1240 Orchard Ridge Rd · Apple Hollow, NC (828) 555-0142 Open Today · 9a–6p
Hard Cider Tastings · Daily at 2pm
Hilltop Family OrchardsFamily Farm · Since 1952

1240 Orchard Ridge Rd · Apple Hollow, NC

Apples Picking Now · 12 Varieties Ripe

Four generations of family farming in the Blue Ridge mountains of North Carolina.

From the first apple tree my great-grandfather planted in 1952 to 300 acres of orchard, cidery, bakery and market — come for the harvest, stay for the donuts.

Plan Your Visit
Picking This Week

What's ripe right now

Honeycrisp Apples
Peak
Gala & Fuji
Open
🍑
Late Peaches
Final Week
🍓
Strawberries
Returns Apr
68°F · Sunny Full crop calendar →
82
Years Family-Owned
300ac
Orchard Acres
40+
Apple Varieties
500K
Visitors / Year
As Seen In
Crop Calendar

Know exactly when to visit.

Twelve months of the farm. Plan your trip around peak season — strawberries through hard cider release.

Crop JanFebMarAprMayJun JulAugSepOctNovDec
Strawberries
Blueberries
Blackberries
Peaches
Apples
Muscadines
Things To Do

More than just picking apples.

Tractor tours through the orchard, cider tastings in the barn, school field trips for thousands of kids — there's always something happening on the farm.

Most Popular

U-Pick Apples

2 hr avg All ages

Walk among 40+ apple varieties on 300 acres. Bag included, kids under 5 free. Reserve a slot to skip the gate line.

$18/bag · adults Details
New

Tractor Tour

45 min Up to 30

Guided ride through the working orchard with a 4th-generation Hilltop. See packing house, cidery, blossom rows.

$12/person Details
21+

Hard Cider Tasting

1 hr 21+ only

Six-flight tasting of estate ciders and apple wines in the tasting barn. Includes souvenir glass and fruit board.

$25/person Details
Daily

Fresh Bakery

Walk-in Hot & fresh

Apple cider donuts hot off the line every 20 minutes. Fried pies, turnovers, breads, biscuits and the famous apple butter.

From $2/donut Details
Seasonal

Festivals & Events

Year-round Family

Apple Festival, Santa at the Orchard, Customer Appreciation, Spring Blossom Walk. Members get early access.

Free entry Details
Group

School & Bus Tours

2.5 hr 15+ people

Curriculum-aligned farm education for K–8. Includes hayride, packing house demo, donut, and pick-your-own apple.

$11/student Details
Our Story

Eighty-two years. Four generations. One family.

Frank Hilltop planted the first orchard in 1952 with apple trees brought from Quebec. His son Tim and grandson Henry expanded into peaches, hard cider, and the bakery you can smell from the parking lot.

Today, the fourth generation of Hilltops — and a team of 120 year-round employees — keeps the trees pruned, the donuts hot, and the doors open seven days a week. Veteran-owned. Family-run.

Read our story
1943
First trees planted
120
Year-round team
"Every apple has a story. We just try to make sure it's a good one."
Henry Hilltop · Third Generation
Four Generations

Eighty-two years on this hillside.

From a hundred apple trees to a 300-acre destination — every milestone shaped by family, season, and stubborn Appalachian weather.

1943
First Generation · Frank & Rose Hilltop

The first hundred trees

Frank brings apple cuttings down from his family farm in Vermont and plants the first orchard on a sloping hillside outside Apple Hollow. Rose runs the roadside stand from a folding table and a coffee can.

1972
Second Generation · Frank Jr. takes over

From farm stand to market

Frank Jr. expands to peaches and blueberries, builds the first packing house, and opens the original 800-square-foot market with his mother's apple-butter recipe as the bestseller — a recipe still on shelves today.

1998
Third Generation · Henry & Beth

Bakery, donuts, and the 90 acres

Henry takes the reins, adds 90 acres, opens the bakery, and starts hand-rolling cider donuts every twenty minutes. Customer count crosses 100,000 a year for the first time.

2012
Hard cider & winery

Estate-pressed, federally licensed

The cidery and tasting room open with three flagship hard ciders. Within five years, distribution covers four states. Today, the tasting room serves 60,000 flights a year.

2026
Fourth Generation · The next chapter

300 acres and growing

The fourth generation joins the farm full-time. New plantings of late-season varieties, expansion of school programs to 40,000 students a year, and a renewed focus on regenerative practices. Veteran-owned. Family-run.

Guest Stories

A favorite Saturday for thousands of families.

Half a million guests a year — and tens of thousands of them come back every fall. Here's what they say.

★★★★★
The apple cider donuts alone are worth the drive from Atlanta. But the tractor tour with Marcus made it the kids' favorite trip of the year.
SR
Sarah RodriguezAsheville, NC · Third visit
★★★★★
A perfectly run operation. Reservation system was easy, the orchard was beautiful, and we left with cider, jam, and a backseat full of Honeycrisp. Already booking next October.
JK
James & Karen P.Nashville, TN · First visit
★★★★★
We brought 38 second-graders for a school tour and the team was incredible. Curriculum-aligned, hands-on, and the kids each came home with an apple they picked themselves.
MB
Mrs. BeasleyYancey Co. Elementary · Annual
★★★★★
4.9
Google · 8,200 reviews
★★★★★
4.8
TripAdvisor · 1,640
★★★★★
4.7
Yelp · 580 reviews
★★★★★
4.9
Facebook · 12k
Shop & Ship

Take a piece of the farm home.

