09/30/2026
Just off the Blue Ridge Parkway near Spruce Pine, North Carolina, there is a historic apple orchard where the mountain views are almost as much of an attraction as the apples. The Orchard at Altapass sits high in the Blue Ridge Mountains, offering sweeping scenery, food, music and a piece of Western North Carolina history.
Come hungry because there is plenty to try. Stop at the Apple Core Grill for a jumbo barbecue sandwich and other lunch favorites, grab a Green Apple-ade, then finish with warm apple pie topped with cold ice cream. Inside the big red barn, you can also browse homemade fudge, hand-scooped ice cream, local honey, jams, jellies and other regional treats.
During apple season, visitors can head into the orchard to pick heirloom apples, with more than 35 varieties ripening at different times throughout the season.
But this is much more than an apple-picking stop. Depending on the schedule, you might hear live bluegrass, country, folk or old-time mountain music, dance at the pavilion, take a tractor or storytelling ride, explore the pollinator garden and visit bee and butterfly habitats.
The orchard's history reaches back to 1908, when it was planted alongside the Clinchfield Railroad.
Admission is free, so even stopping to explore the barn and take in those incredible Blue Ridge views can make this a memorable Parkway detour.
📍 The Orchard at Altapass
1025 Orchard Road, Spruce Pine, NC 28777
