Apple Orchards Near Lake Lure & Chimney Rock, NC — U-Pick Guide
No orchards in town — but Chimney Rock Road leads straight to some of the best apple picking in western North Carolina.
Photo: Warren LeMay (CC0)
Quick Answer
- Closest orchards
- Five sit right on Chimney Rock Road, the same road through Chimney Rock Village
- Season
- Typically September through October, weather and crop permitting
- Worth the extra drive
- Sky Top Orchard and Jeter Mountain Farm, both near Hendersonville
- U-pick or pre-picked
- Most offer u-pick; Mountain Fresh Orchards is we-pick only
Lake Lure and Chimney Rock don't have their own orchards, but you don't have to go far. Chimney Rock Road — US-64, the same road that runs through Chimney Rock Village and up through Bat Cave — leads straight into apple country around Hendersonville, about 18 miles and roughly half an hour away. Five orchards sit directly on that road, so a picking trip is really just an extension of the drive you'd already be on. Five more, a little further toward Hendersonville and Flat Rock, are popular enough to be worth the extra few minutes.
On Chimney Rock Road (US-64)
20 varieties
3748 Chimney Rock Rd, Hendersonville, NC 28792
Bakery (pies, cider, apple butter), fall decorations, covered picnic and play area, gift shop
30+ varieties
2951 Chimney Rock Rd, Hendersonville, NC 28792
Hayrides, corn maze, jump pad, apple cannons, bakery, country store
120-acre family farm, four generations.
17 varieties
2887 Chimney Rock Rd, Hendersonville, NC 28792
"Apple Express" train ride, market and bakery — cider donuts, pies, apple bread, jams
We-pick service (staff picks for you) rather than u-pick.
18 varieties, including Jonagold and Golden Delicious
3807 Chimney Rock Rd, Hendersonville, NC 28792
Bakery (pies), nature trails, store with produce and homemade jams
Family-owned 60+ years, 90-acre farm.
Organic apples, varieties not listed
4039 US-64 (Chimney Rock Rd), Hendersonville, NC 28792
House-pressed cider, gourmet jams and jellies, hayrides, giant slingshots, farm store
Organic orchard; opens Labor Day weekend.
Hendersonville / Flat Rock Area
8 varieties, including Honeycrisp, Gala, and Pink Lady
1193 Pinnacle Mountain Rd, Flat Rock, NC 28731
Farm animals (ducks, goats, peacocks), tractor rides, bamboo forest, playground, bakery, cider slushies
Panoramic mountain views; ranked #3 of 17 things to do in Flat Rock on Tripadvisor.
19 varieties, plus u-pick blackberries
187 Garren Rd, Hendersonville, NC 28792
"Cow Train" ride, apple cannons, adventure playground, jumping pillow, duck pond, farm animals, bakery
Fifth-generation family farm.
25+ varieties, including Fuji, Pink Lady, Gala, and Honeycrisp
1126 Jeter Mountain Rd, Hendersonville, NC 28739
Wagon rides, cider mill and tasting room, cider donuts, corn maze, playground, coffee shop, sunflower field
400+ acres; Tripadvisor Travelers' Choice.
20+ varieties, including Gala, Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Empire, and Winesap
170 Stepp Orchard Dr, Hendersonville, NC 28792
Corn maze, apple cannons, u-pick grapes/berries/sunflowers, hayrides, bakery with cider donuts
70-acre farm, family-run for 50+ years.
15+ varieties, including Honeycrisp, Gold Rush, Fuji, and Pink Lady
280 Bent Arrow Lane, Hendersonville, NC 28792
Fresh-pressed cider, homemade pies and baked goods, small picnic area, occasional food trucks
U-pick Sundays only, 1-5 PM, September and October.
Apple picking is seasonal — typically September through October, weather and crop permitting — and hours vary by farm and by week. Call ahead before you drive out. Ratings shown are a single Tripadvisor figure where one exists. Directory last verified 2026-08-28.
Planning an Apple Picking Trip
Apple season runs roughly September through October, but it shifts year to year with weather, and which varieties are ready changes week to week — an orchard that's picked clean of Honeycrisp in early September might have plenty of Pink Lady by October. Most of these farms post real-time picking updates on their own websites or social pages, so it's worth a quick check before you drive out, especially for the smaller, Sunday-only operations like Creasman Farms.
More Things to Do
Frequently Asked Questions
- Are there apple orchards in Lake Lure or Chimney Rock itself?
- No — there's no commercial orchard inside either town. The nearest cluster is around Hendersonville, reached via Chimney Rock Road (US-64), the same road that runs through Chimney Rock Village and Bat Cave.
- Which orchards are closest to Lake Lure and Chimney Rock?
- Coston Farm and Apple House, Grandad's Apples N' Such, Mountain Fresh Orchards, Owenby's Apple House & Orchard, and Twisted Apple Orchard & Cider Mill all sit directly on Chimney Rock Road on the way toward Hendersonville — they're on the route, not a detour.
- When is apple season near Lake Lure?
- Most of these orchards open for u-pick in late summer and run through October, with variety availability shifting week to week as different apples ripen. Some, like Creasman Farms, only pick on Sundays. Call ahead or check the orchard's own site before you drive out.
- Is Sky Top Orchard worth the extra drive?
- It's the best-reviewed orchard on this list — 4.0 stars across 415 Tripadvisor reviews, with panoramic mountain views, farm animals, and a bakery. It's further out, near Flat Rock, but it's a popular full day-trip stop rather than a quick apple run.
Last updated: 2026-08-28