Oak Glen is the go-to destination for apple picking if you live in Los Angeles or LA County. In this blog post, you’ll learn more about the Oak Glen apple season and get an example day itinerary for how to spend the day in Oak Glen.
Related post: Fall in Los Angeles: 10 Essential LA Bucket List Ideas
When is apple picking season?
Oak Glen apple picking season is in autumn, when it’s harvest season for apple orchards. The apples go dormant in the winter and spring seasons.
You can find a list of farms with U-Pick options on the Oak Glen official website.
A few things to keep in mind when you go apple picking
- Wear close-toed shoes
- Check the farm website ahead of time to see if a reservation is needed.
- Check the weather to ensure it’s a good day for apple picking; depending on when you go, you may need to bring a sun hat or an umbrella.
Arrive at Los Rios Ranchos for apple picking
- Visit the General Store to grab your apple picking bag and some snacks.
- Go apple
picking on the North or South side of the farm (ask the general store attendant for info about what apples are available on either side).
- Take your time picking apples and taking all your photos and video.
- No reservations are required.
- No parking or admission fee.
- If you go on the weekends, you may have additional fall activities, such as riding in a horse carriage, animal petting zoo, making your own cider, etc.
- After apple picking, you can grab lunch at the Farm Kitchen at Los Rios Ranch (freshly baked pies, slow-cooked meats, etc.), or you can drive a little down the road to Wilshire Apple Shed.
- Wilshire Apple Shed has a cute outdoor seating area next to its wood-fired oven. So you can see them cook your pizza right in front of you.
- If you’re in the mood for a drink, I recommend trying whatever hard cider they have available on tap!
- Hard apple cider tastings are also available in the attached storefront.
- In addition to pizza, Wilshire Apple Shed is also known for their specialty coffees and teas. One of the specialty coffees they had available when I went was the Caramel Apple Latte.
- Before heading home, you’ll drive back towards Los Rios Ranchos to another orchard called Snow-Line Orchard. Here you’ll grab a bag of apple cider donuts which you can eat in the picnic area or on the road as you head back to LA.
Resources
Here are some resources to learn more about Oak Glen apple picking and the abovementioned places.
- Oak Glen Offical Website
- Los Rios Ranchos
- Wilshire Apple Shed
- Snow-Line Orchard
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Looking for U-pick apple farms near Los Angeles? Go Apple Picking in Oak Glen CA, located just 1.5 hr. away from L.A. – it is a small agricultural community located in the foothills of the San Bernardino Mountains. Below is a guide to Oak Glen Apple Picking 2022 including hours, which Oak Glen u-pick apple farm to visit, and all the fun things to do in Oak Glen
besides visiting U-pick farms.
Oak Glen apple picking season 2022 starts the month of September to October, between Labor Day weekend and runs until Thanksgiving weekend. Some Oak Glen apple orchards are open now for U-pick apples, other U-pick fruits including raspberries and pears, family-friendly activities, a petting zoo, fresh-baked goods like apple pies, and more. Make sure to check with individual orchard for U-pick apple schedule as some will open on Labor Day while others won’t open until October.
BEST TIME FOR APPLE PICKING
The best time for apple picking is between September to October but what’s ripe for the picking depends on the apple variety. Check each Oak Glen apple farm’s website to see what variety of apples is available during your visit. Oak Glen is the best place to go apple picking but due to the popularity of U-pick apple farms in Oak Glen, don’t wait until the end of October to visit to make sure you still have apples to pick.
THINGS TO DO IN OAK GLEN
Plan an Oak Glen apple picking trip with the family and visit U-pick Farms for apples and berries, make your own apple cider juice, and grab BBQ for lunch. Don’t leave without bringing home an apple pie, apple butter jams, and apple cider donuts.
Located in Yucaipa, California, Oak Glen is located in San Bernardino County in the San Bernadino Mountains, Oak Glen Road is a scenic loop that travels a total distance of 20 miles with 5 miles of it comprising of Oak Glen farms, shops, restaurants, nature trails, bakeries, cafes, cideries, and historical landmarks.
OAK GLEN APPLE FARMS:
1. Willowbrook Apple Farm
12099 Oak Glen Rd, Yucaipa, CA 92399
Willowbrook Apple Farm is a small 100-year-old family farm where you can experience u-pick apples and u-press apple cider and savor Stayman-Winesap apples fresh off the tree. Surrounded by fall colors in the San Bernardino mountains, you can enjoy locally grown food, freshly pressed apple cider, meet farm animals, and experience small farm life in a picturesque setting.
Willowbrook U-pick apple picking season will start in October and run based on crop availability. Willowbrook Apple Farm Oak Glen is open Saturday and Sundays only, 10 AM – 4 PM.
2. Los Rios Rancho
39611 Oak Glen Rd, Yucaipa, CA 92399.
Los Rios Rancho in Oak Glen is Southern California’s largest apple farm in operation since 1906. Apple season starts Labor Day through Thanksgiving at the Historic Los Rios Rancho.
7 days a week
When visiting Los Rios Rancho, enjoy a Farm Kitchen serving tri-tip sandwiches, BBQ, cold beverages, dessert, and more, a Farm Store tent with seasonal goodies, Little Seeling Ranch (petting zoo & miniature farm), and nature trails 7 days a week.
