We had a couple of hours in later afternoon in Charlottesville so decided to check out this orchard. Pretty easy to find off I-66, plenty of signs. Windy road up thru grape vines and apple trees to a gorgeous view of Charlottesville and Shenandoah National Park in the distance. Nice selection of apples to pick or just buy, along with apple and peach ciders, apple caramel cookies and of course, tasty apple cider donuts. We didn’t pick, just walked around, checked out the gift shop, apples, etc, then went to the underside of the orchard’s main building where Bold Rock Cider is set up. Beautiful stone patio and wall, covered in red roses, picnic tables with umbrellas - great spot for try the Bold Rick hard cider. They had a good selection of flavors along with hard cider-tailored cocktails. Well worth the drive up for just the views but we enjoyed our hard cider and donuts. I can see this spot being extremely busy on the weekends and during apple season so go during the week if possible.

Coming here was a bucket list things for us. This is the FIRST time we picked apples. Lovely fall weather! They were very organized and the long lines moved quickly. YES, the donuts were worth all the hype! We drove in the day before (we live 3 hrs away) so we can enjoy the next day at the orchard without rushing. You must buy tickets in advanced. It’s for crowd control. I bought our tickets about 2 months in advance. We went on a sold out weekend so glad we got the tickets early! We’re Comfortable shoes and wear layers! Be prepared to take a lot of photos.

My first trip back to Carters Mountain Orchard in years…and it did not disappoint. After reading some of the reviews form a few years ago, I felt compelled to provide an update. I was perplexed when reading about the entrance fee, because we did not experience that when we went yesterday. Upon additional reading on the site, it seems an entrance fee is charged during the busy Apple picking timeframe, which starts in September. And, it seems understandable. That’s a lot of foot traffic trapsing around the orchard, and this may help with grounds keeping costs, road maintenance, restroom facilities, and other guest comforts. As far as store pricing, I spent money while I was there. There is a little something for everyone’s budget if you want to go home with something. I spent $22 in the store and got 6 donuts, a cookie, and a jar of jam. Oh…and the donuts….had one this morning and it was delicious. Soft, fresh….and worth every little granule of sweet sugar I ingested. I didn’t feel too bad though, because the sugar free peach jam I purchased was also a hit! We also had a hard Apple cider on tap at the Bold Rock store on site. There were plenty of picnic tables and things to buy, eat, drink, pick and see. Everyone was friendly and I am taking my husband back with me to enjoy what he missed yesterday. It’s too bad about not being able to bring your pets like you used (unless it’s a Sevice animal) but let’s face it….Im sure there have been more than one incident where the owners were left hearing about complaints from guests’ experiences with how other folks managed their pets. It is what it is. So, don’t let a fee, or the inability to bring your pet, or someone else’s idea of high prices keep you from the experience. Go on their website first, and see what they have going on when you would like to visit. Know what the expectations are for that day, and go and have a great time!