—grab yours early or ask the staff for the next batch time.
💧 Rocky ground: Wear boots or sturdy shoes, especially after rain—paths between trees and to the pumpkin patch can be uneven and muddy.
🎉 Events: Watch for October chestnut fests and December light shows—both fill fast, so check the website in advance for details and ticketing.
Heirloom apples hang heavy on hillside branches, and warm cider donuts set out beside crates of Concord grapes. Family-run care brings nearly 100 rare varieties and fresh-pressed cider each harvest weekend.
🍂 Best Picking Window: Most apple varieties peak from late September to mid-October; late October brings oddball cultivars and the best baking apples.
🍏 Try the Hidden Stars: Ask for Calville Blanc, Hubbardston Nonesuch, and Fortune—historic apples grown for true fans and bakers alike.
🥾 Footing Tips: Boots or sturdy shoes help on the grass and hillside; occasional mud after fall rains.
📞 Midweek Visits: The farm is officially weekends only, but a friendly call sometimes unlocks a quiet weekday picking session.
Fresh apples in hillside rows while cider donuts land hot from the fryer and the stand hums with fresh-cut sunflower bunches. A 100-plus-acre farm, blue ridge views, and the giant Caterpillar Tunnel make every visit feel like autumn set on replay.
🍏 Peak Pickers: Arrive before 11:00 AM on weekends for best apple selection and lightest crowds — shoulder bag fills fastest.
🌳 Hilltop Trick: Bring a cart or wagon if you want to explore the furthest rows—it's easy on the way down, but the orchards slope back up.
🗺️ Maze Map: Grab a corn maze map at the check-in—none posted at the maze itself and it can take a solid hour without it.
🎵 Pop-up Eats: Local food trucks and beer tent pop up most Saturdays—check the website or Instagram for a lineup before you visit.
Cider donuts land hot from the fryer while chalkboard jams and local honey line the store shelves. Activity tents, shaded tables, and dozens of u-pick apple varieties anchor every visit.
🍏 Early-Bird Picking: Head in right at opening for better parking, lighter lines, and fruit that hasn't been picked over by the Saturday crowd.
🎶 Live Music Weekends: Most live bands play between noon and 3:30 PM—grab a table early if shade matters on hot days.
🎃 Pumpkin Season: Pumpkin picking peaks late September through mid-October; bring tough shoes if you want to walk the full fields.
🐾 Dog Policy: Dogs must stay on leash but are welcomed everywhere on the farm—water bowls at the farm store and tavern.
Apples ripen along the ridgeline while goats graze behind the market and cider donuts stack by the counter. Fall weekends bring u-pick apples, pumpkins, and trails overlooking the Catskills.
🍎 Weekday Quiet: Early weekday mornings see almost no crowds—best time for variety and easy picking.
🍩 Donut Window: Apple cider donuts drop hot mid-mornings and again after lunch—lines move fastest before 11:00 AM or after 2:30 PM.
🐐 Goats Love Carrots: Bring washed carrot sticks—farm stand sometimes sells bags, but they go quick with the goats and sheep crowd.
🥾 Boot Worthy: Trails can get dewy — wear boots, especially after rain. Some U-pick rows are a quarter mile from the market.
Apples, cherries, and garden rows fill the fields at Lawrence Farms Orchards. Goats and “show chickens” roam past the hay-maze, and wagon rides stretch the fun beyond the trees. U-pick varieties run deep, the barn store hums with treats, and a day here stays in your memory.
🍏 Early Birds: First two hours after opening are the quietest, especially on weekends once peak apple season starts mid-September.
🚜 Wagon Hack: The wagons fill up fast; catch a ride near the main barn or be ready to walk—some apple rows are a bit of a trek up the hill.
🧤 U-Pick Pro Tip: Bring gardening gloves and a handled box if aiming for big harvest; the heavier varieties come on in late September.
🎃 Pumpkin Season: Pumpkins line the meadow in October—weekdays have easier picking and better playground access for younger kids.
