Carter Mountain Orchard and Country Store

We visited Carter Mountain early August 2025, on a Friday. It was one of those rare low humidity days. My husband and I just moved to Central Virginia and we found out about Carter Mountain through, “Only in Your State” email. They mentioned how good the ice cream is. It was good! The staff were very friendly and the gift shop was full of delicious items and nice gifts. The only drawback was, that they don’t offer anything to eat for lunch! I was told by an employee they have food on the weekends for events. We honored their posting, that you can’t bring your own food and drinks. Okay, I understand that. I thought they would have some type of food for lunch. We thought it would be nice to eat lunch and enjoy the nice view. So we didn’t stay as long as we would’ve liked. But we enjoyed our brief stay and hopefully come back in the fall.

Our Early August visit was fantastic, the Peach Orchard was something out of a Fairytale scene; Big Luscious Peaches hanging, I was very impressed. This atmosphere is family friendly and the Mountain View’s are picturesque. The apple cider donuts were delicious.

The warmest of welcomes here! Everyone seems so happy that works here. The wine slushee and donuts were delightful. The store was full of cute gifts. I bought a tote and stickers. This place had the best view and the friendliest staff of the three places we visited. Family friendly to the max.

Carter Mountain Orchard was recommended by a local for the scenic views and tasty sips/bites. They had fresh Peach Pie and Apple Cider Donuts that were a highlight of our trip. Please get a fresh-off-the-farm snack here! Although we visited on a cloudy day, the views were still stunning. I highly recommend a stop here.

Operating for over 100 years and 1,120 feet above sea level, the Chiles family have been a rich tradition in the Charlottesville area. With nine properties and six venues spanning over 1,500 acres they have an Events Calendar covering the entire year in Albemarle County. Three types of juicy peaches are available during the Summer. There are seasonal cherries, blueberries, tomatoes, asparagus and pumpkins. The Fall signifies Mountain Grown Apples - twenty varieties. Tickets are available with times to pick. This draws crowds for the season. Their Country Store and Bakery is stocked with Apple Cider Doughnuts, and many peach items from preserves, cider, salsa, and hot sauce. Apple and peach pie are available along with Virginia peanut varieties. Kitchen and craft items line the shelves. You can pick your own in the orchard (weather permitting). Visit the Black Rock Tap Room for adult beverages and sit on the Deck or Patio and enjoy the view under umbrella tables. There are twelve wines and four fruit wines. Solar power provides much of the electricity. A great event is the Evening Sunset Series. Ample parking with a good number of Handicapped Parking near the building. Only animals allowed are certified service animals. Children need to be attended. Service staff are personable and very helpful.

It was my first time to experience apple picking. It was tiring but so much fun. We went here after a night's rain so it was muddy and slippery. The apples are so high on the trees as well so I had to climb lol. We bought some churros and we enjoyed that too!

I honestly didn’t know this place existed! It’s so beautiful with several scenic views and the staff was very welcoming! Definitely want to come back with the kids for some fin in the orchards!

Carter mountain is a great place to come hangout and enjoy the scenery! The views are breathtakingly beautiful. I personally don't drink but my friends have said good things about the ciders. Their donuts and ice cream are great too.

Came here for the first time with friends who have been going each fall for the past 3 years. I hadn't been Apple picking since I was a kid. I forgot what a workout it was. At Carter Mountain Orchard there is PLENTY of parking. There are food trucks and food stands right when you walk in through the main entrance. I highly recommend buying a box of a dozen apple cider donuts - they are made fresh and warm on site and are delicious! There are restrooms in the same area as the food vendors. There is a two stall women's bathroom and another women's bathroom around the corner with even more stalls. I definitely recommend going to the larger bathroom with multiple stalls. There was a very helpful employee who was refilling soap in the two stall bathroom and quickly grabbed another roll of toilet paper after one fell in the toilet (one of the bathroom stalls had a broken TP dispenser which made the toilet paper come off the holder easily). There are multiple picnic tables overlooking the orchard which is great for snacking and relaxing with family and friends. When you get to the Apple picking counter, you can purchase the containers you want for picking. They don't allow strollers or carts into the orchard rows because the ground is very uneven. They also don't allow large bags in the orchard and rows because it's a stability issue and also so people don't sneak out extra apples beyond the capacity of the container they paid for. It's $9 per person to get in the orchard on a busy day, on less busy days admission is free (they post these days on their website). For an idea of apple bag prices, a small paper bag to hold your picked apples is $12, a medium bag is $20. Also, be sure to wear supportive, comfortable shoes! We had a great time and would definitely go back again.

