Apple Picking in Colorado

Nature’s purest reward is the blossoming of the foods we eat. There are very few things more delicious than freshly picked fruit.  Apples are among our favorites! Lucky for Coloradans, the Centennial State is the perfect place for apple orchards, and now is the best time for fresh picking. You can find some of Colorado’s best apple orchards near Denver. Below are recommendations on where you can enjoy an outing with the family and enjoy apple picking in Colorado. 

Here are some interesting facts about apple growing. Colorado has a perfect climate for growing apples due to its perfect combination of seasonal cold and warm weather. Apple trees need, at the very least, five-hundred hours of cold weather in order to produce fruit. When they begin to blossom, it’s important for those same apple trees to get around five to six hours of sunlight every day. 

Most people assume that the best apple orchards are hours and hours outside of the city. But, this isn’t true, and there are actually plenty of great apple orchards that are just right outside of Denver. 

Thanks to the prevalence of these apple orchards, apple picking is an easy and accessible activity this fall season. It’s also a very fun activity that you can do as a family!

Apple Picking: A Family Enjoyment

As a family activity, apple picking in Colorado is one of the best. Not only are you spending time with your family, but you’re also getting some exercise, spending time in nature, and getting plenty of delicious apples that are ready to eat!

What Are The Best Times Of Year To Go Apple Picking?

In Colorado, there are a few months in the year where the apples are at their ripest and most delicious. These months take place within the Fall and end right before the winter.

Apples don’t start ripening until July. In July, they slowly blossom into the sweet, edible fruit we know and love. It’s only in late August when they become ripe enough to eat and enjoy. 

In November, the apples become less ripe. When the end of November comes, apple picking season ends and it’s time for the cycle to begin once again.

If you’re going to go apple picking, it’s best to do it in either September or October. When fall arrives, the apples are ripe, delicious, and very easy to pick.

• Apple picking season begins in July and ends in late November
• If you want the ripest and most delicious apples, you should pick them in the months of September, and October

What Are The Best Apple Orchards In, And Right Outside Of, Denver, Colorado?

In Denver, and near the Grizzly Rose, there are several fantastic apple orchards. Right outside of Denver, there are even more great apple orchards. These are apple orchards where, for a very low price, you’re able to obtain some delicious apples, while exploring a beautiful piece of land.

Happy Apple Farm

• 1190 First St., Penrose
• Wednesday To Sunday; 9AM To 4:30PM

Happy Apple Farm is an apple orchard that’s located two-hours outside of Denver. It’s not the shortest drive, but if you’re looking for apples of astounding taste and quality, it’s worth it!

It’s a beautiful farm that you can enter for free. There’s a small Country Store that you can buy things like apple butter, jams, jellies and apple cider.

When you’re picking apples from the orchard, you’ll be able to see the true beauty and scale of the place. It’s a lovely farm.

You pay for apples by the pound. One pound of apples costs $2.09, which is quite inexpensive when you consider just how delicious these apples are!

YA YA Farm & Orchard

• 6914 Ute Highway, Longmont
• August, Wednesday To Sunday; 10AM To 3PM
• September/October, Tuesday To Friday; 10AM To 3PM; Saturday & Sunday; 9AM To 3PM
• November, Wednesday To Sunday; 10AM To 3PM

YA YA Farm & Orchard is located in Boulder County. It takes around fifty-minutes to drive there, from Denver.

To get into the apple orchard, you need to make a reservation. This is done by email. When YA YA Farm & Orchard accepts your request, you’ll then be able to drive down and pick apples. 

For admission, you’ll need to spend $3. For the apples, it’s $12 per bag. These bags can hold around five-to-seven pounds of apples, which is quite a bit.

If you don’t have a reservation, but want to purchase some apples, you can go to the Farm Stand and by apples, apple cider donuts, and apple pies!

Nelms Farm

• 5305 Orchard St., Golden
• September, Saturday To Sunday; 8AM To 4PM

Nelms Farm is located in Golden, Colorado, about thirty minutes from Denver.

In order to use this apple orchard, you need to go online and make a reservation. It’s very easy to do this, and when you make a reservation, you also reserve a specific number of hours that you’ll be spending at the orchard.

For apples, you’ll be spending $2.00 per pound. These apples are absolutely delicious and well worth the money! Part of what makes them so delicious is the fact that Nelms Farm uses no pesticides or herbicides!

Fruit Basket Orchards

• 253 32 1/2 Rd, Grand Junction
• June To November, Saturday To Sunday; 10AM To 4PM

Fruit Basket Orchards is located in Grand Junction. It’s a four-hour drive from Denver, but it’s a perfect day trip and you get to see much of Colorado’s natural beauty!

What you’ll find, when you visit Fruit Basket Orchards, is that it’s a small orchard that sits on a beautiful piece of land. It’s fun to walk around and see the different fruits and veggies that are grown. There is also a Farm Store that sells those same things, at very reasonable prices.

Everything that you pick is charged by the pound, and the prices tend to be very cheap. You don’t need to pay for admission, either!

Go on, enjoy some apple picking in Colorado.