OPEN 7 Days Through October – Mon-Thurs 8 – 5:30 – Fri & Sat 8 – 6 – Sun 10 – 6

Open Columbus Day, Oct. 14, 8 – 5:30

Picking: Red and Golden Delicious, Blushing Gold, Fuji, Rome, Granny Smith, and Pink Lady  

 Also Picking Pumpkins in the Patch

Corn Maze Every Day –  Apple Cannon and Wagon Rides Weekends Only

Driving in Orchard Mon – Fri Only

Personal Photography Permitted 

 Professional Photographers Please Call 828-685-9083 for Info

Stepp's Hillcrest Orchard

Farm-Orchard Tour-2nd Graders

The 2019 tour calendar is full. If you would like to be put on a waiting list please email ncapples@steppapples.com with school name, age/grade, and number. 

Pack up your second grade students and come on over to Stepp’s Hillcrest Orchard for a HANDS-ON FARM EXPERIENCE and EDUCATIONAL ORCHARD-FARM TOUR.  Your second graders will participate in an interactive educational farm lesson on the life cycle of insects specific to those found in the apple orchard; ride on a tractor pulled wagon;  explore a corn maze; take a guided tour of the pumpkin patch; pick apples; drink a cup of local fresh apple cider. Take a self-guided tour of the Nature Trail.

  • Weekday Tours – 9:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.
  • Tour lasts approximately 1 1/2 hours.
  • Teacher and Assistant – No Charge.
  • Picnic Area Available

Let us do the teaching for you as you trade your classroom for the farm . Your second graders will be excited about visiting our apple orchard while acquiring hands on learning that correlates with NC Essential Standards.

Essential Standards

Science:    2L.1        2L1.1       2L.1.2

Preschool Tour | Kindergarten Tour | 1st Grade Tour

All School Tours include:

  • WAGON RIDE – Tractor pulled wagon ride with tour guide;
  • APPLES – Stop to pick 1/4 peck bag of apples from trees in the orchard
  • INTERACTIVE EDUCATION FARM LESSON
  • CORN MAZE – One-half Acre Educational Corn Maze – Children answer questions about farm to maneuver their way through the maze
  • TOUR THE PUMPKIN PATCH – Walk through the pumpkin patch with a guide.
  • FRESH APPLE CIDER – Sample a cup of local fresh apple cider
  • FARM TOUR GUIDE – All activities led by a farm tour guide
  • Apple Cider Donuts – Optional: Reserve donuts for your group: $5.50/half-dozen.