Where to go apple picking in New Mexico orchards

Maria Cortes Gonzalez, El Paso Times
·2 min read
It's apple picking season in New Mexico and a definite sign of fall.
It's apple picking season in New Mexico and a definite sign of fall.

Apple season is in full swing in September with two New Mexico orchards offering apple picking.

The Nichols Ranch, at 236 Cottonwood Canyon, in La Luz, New Mexico, is gearing up for its Apple Festival, Sept. 30-Oct. 1. La Luz is around 95 miles from El Paso.

The Ranch is busy throughout the year, growing different fruits including cherries, apricots and apples.

People can pick apples and pears at the ranch from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day through the end of October. Or make plans for the 2023 Apple Festival, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sept. 30 and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 1.

Families can pay for two different sizes of bags and pick apples from the trees. The orchard has about 3,000 apple trees on roughly 20 acres of land. They also sell jugs of apple cider through November.

It's apple picking season in New Mexico.
It's apple picking season in New Mexico.

The event will offer a myriad of activities, including live music, a petting zoo, carnival games, and arts and craft vendors.

Tickets are $10 and children under 12 are free. Purchase tickets online at nicholsranchandorchards.com.

Cadwallader Mountain Farms, 13 Mountain Park Road, High Rolls, N.M. has had to limit visitors because of dwindling ripe apples.

On Facebook, the farm posted it will take a break until the weekend of Sept. 16-17. They generally have gala, honey crisp and golden supreme apples.

El Pasoan Madeline Ramirez picked a ripe apple at the Nichols Ranch in La Luz, N.M.
El Pasoan Madeline Ramirez picked a ripe apple at the Nichols Ranch in La Luz, N.M.

What to know before apple picking

  • Wear close-toed shoes as terrain is hilly and rocky, and picking sometimes requires the use of a ladder.

  • When using ladders the farm asks that you always have someone holding the ladder and providing stability for safety.

  • Children must be accompanied by an adult.

  • Well-behaved dogs are allowed on the farm with the requirement that they remain on leash and owners pick up after them.

  • Do not climb or shake the trees. This will damage fruit and can break tree limbs.

  • If two or three fruits are clustered together, use two hands and gently pick all the fruit in the cluster.

  • Dispose of trash in proper receptacles.

More: Smokin' Joe's Pit BBQ and Hallelujah make Top 25 New BBQ joints by Texas Monthly

María Cortés González may be reached at 915-546-6150, mcortes@elpasotimes.com and @EPTMaria on Twitter.

This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Apple picking in fall: Where to go in New Mexico