My family and I went here twice in the 7 days we were up in Virginia. Such a kid friendly place with tons of apples to choose from. Highly recommend this place. Pa. It's free entry during the week and a $9 dollar fee during the weekend.

Awesome place. We did pick your own and got Fuji apples. The process is simple. You purchase the bag size for apples. The chart will show you which apples are in season for picking and also for sale. Once you have your bag, you can follow the signs to your apple(s) of choice. The scenery is absolutely beautiful, as you will drive up a mountain to reach the orchard. There is also a market with good eats and merchandise. I got the donuts and warm apple cider and was not disappointed!

So many apples available!!!!! The representatives available to assist we're all over the place available to help. Even though it was a lot of people there, everything moved swiftly.

Fun for everyone, all things apples! Picking, tasting, cider, booze (Bold Rock cidery onsite), slushies (boozy too), wine, and sweets. Hot apple cider donuts are a must! $8/6 or $14/12. Apple pie is $18 and looked yummy. During peak Fall weekends, admission is $9/person. Check their website to see what apples are in picking season. We grabbed Jonagolds. Before entering, you check-in to picking stand to buy bags or boxes on site, 2-3 people/bag or box required. No outside bags/containers (they have bag checks). Staff are present throughout the orchard to guide you or help if you get stuck or injured.

Visiting Carter Mountain Orchard is one of my favorite things to do in the fall! The views are spectacular and apples, apple cider donuts, and apple cider donuts are delicious. Be sure to check whether tickets are required. We like to arrive early to beat the crowds!

Whew. What a workout. Be ready to walk! This place had a beautiful view of the city. There were still apples available if you didn't mind taking a hike. They are great for baking. There's also a place for wine and cider. Nice weekend getaway

This is a great orchard to visit if you're looking for a closer orchard to Richmond. This orchard is very commercialized at this point so you will find big crowds here and more bagged apples for sale. The day we went they were picking but it was only one variety which was a bummer. If you are partial to certain varieties I would check online prior to coming to make sure they are picking which one you're seeking, otherwise there are bagged apples available that are pre-picked in multiple varieties. There is a wine and hard cider options on top of the food concessions. The pimento cheese was a great snack option for something that isn't sweet and was really good.

Carter Mountain is a must. It is one of our favorite fall activities. Be prepared for a lot of strenuous walking while apple picking. The apples and apple products are delicious. But I will note that my son had a really bad reaction to something at the orchard which was out of the norm and had not happened at a previous visit there. Staff was very friendly and helpful. And the scenery is stunning.

Carter mountain offers stunning views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. A family friendly spot for fall activities such as for apple picking. carter mountain features orchards, a farm stand, wine shop, bold rock hard cider taproom and a country store. I enjoyed some fresh hot apple cider donuts, apple cider and a wine slushy However, it was overcrowded the Saturday afternoon I went, which took away from the overall experience. I need to go back for a re-do! I will be sure to bring my picnic blanket and lawn chair

What can I say? You come here for the views. The cider is good (as good as it can be for someone who doesn't love it). The donuts are fantastic.

Stunning location and fun drive to get to. Great place to spend some time with kids or just browsing around. Lots of standard items you can find at many roadside markets and gift shops, but some unique and local items too. Worth the time to check it out.

