Fall in NJ: 6 Orchards Near NYC Where You Can Still Pick Apples in 2026 (the Frost Took Out the Rest)

Here is something most 2026 fall guides are not telling you: a devastating April freeze wiped out the apple crop at many New Jersey orchards this year. Terhune Orchards near Princeton announced no pick-your-own apples for the 2026 season, several other NJ farms are closed for apples entirely, and the ones that survived have smaller crops that are picked out fast. So if apple picking is on your family's fall bucket list, do not just drive to the nearest farm — go to one of the orchards below, all confirmed open for 2026 picking, and check the farm's website or social media the morning of your trip.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) — rows of apple trees loaded with fruit

📍 The Orchards (all verified open for 2026)

1. Masker Orchards — 45 Ball Rd, Warwick, NY. The standout of this list. You can drive your car right into the orchard and park beside the trees — no long walk from a distant lot with tired little legs. No admission fee, just a bag purchase per car. Daily 9 AM–5 PM through the season, with about 14 varieties across 200+ acres. Weekend extras include pony rides and an apple maze.

2. Ochs Orchard — 4 Ochs Ln, Warwick, NY. A fourth-generation hillside orchard that is usually quieter than its Warwick neighbors. Daily 9 AM–6 PM, June through early November. Do not leave without the homemade cider donuts — locals call them out as some of the best around, and the farm store is well stocked. In 2026 apples are sold by the pound with a reduced variety selection, so arrive earlier in the day for the best choice.

3. Alstede Farms — 1 Alstede Farms Lane, Chester, NJ. The full agritainment experience: apple picking plus a corn maze, pumpkin picking, pony rides, hayrides, and a farm market loaded with pies, cider, and local honey. Pick-your-own hours are generally 9 AM–4 PM on weekdays and 10 AM–4 PM on weekends. Weekday mornings before 11 AM are far less crowded than weekend afternoons.

4. Wightman Farms — Morristown (Harding), NJ. Family-owned since 1922, and the maze capital of this list — giant corn maze, hay bale maze, rope maze, and more. The Fall Festival runs from early September through late October; a festival ticket covers hayrides, the mazes, and one pumpkin, with apples sold separately by weight. The farm market has fresh cider donuts, pies, and cookies. Pick-your-own runs weekends 9 AM–4 PM — check their picking calendar before you go.

5. Riamede Farm — 122 Oakdale Road, Chester, NJ. Believed to be New Jersey's first pick-your-own apple orchard, welcoming pickers since 1974. No corn maze, no petting zoo, no moon bounce — just 35 acres of orchard, colored bands on the trees marking the varieties, and a pumpkin field out back. The calmer, more traditional pick of this list, and a favorite for families with very young kids. Open Wednesday–Monday 9 AM–5:30 PM, closed Tuesdays. Weekend admission applies — check tickets.riamedefarm.com for current pricing.

6. Demarest Farms — 244 Werimus Road, Hillsdale, NJ. The closest option to Bergen County (about 15 minutes from Tenafly) — we covered it in detail in our October 10 post. Open daily 8 AM–5 PM this season with timed-entry reservations on busy days. In a frost year, the closest farm with apples is a gift — book ahead.

🚗 Drive Time

Demarest Farms is about 15–20 minutes from Tenafly / Fort Lee / Palisades Park. The Chester, NJ farms (Alstede, Riamede) are about 1–1.5 hours west. Warwick, NY (Masker, Ochs) is about 1.5–2 hours northwest — an easy, scenic drive that pairs beautifully with fall foliage. Wightman Farms in Morristown is about 45 minutes–1 hour.

👶 What Kids Can Do

• 🍎 Pick their own bag — even toddlers can reach the low-hanging fruit, and Masker's drive-up-to-the-trees setup means nobody carries a heavy bag far.
• 🍩 Taste-test cider donuts — Ochs and Wightman both bake them fresh; make it a family ranking game.
• 🌽 Get lost in a corn maze — Alstede and Wightman have mazes sized for family legs, not marathon runners.
• 🎃 Pick a pumpkin after the apples — every orchard on this list pairs picking with pumpkins, so one trip covers two fall traditions.
• 🐴 Pony rides and hayrides — Masker, Alstede, and Riamede all run them on fall weekends.
• 🧺 Picnic under the trees — Masker explicitly welcomes picnics; pack lunch and make a day of it.

🍂 Seasonal Highlights

• Frost-year reality: with smaller crops in 2026, popular varieties sell out early — go on a weekday morning or as early as the farm opens.
• Cider donuts are the unofficial state snack of October — fresh, warm, and worth the drive alone.
• Apple varieties to try: Honeycrisp and Fuji for eating fresh, Cortland and Jonagold for pies, Granny Smith for kids who like tart.
• Pair with foliage: the drive to Warwick, NY passes some of the Hudson Valley's prettiest fall color — see our fall foliage drives guide for the route.

🍎 Parent tip: this is the year to call ahead. In a normal season you can wing it; in 2026, a farm that "is open" does not always mean "you can pick apples today." Check the farm's website or Instagram the morning of your trip, confirm your favorite variety is still on the trees, and ask whether you need a reservation. Ten minutes of checking beats an hour of driving to picked-over trees.