--- title: "Apple Hill — Explore Arnold | Arnold Haven" description: "Autumn orchards, cider, pie and pumpkins above Placerville — when to go, how to avoid the traffic, and what is open outside harvest." lang: en json-ld: | [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Event", "name": "2026 LOCALS’ WEEKEND", "startDate": "2026-09-12", "eventAttendanceMode": "https://schema.org/OfflineEventAttendanceMode", "description": "Celebrating local residents with special discounts at participating farms.", "location": { "@type": "Place", "name": "Apple Hill Growers", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "addressLocality": "Camino", "addressRegion": "CA", "addressCountry": "US" } } }, { "@type": "Event", "name": "HARD CIDER TRAIL", "startDate": "2026-09-12", "eventAttendanceMode": "https://schema.org/OfflineEventAttendanceMode", "description": "The Hard Cider Trail opens for the fall season across participating farms.", "location": { "@type": "Place", "name": "Apple Hill Growers", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "addressLocality": "Camino", "addressRegion": "CA", "addressCountry": "US" } } }, { "@type": "Event", "name": "Pool Paw-ty! City of Placerville Parks and Rec", "startDate": "2026-09-12", "eventAttendanceMode": "https://schema.org/OfflineEventAttendanceMode", "description": "A fun pool event hosted by the Parks and Rec.", "location": { "@type": "Place", "name": "Placerville", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "addressLocality": "Placerville", "addressRegion": "CA", "addressCountry": "US" } } }, { "@type": "Event", "name": "Apple Hill Season 2026", "startDate": "2026-09-14", "eventAttendanceMode": "https://schema.org/OfflineEventAttendanceMode", "description": "Celebrating the Apple Hill season.", "location": { "@type": "Place", "name": "Camino", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "addressLocality": "Camino", "addressRegion": "CA", "addressCountry": "US" } } }, { "@type": "Event", "name": "Bingo Night, Pollock Pines Community Center", "startDate": "2026-09-15", "eventAttendanceMode": "https://schema.org/OfflineEventAttendanceMode", "description": "Join for a fun-filled evening of bingo!", "location": { "@type": "Place", "name": "Pollock Pines Community Center", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "addressLocality": "Pollock Pines", "addressRegion": "CA", "addressCountry": "US" } } }, { "@type": "Event", "name": "Handblown Glass Pumpkin Patch @ Bluestone Meadow of Apple Hill", "startDate": "2026-09-18", "eventAttendanceMode": "https://schema.org/OfflineEventAttendanceMode", "description": "An event showcasing handmade glass pumpkins.", "location": { "@type": "Place", "name": "Camino", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "addressLocality": "Camino", "addressRegion": "CA", "addressCountry": "US" } } }, { "@type": "Event", "name": "2026 Across the Canyon Weekend", "startDate": "2026-09-19", "eventAttendanceMode": "https://schema.org/OfflineEventAttendanceMode", "description": "Special weekend with offers celebrating neighboring counties.", "location": { "@type": "Place", "name": "Apple Hill Growers", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "addressLocality": "Camino", "addressRegion": "CA", "addressCountry": "US" } } }, { "@type": "Event", "name": "2026 FLOWER TRAIL", "startDate": "2026-09-20", "eventAttendanceMode": "https://schema.org/OfflineEventAttendanceMode", "description": "Experience beautiful flower trails at local farms.", "location": { "@type": "Place", "name": "Apple Hill Growers", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "addressLocality": "Camino", "addressRegion": "CA", "addressCountry": "US" } } } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "TouristAttraction", "@id": "https://arnoldhaven.com/explore/apple-hill#attraction", "name": "Apple Hill", "alternateName": "Apple Hill", "description": "Autumn orchards, cider, pie and traffic above Placerville — a cluster of family farms that turns into the busiest weekend in the foothills every September and October.", "url": "https://arnoldhaven.com/explore/apple-hill", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "addressLocality": "Arnold", "addressRegion": "California", "addressCountry": "US" } }, { "@type": "ItemList", "name": "Cabins for a Gold Country autumn trip", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "CHALET BRUIN", "url": "https://arnoldhaven.com/cabins/chalet-bruin" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "KODA LOFT", "url": "https://arnoldhaven.com/cabins/koda-loft" } ] }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://arnoldhaven.