The Orchard at Altapass

The Orchard at Altapass is one of the most visited destinations on the Blue Ridge Parkway (about an hour's drive from the town of Boone). Founded in 1996, the non-profit’s mission is to protect the land and ecosystem, preserve the heritage, and educate the people about the region’s history. 

Reopening for the season in May 2025.

Visitors can pick heirloom apples in season, meander along the nine walking trails, take in the pristine views while watching barn swallows swoop in and out, stroll through the People’s Pollinator Garden, and take a turn around the General Store, explore the Cherokee Indian exhibit, watch the model train as it tracks through a miniature Orchard and perhaps plant a tiny tree, find the queen in the honeybee habitat, or watch the metamorphosis of a Monarch butterfly.

Weekends are filled with heritage music on the pavilion, storytelling “heyrides,” and lunch at the Apple Core Grill. Or bring your own and experience the Orchard from one of our many picnic tables. Top it all off with hot apple pie and ice cream and a no-batteries-required game of checkers or cornhole. Spend an hour or a day. There’s not a bad apple in the barrel.