This Mountain Orchard has gorgeous views and the cider is very good! I also tried the frozen wine - it didn't really have much complexity but was a lovely beverage for this warm summer day! There is a general store, food, and tons of seating! It was a very nice way to spend an afternoon. I'd definitely go back. Very chill. there is also a little area to play cornhole

This is for the Apple picking experience only. I understand you pay for the experience and was happy and willing to overpay for tasty (and they truly are tasty apples). But it is wayyyy overpriced and thr service is underwhelming. You must pay 10$ per person just to get in on the weekends: family 4 you're 40 in. Ok. We paid for one box and one bag of apples (after waiting on a long line) prior to picking (30$/box, 20$/bag). Hay rides to some of the picking locations was another 4$/person or you could walk. But if you want to get Fuji's be prepared for a long walk. We picked 2 boxfuls. I wanted to pay the difference between 1 bag and the box we picked. They didn't allow and forced us to just buy another full box. It was annoying. We already paid so much. There is an abundance of apples, literally they're rotting on the floor. And after all this money they still nickel and dime. I'm disappointed by the whole experience. Next autumn I will look for another orchard. Buy local apples at a store and go to nearby Monticello instead.

This apple orchards apple ice cream/apple frozen yogurt sometimes tastes good. Other times, it tastes a bit off . It'd be awesome if this place created these foods with its apples: 1. Apple Spice Dango (adapting a "Mitarashi Dango recipe" into one ) 2. Apple Spice Dorayaki (adapting a "Dorayaki recipe" into this )

Carter Mountain feels like Virginia's top apple picking spot. It might just be because where I live, but it's always talked about during fall-time. It's a top spot for a reason. They have a great operation going here. During busier times, you'll need to get a $8.99 ticket to enter. You can check their website for more details. I met up with a Cville friend on my recent trip. Do know that the mountain is very steep. My sedan was able to make it up so don't be intimidated by it. There was a lot of parking spots available. When you enter during busier times, you show the ticket you got in advance for a wristband. There was one non-apple vendor for lunch. I got a delicious Mediterranean chicken platter for $18. My friend and I decided to get medium sized bags to apple pick. We chose not to do pink lady's because those medium bags were $30 versus the $21.21 we paid to pick just granny smith's, winesaps, and staymans. Our medium bag held about 15 apples. Do know that apple picking here is a bit of a workout. We came on a very hot day so were sweating on the steep hills. This is a mountain afterall. All the trees we picked from were on steep hills which made grabbing apples a bit tough and angled. We still had a fun time. After our apple picking workout, we headed to the long (but totally worth it) apple dessert line. I ordered an apple cider slushie float with a donut on top. It was divine. The apple cider slush with soft serve vanilla ice cream on stop was phenomenal, not to mention the donut with it. I may have overdosed on sweetness, but it was totally worth it. I'd highly recommend ordering this on a warmer day. Carter Mountain Orchard is a must during fall in Virginia. I think everyone should visit it at least once.

Carter Mountain is a must-have experience for the fall. This orchard is such a beautiful scenic view that is great for any age. There are usually three varieties of apples available for picking. You can choose between for different sizes of bag or box for picking your apples. It's such a fun time looking for the perfect apples. In addition to apple picking, there are pumpkins, merchandise, candy, food, and drinks available. There are numerous tables outside for your group to enjoy Carter's famous cider and apple cider doughnuts. Food trucks also come on select days, which you can find on Carter's social media. So there is delicious food available for everyone. I recommend purchasing your tickets a few days in advance online to ensure that you can come at the day & time you wish. You will have a blast!

Deliciousness - 3/5 Happiness - 4.5/5 Let's start with the good. This is a gorgeous orchard up in the mountains. Apples galore and boasts a cider-tasting room and a wine tasting room. You can sip while sitting on a terrace overlooking the beautiful pastoral scenery. They also have a large country store full of all sorts of fruit, pastries, and other homey foods and decor. That said, the wine and ciders were not very good. All were very sweet, and neither left a particularly memorable impression. It's rare when I don't get a bottle from a small independent winery, but I didn't do it here. The people working the cider room weren't particularly helpful, declining to give me any recommendations (saying that the flavor profiles were on the menu and "what you'll like depends on your taste" - obviously that's true, but you can still tell me what you think is good). So while I enjoyed the location, the wine and ciders didn't impress and the service wasn't the best.

