Capitol Reef National Park’s Jackson Orchard is currently open for apple harvest. Apple and pear harvest from the Cook and Holt Orchards, will begin on Wednesday, September 5. On Tuesday, Sept. 11, the Merin Smith and Krueger Orchards will open for apple harvest. On Thursday, Sept. 13, the Chesnut and Mott Orchards will open for apple and pear harvest.
The orchards are located within the Fruita Historic District, east of the Visitor Center on
Highway 24 and south along the Scenic Drive. Pear and apple orchards will remain open for harvest as long as fruit is available. These include the Mott, Holt, and Krueger orchards. Price for apples and pears taken from the orchards is $1.00 per pound or $16 per bushel.
The National Park Service provides special fruit picking ladders. Climbing the fruit trees is not permitted anywhere in the Park. The public is cautioned to use care when picking fruit and to read carefully the posted instructions on fruit picking and ladder use.
Capitol Reef National Park uses the receipts from the fruit sales to help defray the costs of maintaining the historic orchards. The historic Fruita orchards of Capitol Reef are the largest in the National Park System and were established around the turn of the century by the pioneer residents of Fruita.
Be safe and enjoy the experience. For more information, the public can call the Capitol Reef Fruit Hotline at (435) 425-3791. To reach the hotline once the park number connects, press one and at the voice prompt press 8.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