Apple cider donuts, hard cider, jams and apple butter — shipped nationwide. Members get free shipping over $50.

Cider Donuts (Dozen)

Hot from the fryer · ships frozen
$24.95

Hard Cider Variety 6-Pack

Estate-pressed · 21+ shipping
$32.00

Apple Butter (16oz)

Slow-cooked · five generations
$9.50

Fried Hand Pies (Box of 6)

Apple, peach, blueberry mix
$28.00
Field-to-Fork Blog

Recipes, farm notes, and orchard wisdom.

Every other week, the Hilltop family shares what's growing, what's baking, and what to do with a half-bushel of Honeycrisps.

Recipe

Grandmother's Mile-High Apple Pie

The recipe Rose Hilltop wrote on the back of a feed-store receipt in 1958 — and the trick that keeps it from going soggy on the bottom.

Oct 15, 2026 6 min read
Farm Notes

Why Honeycrisp is so hard to grow

Henry on the variety that breaks farmers' hearts and customers' wallets — and what it takes to get one perfect Honeycrisp on your kitchen counter.

Oct 8, 2026 9 min read
Cidery

The 2026 Honeycrisp Reserve is in the tank

This year's vintage went into Tank 3 last week. Here's how a single-variety cider gets pressed, fermented, and aged for the November release.

Oct 1, 2026 5 min read
All blog posts
Before You Come

Frequently asked questions.

If you don't find your answer, give us a call at (828) 555-0142 or text the team.

Do I need a reservation to u-pick?
During peak season (mid-Sept through October), reservations are strongly recommended — especially weekends, which sell out 5–7 days in advance. We do hold a small number of walk-up slots, but you may wait at the gate. Reserve online to skip the line and pick up your bag at the express counter.
Can I bring my dog?
Leashed dogs are welcome on the orchard paths and outdoor areas. They are not permitted inside the bakery, market, or cidery for health-code reasons. Water bowls and shaded benches are scattered throughout the grounds.
What if it rains?
U-Pick continues in light rain — apples taste better wet, anyway. In heavy rain or lightning, we close the orchard temporarily but keep the market, bakery, and cidery open. Reservations affected by closures get a free reschedule or full refund — we'll text you within 30 minutes.
Is the property accessible?
The market, bakery, cidery, and tasting room are fully wheelchair accessible. The orchard's main loop is gravel and stroller/wheelchair friendly. The tractor tours can accommodate wheelchairs with advance notice — call us 24 hours ahead and we'll have the lift-equipped trailer ready.
How long does u-pick take?
Most families spend about 90 minutes to 2 hours from gate-in to gate-out — that includes browsing the market and grabbing donuts. The actual picking part is 30–45 minutes. Reservation slots are 3 hours wide, so you have plenty of time.
Can I ship products home?
Yes — we ship bakery, jams, butters, and cider nationwide. Orders placed by 2pm Wednesday ship that week. Cider ships only to states where direct-to-consumer is legal (currently 32 states + DC). Members of the Cider Club get free shipping on orders over $50.
What's your refund policy?
U-Pick reservations: free reschedule up to 24 hours before, or full refund if we close due to weather. Tour bookings: 7-day full refund window, after that we'll reschedule for any reason within 12 months. Online shop: 30-day return on unopened products.
Plan Your Visit

Find us in the Western North Carolina mountains.

90 minutes north of Atlanta. Free parking. Pets welcome on a leash. Bring a cooler for what you pick.

Address

Hilltop Family Orchards
1240 Orchard Ridge Road
Apple Hollow, NC 28714

Hours

Mon–Sat 9am – 6pm
Sunday 11am – 6pm
Cidery closes one hour earlier

What to Know

Free parking · Leashed pets welcome · Stroller-friendly main paths · ATM on site · Picnic area open

Hilltop Family Orchards

Get Directions

I-26 W to NC-19 N. Exit at Apple Hollow, follow signs.

Open in Maps
Group Bookings

Bring your school, bus, or company.

From kindergarten field trips to corporate retreats — we host 1,200+ group visits a year. Our team works with you on logistics, dietary needs, and a custom itinerary.

  • School groups (K–12) with curriculum-aligned activities
  • Bus tours from $11/student, $14/adult
  • Corporate retreats with private cidery space
  • Wedding and event venue (cidery barn, capacity 180)
  • 48-hour response from our group coordinator

Get the Hilltop Mail.

Be the first to know when Honeycrisp drops, when the cider barrels open, and when reservations go live for next season. As a thanks, we'll send you Rose Hilltop's original apple butter recipe.

The orchard is open.

Reserve a u-pick window, book a tour, or order cider donuts shipped to your door — start your visit below.

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