I go to Carter Mountain every year as a fall tradition. I always choose to pick my own apples, hike up the mountain, fill my bag with Fuji apples, and take in the great view. They have small, medium, and large bags, and a box option. I usually get 10-15 apples in a small bag. Picking your own apples is only half the experience though. You have to also get fresh apple cider donuts, cider (hot or slushee), and some peach ice cream. They have lunch options and other desserts as well. There's also a Bold Rock bar for some hard cider. Tickets are required during peak season. Be sure to get them early as they sell out. However they have a drive-thru option if you're only interested in picking up the goods. During peak season weekends, the lines are long and it can be hard to find a table. It does end up being a bit pricey at the end of the day but I am happy to support local and have the opportunity to continue my tradition.

Although our time was very brief at the orchard, we enjoyed our time there. We did not pick apples, but we enjoyed some of their sweets. The apple cidar donut was delicious. Not too sweet and actually warm. We picked the peach ice cream which was peachy. The texture was not so much a soft sweve but in between an icy. It was very delightful on a hot day. We walked out the benches for a sit down and enjoyed a beautiful view of the valley. They had a big gift shop with all kinds of kitchen decors and more pies, cidars and donuts to buy to go. Definitely visit when you are visiting Charlotte.

If you're going to charge me $10 a person just to enter your property, then the least you can do is ensure that the bathrooms are stocked with toilet paper...at noon, when you've only been open for three hours. There's someone in the orchard making sure you don't pick too many apples...I mean, you did just pay $12 for a small bag...but no one monitoring the bathroom. Between that, the lines, and the fact that everything was an additional charge, this place just felt like a money grab to me.

We went on a Friday, it is 59 miles from my home and it was an easy drive to get there from 64W. Charge at front gate is $10/pp adults and less for children. No strollers or wagons for apply picking which is $18/pp (on top of the entrance fee). Food charges were reasonable and food was delicious. Gift shop - be very selective. A Carters Mountain ceramic coffee mug was $30! I have one at home and I know I didn't pay $30 for it. I used to go when they didn't charge an entrance fee. I found this 'park' antrance very pricey. If you can afford it and don't care about the prices, You will have a very nice time. I had a good time and i have been there many times over the years. I just found it to be too pricey. Go during the week, way less crowded!

We got the apple cider and the apple donuts and they were so good!! both were tasting so fresh and you can just taste how organic and authetnic it tasted! the service was so good, the people who worked there were so so so sweet and made us feel at home!! :) the absolutely both breath taking views at this orchard with view of the rocky mountains and the gorgeous cville below, i would highly recommend! :)

This was an annual event for the family for many years - we returned after probably 15 years with 3 of the 5 kids (now ages 16-22). The experience was remarkably familiar (in a good way), the crowds and cost not so much. The crowd is what-it-is, they did a good job of managing it, just be prepared. You may be able to just walk in, but reservations are all but required for peak times and are $9/head. So a line before parking to confirm tickets, a line at the gate to scan tickets and a line to purchase your required containers equated to 3 lines, 30min., and $95 ($45/entry and $50/(2) 1/2 bushel boxes) before you pick the first apple. We also spent about $50 on doughnuts and apple cider and another $25ish at the brewery. Apple picking is still fun. We had a blast and I'm glad we went. I get it - it's a business. It's just hard to compare the old and new experiences side-by-side. I'll definitely recommend Carter's Mountain, just be prepared that it's an event, not a spur-of-the-moment decision. And not an inexpensive couple of hours.