Tractor hum and sweet kettle corn fill the air between rows of apples, pumpkins, and berry plots. Corn maze, mini golf, and barnyard animals round out a high-energy farm circuit at Kelder's Farm.
🍂 U-Pick Peaks: Apple varieties dwindle by mid-October—get there early in the season for full rows and bigger bags.
🧤 Muddy Season: After rain, fields and mazes can get slick—bring boots, especially if heading for pumpkins or the corn barn.
🎟️ Best Entry: Arrive right at 10:00 AM to avoid lines at the ticket shed and snag closer seating for lunch.
🍩 Donut Run: Hot donuts and slushies drop quick just after lunchtime—snag them before 1:00 PM for the freshest batch.
Gravel lanes wind past heritage apple trees and grass-fed pork grilling under the oaks. Organic picking, house bacon, and uncrowded picnic spots reward those who linger beneath the orchard light.
🍏 Apple Season Shifts: Early September brings tart summer apples; wait until late September for baking types and rare heritage fruit.
🥾 Boots Over Sneakers: Morning dew and soft ground mean waterproof boots are best—expect chicken crossings and uneven grass.
🐖 Best Bacon Cut: Ask at the farm store for their thick-cut or smoked bacon—the stock goes fast, especially on weekends.
🔥 Picnic Lunch Trick: Bring charcoal or wood if you want to grill—public firepits sometimes need fuel, and the view is worth lingering.
Apple-laden rows stretch across the ridge at Samascott Orchards. Homemade ice cream wheels past the counter, and a seven-acre corn maze loops behind greenhouses stacked with perennials and produce. With more than 70 apple varieties and fields open for u-pick, the farm still feels rooted in the land and built for lingering.
🍂 Best Picking: Early September brings crisp Honeycrisp and Galas, but late September and October are best for classic apples and the corn maze.
🚗 Take It Slow: The U-pick is drive-through—bring your own sturdy boxes and gloves, and expect dust on busy days.
🌱 Chestnut Tip: Chestnut picking is rare — look for them freshly fallen on the ground, and only gather what’s down (not from trees).
🍨 Last Call: Farm store soft serve and cider donuts start to run low by late afternoon on fall weekends — arrive earlier for best pick.
Rows of heirloom apple trees spread across the ridge at Terrace Mountain Orchard. Over a dozen pick-your-own varieties, hot cider donuts fresh off the fryer, and sun-dappled picnic groves tucked under maples make this hillside stop worth the drive.
🍏 Pick Early: McIntosh and Ginger Gold ripen fast—early September weekends mean easy picking and less competition for the best fruit.
🍩 Donut Drop: Fresh donuts come out hottest just after 10:00 AM and again around 1:00 PM—line up just before the lunch push for a faster treat.
🚜 Hayride Hints: The last tractor runs to the orchard rows leave about 30 minutes before close—plan the final pick by 3:30 PM.
👟 Rough Ground: Orchard rows can be uneven—sturdy shoes and gloves help, especially after a rain.
Old farm roads lead to well-kept orchards where peaches, apples, and donuts stack up warm at the stand. Maple syrup, local honey, and roomy rows mean a steady supply for pickers and bakers.
🍏 Peak Varieties: Gala and Honeycrisp usually ripen by early September; Evercrisp and Pink Lady arrive later in October for late-season fans.
🌞 Best Picking: Mornings before 11:00 AM beat the crowds—fields are open and still cool.
🐝 Donut Runs: Donuts often sell out midafternoon on weekends. For warm batches, stop by soon after the stand opens.
🎒 What to Bring: Bring your own bags for pick-your-own to save on farm-supplied packaging, especially later in the season when stock can run low.
Orchard days in the Catskills smell like cider and fresh grass, the air sharp with fall. Some stay quiet, others hum with presses and laughter. However you spend it — basket in hand or cup of cider by the barn — these are the moments that mark the season, gone as soon as the leaves start to fall.
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