What is Apple Hill and when should I visit?

Apple Hill is an informal association of farms and wineries in the Camino area of El Dorado County, about an hour east of Sacramento. The main season runs Labor Day weekend through October. Farms sell u-pick apples, fresh cider, apple pies, and seasonal produce. Weekends in October are very crowded — weekday visits or early September are much more relaxed.

What other NorCal farm destinations are worth the drive?

Beyond Apple Hill, the Capay Valley in Yolo County has a strong farmers market and farm trail scene in spring and fall. Placer County farms around Auburn offer peaches and plums in summer. The Sierras foothills from Placerville to Auburn have the densest concentration of u-pick orchards in Northern California.

The Best NorCal Farm & Harvest Guides

June 7, 2026 · 4 min read

Northern California's harvest scene stretches from the apple orchards of El Dorado County to the farm trails of Butte and Placer counties. These are the resources we've found genuinely useful for planning a NorCal farm visit, and where Gather Grove fits in.

Katie Did What — Apple Hill Farm Rankings

The Katie Did What Apple Hill guide does something most farm lists don't: it actually ranks the farms instead of just cataloguing them. Each entry explains what makes that stop worth your time — the cider donuts, the views, the u-pick variety — so you can build an itinerary around what your group cares about. If you're heading to Apple Hill for the first time and want an honest shortlist rather than an exhaustive directory, this is the right place to start.

On Gather Grove: Apple u-pick farms · Sierra Foothills harvest events

Apple Hill Growers Association

The Apple Hill Growers Association is the authoritative source for member farms in the El Dorado County apple belt — if a farm is on their list, it's open to visitors during the season. The site covers everything from u-pick windows and specialty products to winery and bakery stops along the route. Bookmark it before your fall trip so you know exactly which gates will be open when you arrive.

On Gather Grove: Apple u-pick farms · All Sierra Foothills harvest events

Sierra Oro Farm Trail

The Sierra Oro Farm Trail maps out the Butte County farms, orchards, and wineries clustered around the Chico area — a part of NorCal that's often overlooked in favor of the more famous Apple Hill corridor. Their annual Passport weekend events are a great hook if you want a structured reason to explore the trail. Worth checking if you're anywhere near Chico in the fall or spring.

On Gather Grove: Northern California harvest events · U-pick farms across California

PlacerGROWN

PlacerGROWN is the Placer County agricultural organization connecting locals to farms, u-pick operations, and seasonal events between Sacramento and Tahoe. Their farm finder covers a range of crops — from stone fruit in summer to pumpkins and wine grapes in fall. If you're looking for a working farm visit that's a step off the beaten Apple Hill path, the PlacerGROWN directory is a solid place to look.

On Gather Grove: Sierra Foothills harvest events · Pumpkin festivals

Farm Trails Sonoma County

Farm Trails Sonoma County is the definitive guide to Sonoma's working farms, u-pick operations, and farm stands — an organization that's been connecting visitors to the land since 1973. Their printed map and online directory cover everything from u-pick apple orchards to lavender farms, olive oil producers, and goat dairies. If you're spending a day or a weekend on the Sonoma farm circuit, start here for the full picture of what's open.

On Gather Grove: North Coast harvest events · Lavender farms & festivals

What Gather Grove adds

The guides above are great for discovering which farms and trails exist. Gather Grove focuses on completeness and dates verified with organizers where confirmed — every NorCal harvest festival on our map has a location pin and a direct link to the organizer. We cover the whole state, so you can easily compare a foothills apple day trip against a Central Valley peach festival or a Bay Area pumpkin patch.

Know a NorCal farm guide we should add here? Let us know.