Carter Mountain Orchard is a stellar spot to be autumnal! Bring your family, friends, dates, whoever likes beautiful views and doing fun seasonal stuff! Visited recently with a visiting friend and we loved it here. Despite how busy it was, they had plenty of room to accommodate those needing to park. Apparently they do ticketing on their busiest days though my visit did not fall in that time period. We went straight for the food and enjoyed an apple cider donut ice cream sandwich and two hot apple ciders, which were absolutely delicious and lovely to enjoy at one of their picnic tables facing downtown Charlottesville. After we enjoyed our seasonal treat, it was apple picking time! The way this works here is you buy a bag of your desired size (we got the smallest bag for $13, which was enough to hold 12-13 apples) and walk out to the area currently open for apple picking which changes based on the day. They had pink ladies available for us on this particular day, which is perfect since they are one of my favorite apple varietals. It was a bit of a walk to the orchard over uneven ground, and while we were fine with the effort, it might be a bit tough for those with young kids/strollers/wagons. As for the trees, they are planted in a sort of tiered structure going down the mountain, which means some climbing is needed, and we needed to stretch to reach many of our preferred apples. While I enjoyed the challenge, it might be tougher for some folks to reach their preferred apples without an apple picking tool. I saw one person with one but couldn't tell if they brought it from here or got it from the orchard somehow. Once we came back, we briefly perused their large gift shop but were happy with our apple selection. It's very rewarding to use fresh-picked fruit in cooking, and I did exactly that with a home-baked apple pie a few days later which turned out incredibly well. I strongly recommend you have a fun plan for your apples as well! Thanks Carter Mountain, this made for a fun fall time! Overall: 4.5 stars --- Pros: - Fun apple picking experience (with some caveats below) - Delicious apple cider donuts, apple cider, and... well, apples! Turned mine into an apple pie and it was one of the best desserts I have ever had. - Plenty of parking and space to take in the beautiful views. Lots of great photo opportunities here! Cons: - The long walk and steep parts of the slope might deter some younger/older participants. There's a liability disclaimer at the entrance for a reason!

Fantastic view and ciders...for real! The staff was k owledgeable and patient and will let you taste a sup before you buy! I recommend the Dill picked and vinegar cider...I swear you will it!

We stopped there today with another couple to purchase pies, donuts etc. BUT we were charged 18.00 per couple just to enter to buy the products, ridiculous!!!!!! What a rip off- it's not like there was some exhibits or anything. Just another tourist trap, don't go.

Don't even think about going on weekends requiring tickets. It does not appear they limit the number of those who can enter, which is what would be anticipated for $10 per person just to enter the orchard. Had to park half a mile away and walk for over a mile for everyone to crowd into 2 rows to pick apples. Totally a money grab and very disappointing.

Beautiful scenery, great drinks, amazing food. We sat at the picnic tables overlooking the view. Got the chance to try peaches, cherries, and apples grown here. The caramel apple cookie was incredible and it was very family friendly!

Wow carter mountain has gotten expensive!! I always loved coming here in college in the early 2000s and brought my kids here in 2023 and wow has it changed. They are an organized money making machine now. The smallest bag of apples you can get are $10 and it's a tiiiiny bag. We got the $20 bag and it was good enough for our family. These are northern va apple picking prices to us and maybe more, but the mountain had a lot to offer. It was crowded but we enjoyed it. What hasn't changed are the amazing apples and gorgeous views. I still love you carter mountain orchard!

I went here the first Saturday in October to pick apples and enjoy their cider mimosas. If you wish to pick apples you will need a ticket. I suggest choosing the first time of the day which is 9AM. It will be crowded but significantly less crowded than if you come later in the day. When I left at 1:40PM there was a huge traffic jam trying to get in to Carter Mountain Orchard. Don't let that be you, come early. Apple Picking They had Granny Smith apples and Fuji apples available to pick when I went. Their orchards were in two separate locations not near each other. I chose Fuji apples. It rained early in the morning so the grass mixed with mud made the orchard a little slick in some spots. The terrain is also uneven. Be careful when walking, I saw a few people fall. The orchard rows here are long. We could only pick from three rows and I suggest walking to the end of the rows to pick apples. The fruit looked better towards the back half of each row in my opinion and no one really walked down that far. Food & Drink They have a lot of picnic tables to sit at but it's still not enough. Get there early to claim a table. You can also bring your own blanket and sit in the grass but the ground it not level so I do not recommend. Drink I tried their cider mimosa and their mulled wine. They were both delicious. I however did not like that my mulled wine came in a paper cup. I also wish the cider mimosa cup was bigger. Food I had a pulled pork sandwich with macaroni and cheese but I didn't not enjoy it much. The pork was pretty dry and the mac and cheese was the wrong color. I'll get pizza the next time I come because it looked good. Restrooms They have a row of clean port-a potties that I did not see a lot of people using. I opted for those instead of standing in the long line waiting to get into the women's restroom. I approve of the port-a potties here.

It was so much fun and we loved it. It's also super kid friendly. The sunset on Thursdays. And the donuts are so good .