Weekends – Fridays to Sundays
U-pick fruit, tractor rides & horse-drawn wagon tours, live musical entertainment, Farm Fair (candle dipping & Frontier Chores hay bale pulley), corn maze, roasted corn, Steak Shack, wagon rides & tractor rides, and hard cider tasting are available during the weekends at Los Rios Rancho farm.
Los Rios Rancho is open 7 days a week from 10 AM to 5 PM.
3. Stone Soup Farm & Heritage Orchard
12131 S. Oak Glen Rd., Oak Glen, CA 92399
Stone Soup Farm in Oak Glen offers apple picking in their 130-year-old heirloom apple orchard in October. Admission is $5 for 4+ & free for kids 3 and under. There is a 10-minute tour about the history of the apple farm, some information about their apples, apple tasting and general rules while picking. U-pick apples are $3.75/lb. and the farm provides apple bags at the introduction talk before picking apple begins.
Apple picking season at Stone Soup Orchard begins the first weekend in October.
4. Stone Pantry Orchard
11993 S. Oak Glen Rd., Yucaipa Ca 92399
Stone Pantry Orchard in Oak Gen offers U-Pick apples, pears, blackberries, and pumpkins. You also get to press your own cider. They are open weekends Labor Day to Thanksgiving 10-5 and by appointment during the week.
5. Riley’s Farm
12261 S Oak Glen Rd., Oak Glen, CA 92399
I do not recommend visiting Riley’s, there has been a lot of disconcerting news about and tweets from the owner. It was the first farm we saw when we went to Oak Glen years before all the news came out.
Our past visit to Riley’s Farm Oak Glen CA was like stepping back into Colonial America. What was available during our visit was apple picking, berry picking, making your own pressed cider, sampling a variety of apples, and all sorts of apple jams available for sale.
Apple picking at Riley’s Farm in Oak Glen is available on Saturdays. Their website has the latest update on U-Pick apple variety but I hope you visit the other farms instead.
Tips for Apple Picking in Oak Glen:
- When apple picking in Oak Glen, make sure to check the weather condition before going and dress accordingly. The weather is cooler in Oak Glen but it can also be hot on a sunny day. Make sure to also check that there is no fire in the area before driving out.
- The operating hours of some apple farm changes every year so confirm before going.
- There is no entrance fee to most Oak Glen apple farms but charges per pound on how much apples or other fruits you’ve picked. Check their website for rates or give them a call.
- Some U-pick apple farms in Oak Glen are bigger than others. The bigger farms may have more activities but they also have more crowd so choose accordingly or visit a different one every year.
- Oak Glen is crowded on the weekends so do arrive early so you can find parking in any of the Oak Glen apple farms. Parking on the main road is not allowed.
- It’s less-crowded in Oak Glen during weekdays but some Oak Glen apple orchards are not open daily and some activities are not available.
- Bring a sun hat, closed-toed shoes, water, and a good camera. Oak Glen’s apple orchards creates the perfect backdrop for family pictures.
- Dogs may not be allowed so check each Oak Glen apple farms’ rules before going.
- Try to check-in at a U-pick tent & grab a bag before you start roaming around the apple farms. Some orchards are really big and you don’t want to go back & forth. It’s best to bring cash as well.
- Try to check the crop information via each Oak Glen apple orchard’s website to know what apple variety is available for U-pick.
Other Things to Do in Oak Glen besides Apple Picking:
1. Eat Apple Cider Mini Donuts at Snow-Line Orchard
39400 Oak Glen Rd, Yucaipa, CA 92399
Snow-line Orchard is a family owned apple farm, winery & cidery in Oak Glen and has been around since 1898. Visit them for apple cider mini donuts and cider slushies, u-pick raspberries, balsamic vinegar and oils, local honey, unique gifts, and farm made wine and hard cider. Snow-Line Orchard does not have u-pick apple available but they do sell apples.
Snow-Line Orchard is open Friday to Sunday from 10 AM – 4 PM.
2. Visit Oak Glen Petting Zoo at Oak Tree Mountain (+ Apple Pies)
38480 Oak Glen Road, Yucaipa, CA 92399
Visit Oak Tree Mountain in Oak Glen to enjoy fresh-baked 5lb mile-high apple pies and other goodies from Apple Annies Bakery, eat a hand-dipped Caramel Apple at their Candy Store, and pet the animals in the petting zoo and visit the local shops and artisans. You can even throw an axe for $5.
Fun Things to do in Southern California:
- Strawberry Picking in Los Angeles
Other Fun Things to do in the Fall:
- Best Pumpkin Patches in Los Angeles
- Knott’s Scary Farm Discount Tickets
- Universal Hollywood Halloween Horror Night Discount Tickets
- Universal Orlando Halloween Horror Nights Discount Tickets
- Howl-O-Scream Discount Tickets: Busch Gardens & Sea World
- Legoland Brick or Treat
- Temecula Mall Mansion of Lost Souls Haunted House Discount
- San Diego Kids Go Free October
- Southern California Halloween Events