About an hour north of Atlanta, Ellijay’s apple season is in full swing! An easy escape for a quick day trip of apple picking, hayrides, and farm tours. Take in the cool, crisp mountain air surrounded by beautiful colors of the changing leaves. Ellijay is known for its amazing scenic routes throughout the Blue Ridge mountains! Travel along the Cartecay River, east on Highway 52 to find family fun at various Ellijay orchards. Here are some of our top picks:
R&A Orchards
Established in 1947, family-owned R&A Orchards offers a variety of fresh fruits, vegetables, jellies, jams, sauces, fried pies, pastries, fudge, apple cider, slushies & much more! Along with the farm market & bakery, R&A Cafe serves daily lunch specials, sandwiches, ice cream & desserts! U-pick apples & wagon rides through October 31st. Open year-round from 8:30am to 6pm.
Hillcrest Orchards
Family-owned Hillcrest Orchards offers weekend live entertainers, pig racing, cow milking, wagon rides, petting farm, apple tree maze, U-pick apples during their Apple Pickin’ Jubilee. Watch their bakers in action make pies, doughnuts fritters at the Hillcrest Cowfe. The market offers apples, jams, sauces, slushies, ciders & much more! Open seasonally each year. Be sure to check their website for dates & hours.
BJ Reece Orchards
Family-owned BJ Reece Orchards offers hayrides, the famous apple cannon, pony rides, petting farm, U-pick pumpkins & apples through October 31st. The market offers apples, jams, jellies, sauces, ciders, fried pies & much more! Open seasonally each year. Be sure to check their website for dates & hours.
While enjoying a day in Ellijay, if you begin dreaming of owning a north Georgia cabin with a mountain view, you can explore Path & Post’s Ellijay Mountain Cabins.
Ellijay Mountain CabinsFun Facts:
- A bushel of apples is approximately 48 lbs
- A peck of apples is approximately 10-12 lbs
- Most apple pie recipes call for 3 lbs of apples, peeled, cored & sliced
- Apple pie remains America’s all-time favorite pie
“And all at once, summer collapsed into fall.” – Oscar Wilde