The view is beautiful! We tried a number of different things - apple slice samples, apple cider slushie, peach ice cream, apple caramel cookie, apple cider donuts, and peanuts - and we were not disappointed. Definitely would recommend coming if you're in the area :)

This orchard is a fall staple for us! It's a great family event. You'll need to wear sensible shoes and clothing. because the orchard can get steep. I love their apple cider doughnuts, omg they're so good! You can buy them in the gift shop or stand in line to get them fresh off the press, which is how we get them. Warm doughnuts on a chilly fall day? Yes, please!. Oh, they're especially good dipped in your morning coffee, too. Yum. The little store is so cute with lots of cute things and local items like apple butter, jams, salsas, etc. Highly recommend getting a ticket and time reservations for the day you want to go ahead of time. You may not get in if you don't reserve. There's also an option to just pick up a bag of apples &/or doughnuts and not visit the orchard; and you don't need reservations for that. I recommend getting the full experience at least once, though. 5/5 stars!

Great place. They had apple samples, the donuts and hotdogs and pizza were great. The apple picking was nice, though I didn't love that they only do one flavor a day. They had a tractor ride. All the staff are super duper friendly and helpful! Gift shop had lots of good stuff too. Had a nice time

I have had so many recommendations from friends and family to run, not walk, to Carter Mountain. I highly recommend making a day trip from anywhere in VA to this lovely orchard! Having never been, I was a good patron and did my online homework before our weekend excursion. Tickets are required during peak season (Sept thru early November) Fri-Sun. No tickets are required during the week. If you'd like to make a purchase without checking out the orchard and store/amenities, they also have a drive thru option. We purchased the earliest tickets on a recent Sunday (9am) and it was relatively quiet upon arrival. This was nice to get into the orchards before they were overrun by visitors, which was starting to happen on our walk back up from the orchards. By the time we finished picking, the place was packed! The orchard rows are tight and steep, so wear good shoes and prepare for LOTS of people. While here, we enjoyed everything they had to offer, except the wine shop. The apple cider slushie was perfect on this hot day and the donuts are out of this world! Save a couple of dollars by buying a dozen or half dozen. The Bold Rock tap room opened at 11 and we stayed long enough to enjoy a draft. So good! The views rounded out our visit and we lingered long enough to enjoy them under an umbrella for a bit. Overall, a wonderful family experience that I hope to repeat year after year. My only criticism is the ticket fee. I totally get that they need to limit the number of patrons on peak weekends, but the price for a ticket should go toward a picking purchase or store purchase. On top of the $8 ticket price, we still had to pay for picking containers ($12-$50), donuts, slushie and hard cider. It adds up quick with large families and this would be a nice gesture on behalf of the orchard!

Only the third time, but its absolutely a family favorite. It's unique enough I would say there is no other place like it in VA. That alone should get your attention. Often most visit in the Summer and Fall and that was the case for me. It's much more than apples which it's often billed as. On a recent the peaches were gorgeous! The shop has lots of fresh goods to not miss. As well do NOT miss out on their legendary cider donuts. It's easy to locate right off highway 64, follow the signs. It's a pull to get up the mountain, be prepared. Plenty of parking once on top. The views are magnificent!

This place is a must see and has everything you could want in an orchard. We went during the week and it wasn't too crowded but I'm sure it can be a zoo on the weekends. The orchards are huge and they directed us to the areas that were open for apple picking. There were lots of apples to be had and be careful since the orchards can be steep in places since you're on a mountain. I enjoyed the apple picking and enjoyed the apple crisp my wife made using them once we got home. The peach ice cream is also a must try on a stop here and there were plenty of tables to sit and look out over the city while you enjoy your food. There's a large store that sells everything fruit/jam/southern you can pretty much imagine so that's worth a look as well. This place is right next to Monticello so you can stop without going out of your way. This place is a must stop if you're in the area and have good weather.

Go to the website for rules would be the first thing to advise. We paid $18 for two of us entry. We left in less than an hour scratching our head as to why. Never made the hike to the orchard because the line to pay again was so long it would have been hours. Go during the week. CMO has some of the most beautiful views you have ever seen.