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Explore", "item": "https://arnoldhaven.com/explore" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Apple Hill", "item": "https://arnoldhaven.com/explore/apple-hill" } ] } ] } ] --- [Skip to content](#main-content) [![](/__l5e/assets-v1/84bf9984-9cf8-406b-aaf5-dbde0a9f8c6a/arnold-haven-mark-white.png)Arnold Haven Arnold · California ](/) [Cabins](/cabins)[Explore](/explore)[Guides](/guides)[Membership](/circle)[Support](/chalet-bruin-future)[Merch](/merch)[Book a stay](/cabins) ![Apple Hill](/assets/apple-hill-orchard-Dfxe0w2W.jpg) Explore Arnold # Apple Hill Autumn orchards, cider, pie and traffic above Placerville — a cluster of family farms that turns into the busiest weekend in the foothills every September and October. [Check availability](/cabins)[See the cabins](/cabins) First things first ## First things first Apple Hill is not a town. It is a group of farms, orchards, bakeries and wineries spread across the hills around Camino, just east of Placerville, that market themselves together for the autumn harvest. Apples, cider donuts, pies, pumpkins, u-pick rows and a great deal of queueing. From Arnold it is about two hours north, up through the Gold Country on Highway 49 and across to Highway 50. That makes it a comfortable day trip in October, if you accept from the start that the roads will be busy. ![Rows of apple trees heavy with red fruit on a hillside under an autumn sky](/assets/apple-hill-orchard-Dfxe0w2W.jpg) Geography ## Where Apple Hill sits ![Illustrated antique-style map of California inside the United States with a gold marker on Apple Hill near Camino above Placerville](/assets/apple-hill-BmgBR6S_.jpg) Illustrated locator map — for orientation, not navigation. A cluster of family orchards, bakeries, cider houses and wineries that market together for the autumn harvest. September and October are the season, with October weekends bringing heavy traffic on the narrow lanes between farms. About two hours north of both cabins, and a natural pairing with Placerville or Coloma on the same day. Region Sierra Nevada foothills, the Highway 50 orchard belt County El Dorado County Elevation 2,500 to 3,000 ft Nearest town Camino and Placerville Getting there Highway 49 north through the Gold Country, then Highway 50 east of Placerville 02 ## The season, and the crowds The main run is September through October, peaking on October weekends when the whole Sacramento region drives up. That is when the pumpkins, the pies and the fairground atmosphere are at their best and when the lanes between farms back up for miles. Weekdays are transformed — same orchards, a tenth of the cars. Summer brings cherries, berries and peaches at some ranches, and a handful of places stay open year-round for cider and baked goods. Which farms are open, and for what, changes weekly through the season; the growers' association publishes a current list. ![Rows of apple trees heavy with red fruit on a hillside under an autumn sky](/assets/apple-hill-orchard-Dfxe0w2W.jpg) ![A wooden farm stand stacked with apple crates, pumpkins and pies under a canopy](/assets/apple-hill-farm-stand-D6t0AVv0.jpg) 03 ## How to do it properly Pick two or three farms rather than trying to see everything. Arrive early — before ten on a weekend — and work outward from the far end so you are driving against the flow. Bring cash for small stands, a cooler for the car, and layers, because the mornings up here are cold and the afternoons are not. The nicest version of the day is small: one orchard for picking, one bakery for a pie and a donut, one winery or cider house for an hour on a terrace, then Placerville for dinner on the way home. ![A narrow country lane between orchards with autumn colour and a line of parked cars](/assets/apple-hill-lane-jHehwRKr.jpg) 04 ## What else is nearby Placerville's historic Main Street is ten minutes away and worth an hour. Coloma, where the Gold Rush started, is twenty minutes north on Highway 49 along the American River. El Dorado's wineries are scattered through the same hills as the orchards, which makes an easy pairing. If you are combining this with rafting, the South Fork of the American runs right through Coloma — the same corridor, half an hour away. 05 ## Where to stay for a Gold Country autumn Both cabins sit at 4,000 feet in Arnold, roughly two hours south of the orchards, with a hot tub for the end of the day and a kitchen big enough to do something with a box of apples. Autumn is the quiet, cheap, beautiful season in Arnold — the pines are cool, the crowds have gone, and Highway 49 makes an excellent day out. - [CHALET BRUIN — 12 guests, 5 bedrooms→ ](/cabins/chalet-bruin) - [KODA LOFT — 4 guests, 2 bedrooms→ ](/cabins/koda-loft) Nearby ## Keep exploring [ ![Placerville](/assets/placerville-main-street-CWyjj7vC.jpg) ### Placerville Old Hangtown: brick storefronts, a bell tower and the best dinner stop nearby. Discover ↗ ](/explore/placerville-ca) [ ![Coloma](/assets/coloma-sawmill-Cv4xvQ-Q.jpg) ### Coloma Where the Gold Rush started, twenty minutes north on the American River. Discover ↗ ](/explore/coloma-ca) [ ![Amador wine country](/assets/apple-hill-farm-stand-D6t0AVv0.jpg) ### Amador wine country Zinfandel country in Shenandoah Valley, closer to the cabins than Apple Hill. Discover ↗ ](/explore/amador-wine-country) What's on ## Upcoming events near Apple Hill The next three months of local happenings, so you can time your stay around the good stuff. Event details come from public community calendars and can change or sell out. Please confirm times with the organiser before making the drive. ### September 2026 Sat, Sep 12 Event ### 2026 LOCALS’ WEEKEND Celebrating local residents with special discounts at participating farms. 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Apple Hill Growers, Camino Sat, Sep 12 Trail ### HARD CIDER TRAIL The Hard Cider Trail opens for the fall season across participating farms. 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Apple Hill Growers, Camino Sat, Sep 12 Event ### Pool Paw-ty! City of Placerville Parks and Rec A fun pool event hosted by the Parks and Rec. 11:00 AM Placerville, Placerville Mon, Sep 14 Festival ### Apple Hill Season 2026 Celebrating the Apple Hill season. Camino Tue, Sep 15 Games ### Bingo Night, Pollock Pines Community Center Join for a fun-filled evening of bingo! 5:00 PM Pollock Pines Community Center, Pollock Pines Fri, Sep 18 Event ### Handblown Glass Pumpkin Patch @ Bluestone Meadow of Apple Hill An event showcasing handmade glass pumpkins. Camino Sat, Sep 19 Event ### 2026 Across the Canyon Weekend Special weekend with offers celebrating neighboring counties. 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Apple Hill Growers, Camino Sun, Sep 20 Event ### 2026 FLOWER TRAIL Experience beautiful flower trails at local farms. 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Apple Hill Growers, Camino Stay nearby ## Cabins for a Gold Country autumn trip Apple Hill is two hours north of Arnold, and the cabins have kitchen space for whatever comes home from the orchards. Looking for Arnold, CA cabin rentals? Arnold Haven has two dog-friendly cabins — a five-bedroom A-frame chalet that sleeps 12 and a two-bedroom loft that sleeps 4. Minimum stay is 2 nights, check-in is at 3pm and check-out at 11am. Check-in Self check-in, 3pm Cancellation Full refund 5+ days ahead; holidays 30 days - [CHALET BRUIN — 12 guests, 5 bedrooms→ ](/cabins/chalet-bruin) - [KODA LOFT — 4 guests, 2 bedrooms→ ](/cabins/koda-loft) Check live availability, see your full price, and book securely — ID check and payment are handled by Stripe. Check dates & book Good to know ## Frequently asked questions When is the best time to visit Apple Hill? + September and October for the full harvest season. Go on a weekday if you can — October weekends bring heavy traffic on the narrow lanes between farms. How far is Apple Hill from Arnold? + About two hours north, via Highway 49 through the Gold Country and then Highway 50 east of Placerville. Is anything open outside autumn? + Some farms open for summer stone fruit and berries, and a few bakeries and cider houses run year-round. Check the growers' association listing for current opening days before driving up. Is it free to visit? + There is no entry charge to the area. Individual farms set their own prices for u-pick, food and tastings, and some charge for parking on peak weekends. ![](/__l5e/assets-v1/84bf9984-9cf8-406b-aaf5-dbde0a9f8c6a/arnold-haven-mark-white.png) Arnold Haven Cabin stays in Arnold, California — minutes from Calaveras Big Trees State Park, White Pines Lake and Bear Valley. 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