Best Orchards for Vermont Apple Picking
September 06, 2025

Vermont apple picking season is officially here with McIntosh, Honeycrisp, Gala and heirloom varieties available at local orchards.

Beyond apple picking, Vermont apple orchards are also where you’ll find events—including live music, yoga and festivals—as well as farm stands, kids activities, cider donuts and good old fashioned fun.

For the 2025 season, note that a wet spring followed by a summer-long drought means that fewer apples might be available for picking this fall.

Dwight Miller Orchards in Dummerston

Dwight Miller Orchard in Dummerston suffered a devastating three-alarm fire last month, losing retail, storage and maple processing operations.

The orchard is an 8th-generation family farm producing organic apples, peaches, berries, Vermont maple syrup, sweet apple cider and cider donuts. If you’re in the area, stop by to pick apples. Or you can contribute to a Go Fund Me organized by community members.

Dwight Miller Orchards is open for apple picking. (511 Miller Road, Dummerston; facebook.com/dwightmillerorchardsvt)

Hours: Open daily 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

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Mad Tom Orchard in East Dorset

Mad Tom Orchard was planted in 1940 by the Parson Family. Now operated by Sylvia and Tom Smith, Mad Tom Orchard features many varieties, including McIntosh, Cortland, Gala and Honeycrisp.

Mad Tom Orchard is a hilltop orchard with apples, maple syrup, cider and donuts—and some of the best scenic views you’ll find in southern Vermont. (2615 Mad Tom Road, East Dorset; madtomorchard.com)

Hours: The orchard is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday-Sunday.

Burtt’s Apple Orchard in Cabot

Burtt’s Apple Orchard, located on a former dairy and maple farm, has been offering pick-your-own Vermont apple picking since 2009. Featuring over 40 varieties of apples, Burtt’s includes everything from Honeycrisp to McIntosh to Ginger Gold.

Peak flavor for McIntosh is between Sept.15-25, 2025, according to the orchard’s email updates.

Burtt’s includes cider donuts, a corn maze, activities and a playground flanked by scenic views. (283A Cabot Plains Road, Cabot; burttsappleorchard.com)

Hours: Burtt’s is open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Yates Family Orchard in Monkton

Yates Family Orchard includes 28 varieties of apples in an orchard originally planted in the 1930s on scenic Monkton Ridge. The orchard, located on a quiet dirt road near the Hinesburg-Monkton town line, was purchased by Jessika Yates and her husband, Steven, in 2008.

The orchard has expanded in recent years, and the property includes a farm stand with cider donuts, specialty products and more. Pick Honeycrisp, Honey Gold, Ozark Golds, Haralson and Northern Spy in the orchard.

Be sure to indulge in the orchard’s signature dessert—the Dreamee—a hot, fresh cider donut topped with Vermont maple soft serve ice cream. (1074 Davis Road, Hinesburg; yatesfamilyorchard.com)

Hours: Open daily 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Events: Sunday morning yoga at the orchard is offered through Sangha Studio this fall. Also, enjoy live music on Sunday afternoons from 1-4 p.m.

Wellwood Orchards in Springfield

Wellwood Orchards in Springfield been owned and operated by Roy Mark since 1981. He and his four daughters run the pick-your-own orchard, which also grows blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, peaches, plums, pumpkins and more.

At the orchard, you’ll find Paula Reds, Ginger Golds, Macintosh, Cortlands and Honeycrisp.

Stop by the orchard’s country store and grab some maple syrup and cider donuts, or take your kids to the on-site petting zoo. (529 Wellwood Orchard Road; Springfield; wellwoodorchards.com)

Hours: Open daily 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Hackett’s Orchard in South Hero

Founded in 1967, the family-owned Hackett’s Orchard in South Hero is where you’ll find apples, cider donuts and fresh cider. Through the fall season, enjoy tractor rides on weekends.

Spanning 50 acres, the orchard cultivates over 30 varieties of apples, including popular types like Honeycrisp, McIntosh and Cortland. (86 South Street, South Hero; hackettsorchard.com)

Hours: Open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Champlain Orchards in Shoreham

Champlain Orchards features more than 220 acres of fruit trees. Located in the Champlain Valley, the orchard typically harvests over 100,000 bushels of ecologically grown apples in a season. Champlain Orchards also produces hard cider, apple butter and maple syrup. (3597 VT-74 West, Shoreham; champlainorchards.com)

Hours: Open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.  Cider garden open Fridays 3-7 p.m. and Saturdays 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Events: Musicians Deb Brisson, Mark Pelletier and John Wallace perform on Sept. 20, 2025; Patrick Fitzsimmons performs Sept. 27, 2025; Spring Chickens perform Oct. 4, 2025; and Bird Mountain String Band performs Oct. 11, 2025. All performances are from 1-4 p.m. Learn more on the Champlain Orchards’ events page.

Scott Farm Orchard in Dummerston

Located on the iconic Kipling Road in southeastern Vermont, Scott Farm Orchard grows more than 130 varieties of heirloom apples.

Scott Farm Orchard is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and has been in active cultivation since 1791. The orchard is owned by The Landmark Trust USA, which also owns Rudyard Kipling’s house, Naulakha, next door. (707 Kipling Road, Dummerston; scottfarmvermont.com)

Hours: The Farm Market is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. with live music from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekends. Pippin’s Cafe is open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday-Sunday.

Events: The 22nd annual Heirloom Apple Day Festival is Oct. 12, 2025. -courtesy photo / Scott Farm 

Shelburne Orchards

Shelburne Orchards is a family-owned enterprise led by the legendary Nick Cowles, who was born on the property in 1950. The orchard, which his father purchased 70 years ago, began with 500 trees. It grew from 2,000 trees in the 1970s to over 8,000 trees today.

Pick-your-own varieties include Honey Crisp, Gala, McIntosh and more. The orchard’s farm store sells apples, donuts and Nick’s own Dead Bird apple brandy. (216 Orchard Road, Shelburne; shelburneorchards.com)

Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday-Sunday.

Events: Live music performances include Otter Creek on Sept. 13, 2025; Queen City Cut Ups on Sept. 20, 2025; The Spring Chickens on Sept. 25, 2025; Rowan on Sept. 28, 2025.; Brett Hughes Trio on October 5, 2025; and Hot Pickin’ Party on Oct. 12, 2025.

*King Arthur Baking is an affiliate partner. When you buy through our links or ads, we may earn a commission.

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-Nick Cowles, owner of Shelburne Orchards in Shelburne, Vermont. 

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Happy Vermont Podcast

Nick Cowles has spent most of his life at Shelburne Orchards, which his father purchased in the 1950s. Nick loved growing up at the orchard, but he didn’t expect to run the orchard as an adult.

In this 2023 podcast episode of Happy Vermont, host Erica Houskeeper chats with Nick about apples, apple brandy, and how running the orchard changed his life for the better.

Listen to the podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you find podcasts.

This story was originally published in 2023 and updated for 2025.

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