We loved our visit here. Luckily we came a couple weekends after the tickets days, so we didn't have to pay to come in. On their busy fall weekends, it costs $8 per person to come in and you have to get tickets beforehand to ensure your entry. We are on a strict diet, but we decided to bend to split an apple cider donut, have some hot apple cider, and get the apple cider donut bread pudding. The donuts were literally the best I've ever had in my life- we went back to each get our own after we split one (teehee!). The break pudding was disappointing and needed cinnamon, in my opinion, so we didn't really touch it after a few nibbles. We were gonna go on the hayride and then pick our own apples, but the line got really long with a large group, so we decided to move on to Bold Rock in Nellysford (their apples come from Carter Mountain). Overall, we loved our experience here and we loved visiting from the 757!

Apples and more apples. Not so long ago, apple picking at Carter's was - come and get it!!!! It is still a come and get it but with an ala carte pricing model. Reserve a date and time before taking the drive. $8 per adult. Visit the website for days with no required reservations. Once on the premise, Bags or box are prepaid before picking. Range from $21 & up. Fuji and Stayman are ripe for the picking. Somehow during this visit, that special feeling of apple picking was not there (for me). Probably due to the orchards being much more commercialized. Anyhow, still enjoyed the apple donut and apple cider. Not to mention the pumpkin patch!!! There are now food truck on the premises and frozen wines. Summary, if you're looking for a place to sit on top of a hill with a view of Charlottesville while picking apples, this is the place. But if you're concerned of the drive, cost, and time, it would be best to pick apples at Wegman's, Harris T., or local fresh market:-))))))

I absolutely love discovering unique places like Carter Mountain Orchard on my travels. The place oozes a unique charm, being nestled upon a mountain outside Charlottesville. While I imagine it might be a madhouse during apple-picking season, I went on a lazy early June weekday when there were no crowds and plenty of free parking. There was a nice set up offering free samples of apples, peaches, and cherries out front, which were refilled quickly by a friendly employee as people sampled. There is a very cute general store and food area with prices on the higher side, but the outside patio with mountain views out back are worth the detour out to this orchard. The views on a nice day are absolutely incredible and relaxing. I wish there was a place with a view like this closer to where I live. With regards to their goods, we purchased an apple pie which was absolutely delicious without being sugary/too sweet. The fruits from their orchard seemed to be a bit on the pricy side. Regardless, Carter Mountain Orchard is right down the road from Monticello which is the main tourist site in Charlottesville, so I would recommend a visit to tourists and locals alike if you like unique businesses with spectacular views.

If you're looking for fresh hot apple cider donuts, a brewery, wine tasting, and most importantly, fresh delicious apples, Carter Mountain Orchard is the place. I chose to pick the Jonagold vs. Granny Smith apples. They offered two varieties to pick. Small bag, medium bag, large box, and a bushel are the size options for picking. The last entrance time to pick your own apples is 5PM. Apples are in season August through November. Fall season is a busy time of year so be prepared to buy tickets online ahead of time. We arrived on a Monday around 11AM and tickets were not required. There wasn't a car line during the week or a required entrance fee. Dogs aren't allowed on the premises. Weekend hours during peak season are busier and tickets are required for entry. Due to their limited capacity, they sell tickets to ensure the best experience for everyone. The general store had really interesting items for sale. The produce from the orchard is used in the products sold in the store. For example, apple butter, jams, apple pie, and so forth. You can buy a pie and freeze it for a later time. What a great idea! The apple cider donuts were delicious. So was the apple cider. The only hiccup I encountered during my visit was at the Grab and Go window. I wanted one fresh hot donut. I asked the cashier where I could buy one. He sent me to the General Store to buy donuts. I walked over to the store and realized the fresh hot donuts are sold at the Grab and Go window. The store sold them in the container but I wanted a fresh donut. I walked back over to the same person and placed my order for one hot donut and an apple cider. besides this, the visit made for a nice day outdoors on my birthday! I bought some bottles of cider at Bold Rock that are exclusive only to the store at the Orchard. I highly recommend checking out all areas of Carter Mountain Orchard.

