Fall in the Hudson Valley is unmatched — and nothing captures the season quite like a day spent apple picking. Whether you're after family-friendly hayrides, orchards you can drive right up to, or a stop that pours incredible hard cider, we've rounded up the best U-Pick orchards in Orange County, plus one 300-year-old favorite just over the line in Rockland.
Here's your complete guide, with the U-Pick details, hours-of-fun ideas, and — importantly — whether your dog can come along.
1. Pennings Orchard (West) — Warwick, NY
The classic, family-friendly side of the Pennings family farm, which traces back to a 1930s dairy operation before pivoting to apples in the 1980s. This is the spot for a traditional afternoon in the fields.
- The Pick: Classic walk-the-fields U-Pick
- Don't Miss: Hay wagon rides, a kids' play area, and resident farm animals (goats, cows, pigs)
- Dogs: Yes, leashed dogs welcome
- Website: penningsorchard.com
- Phone: (845) 986-7080
- Address: 169 State Route 94 South, Warwick, NY 10990
2. Pennings Farm, Cidery and Orchard (East) — Warwick, NY
Just up the hill from Orchard West, this side of the property is all about cider — siblings Tori and Steve Jr. built a full hard cider production facility here.
- The Pick: Traditional U-Pick; reservations recommended on weekends in peak season
- Don't Miss: An Amish-built barn taproom with brick-oven pizza, live music, and cider made from the trees you just picked
- Dogs: Allowed outside in the orchard, best left home for the taproom
- Website: penningscidery.com
- Phone: (845) 986-1059
- Address: 4 Warwick Turnpike, Warwick, NY 10990
3. Ochs Orchard — Warwick, NY
Set across 150 hillside acres with some of the best valley views in the county, Ochs has been family-run for over 50 years.
- The Pick: U-Pick, produce sold by the pound
- Don't Miss: A petting zoo with donkeys, goats, and peacocks, plus homemade farm-fruit ice cream
- Dogs: Not allowed in picking areas
- Website: ochsorchard.com
- Phone: (845) 986-1591
- Address: 4 Ochs Lane, Warwick, NY 10990
4. Masker Orchards — Warwick, NY
Over a century old, with 20,000+ trees across 200 acres. Masker's U-Pick tradition famously started when the family let locals gather apples missed by commercial harvesters.
- The Pick: Drive-in U-Pick — you take your car right up to the trees
- Don't Miss: Trunk-picnic tailgating under the trees, plus live picking updates on FM 87.9 as you drive through
- Dogs: Very pet-friendly; leashed dogs welcome
- Website: maskers.com
- Phone: (845) 986-1058
- Address: 45 Ball Road, Warwick, NY 10990
5. Warwick Valley Winery & Distillery — Warwick, NY
Planted in 1990, this is now the largest craft distillery on the East Coast — and New York's first craft distillery since Prohibition.
- The Pick: U-Pick, mid-August through mid-November
- Don't Miss: A tasting room pouring Doc's Cider, Black Dirt Bourbon, and fruit brandies
- Dogs: Not allowed on the premises
- Website: wvwinery.com
- Phone: (845) 258-4858
- Address: 114 Little York Rd, Warwick, NY 10990
6. Soons Orchards — New Hampton, NY
A 112-year-old, 4th-generation family farm known for the sheer range of what it grows.
- The Pick: Traditional U-Pick
- Don't Miss: 55 different apple varieties — a great way to branch out beyond grocery-store standards
- Dogs: Not allowed in the U-Pick orchard; permitted in the grassy parking area only
- Website: soonsorchards.com
- Phone: (845) 374-5471
- Address: 23 Soons Circle, New Hampton, NY 10958
7. The Orchards of Concklin — Pomona, NY (Rockland County)
The oldest working farm in Rockland County — the Concklin family has farmed this exact land since 1711.
- The Pick: U-Pick apples and pumpkins
- Don't Miss: Legendary home-baked pies and apple cider donuts
- Dogs: No longer allowed on the premises
- Website: theorchardsofconcklin.com
- Phone: (845) 354-0369
- Address: 2 South Mountain Road, Pomona, NY 10970
Ready to Pick?
From drive-through orchards and cider-soaked taprooms to a farm that's been worked since 1711, the Hudson Valley has an apple-picking experience for every kind of fall day. Grab a wagon, bring the whole crew (dogs where welcome!), and make the short drive to Orange or Rockland County — the trees are loaded and the season won't last forever.
Photo Copyright
"Apple orchard in Tasmania with fruit on trees" by © Apple and Pear Australia Ltd via Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
"Orchard, fruit, food, dew, nature, green leaf, apple, delicious, organic" via Pixnio (CC0 Public Domain)
"Food, hand, nature, orchard, leaf, fruit, person, agriculture, apple" by pixel2013 via Pixnio (CC0 Public Domain)
