A Picking We Will Go….

A trip to The Historic Orchard at Altapass

We chose a very rainy and foggy day that was supposed to be the driest day of the week. Oh well! We had a great time. We met the gracious founder of the orchard foundation, had a private apple picking guide and the best apple pie I have ever eaten! This orchard is worth the drive for sure, and we will go back earlier in the season next year.

The drive to the orchard located on the Blue Ridge Parkway, about an hour from Asheville, is beautiful (though a little scary with the grade of the hill and a lot of curves). It seemed like driving into a storybook setting through the mist and rain. I half expected to see King Arthur riding along side of us.

We finally found the steep turn. There is good signage to help along the way. All fresh apple and apple picking bag purchases are at the Apple Barn at the base of the drive in. A little further in the parking lot is the gift store, sweet shop, clean restrooms and a small museum all in one big open room. There is a deck off of the back overlooking the orchard with tables and benches and games of checkers, blocks, and corn hole. We sat here to eat the best apple pie in the world.

Model of the orchard and information on the apple varieties.

The indoor beehive was a huge hit with my guys. There is a little tube leading to the outside so the bees can pass in and out.

After pie in the clouds, we walked the short distance to the Apple Barn to purchase a bag to fill with the apples or our adventure. Typically there is the option of a tractor ride, but on this day it was trail walking. We had a fabulous guide who helped us pick good apples and answered our questions. We had a great time, even at the tail end of the season, in the rain, picking apples, listening to the live music, learning local history, and just enjoying the trails and picture spots. Don’t miss this stop!