*****Review of 2022 Easter Eggstravaganza***** Stopped by Carter Mountain Orchard to participate in their Easter Eggstravaganza. Cost of a children's event ticket was $10 and included the egg hunt, hayride, craft station, and a photo opp with the Easter bunny. You could purchase your ticket online beforehand, but we opted to purchase day of which was super easy. Since the kid's event ticket included a hayride, we also purchased two adult hayride tickets ($3 each). I thought the egg hunt was run really well. Each child participating received a color bracelet which indicated the color eggs you needed to collect (12 eggs/child or less). Once you collected your eggs, you exchange them for a goody bag. The first area we were sent to search for eggs was rather scarce; however, after less than 5 minutes of looking, a staff member mentioned they opened up another section on the other side. We went there and there were tons of eggs! C&N got their 12 eggs in a matter of minutes. The line to exchange for a goody bag wasn't too long. Kids received an age appropriate bag. The crafts were okay. Probably would have been better if there was staff there to manage the area, which was really a mess. The hayride was nice. Just took you around the fields and lasted about 10 minutes. Besides these activities, there was also face painting (extra $) and cotton candy/BBQ to purchase. They also had a live band. There's plenty of seating at the picnic tables which had a great view. Before leaving, we picked up a dozen apple cider donuts (so good and soft!), an apple cider cookie (make sure to grab more than one!) some cold cider, and steak rub. The wine shop was open, but sadly I couldn't find the Bold Rock Tap Room (I guess we didn't go far down enough).

Looking for a special place with views? Head over to Carter Mountain Orchards. The fruit is delicious! It's your choice - you pick or they do. Doesn't get any fresher than that! Remember to get the fresh apple cider...Apple cider donuts and French fries! Unbelievably good!

Review based on experience from 2015, 2017 Came here a number of times when I visited Charlottesville. Came for apple picking and also just to enjoy the sunset. Orchard picking is always fun. The maintain their orchard well. Of course if you got the tail end of the pickings, they have a market where you can buy pre-picked items. As with most orchards you can buy extras like apple butter, apple cider, apple cider donuts, etc. They often have events during the spring/summer/fall. Particularly around sunset. We came one time during the summer and it was packed. They had live music and wine tastings. They were also selling peach slushies, which was very refreshing on a hot summer's day. Because it is located on the mountain, expect a bit of elevation change and a drive up to lot.

This was such a beautiful place to stop on our way to our air bnb. The view is astonishing. The apple cider donuts and apple are so delicious and one of a kind. Staff members were a little lacking in friendliness but nothing that bothered me too bad. They had restrooms available which was great as we had been on the road for some time. They had a lovely shop where you could purchase souvenirs and other items. The had several benches outside where you could sit and take in the view while snacking on donuts or apples. I would definitely love to come back to pick apples when possible.

This was our second time coming up to Carter mountain. I guess we expected things to get better one of the times we went. The first time we came up, we waited at the window for hot, fresh donuts. The girl at the window told us that we could wait 15 minutes and they would be ready. We happily agreed, as that's why we drove up there. We waited the 15 minutes and went back, to which she told us it would be another 15 minutes. We wandered around and waited. The third time up to the window she told us it would be 15 minutes again. At this point, we just got the cold ones and left. We ended up throwing half of them away. We went back up today with some out of town guests and went back to the window for donuts. This time the TV said "if this is on, we have hot donuts." You can imagine how happy we were to see that! We got to the window and ordered 3 cups of hot cider, a pint of cider and half a dozen HOT donuts. There was a sign on the menu board that said "buy one pint, get one free," so we asked the guy at the window about it, since we had bought a pint. He told us it wasn't available on the cups of cider, only the pint- the same pint we had paid for and were currently holding. We told him we had bought a pint, to which he said we hadn't bought 2 of them. Again, the sign said buy one, get one. He got super rude and walked away. When he handed us out donuts, I'm pretty sure they came out the fridge. They were cold, might as well have been frozen. Customer service was awful today. It seems the more well known they've become; the worse they get. Last and final visit to Carter mountain. Not worth the hassle or the rudeness of staff to customers.

Nice place to go sight see and hang out as well as pick fruits. It was a nice family outing.