Where Can You Go Apple Picking Near Bergen County NJ in 2026?

Autumn is the season Northern NJ does best. The leaves turn along the Hudson, the air gets crisp, and families across Bergen and Hudson Counties load the car for the same ritual: apples, pumpkins, and a farm stand lunch. The good news is that you don't need to drive three hours to find it. Here is where to go, from farms close to home to the classic orchard towns across the New York border.

Right Inside Bergen County

Demarest Farms is the region's most famous pick-your-own farm, at 244 Werimus Road in Hillsdale, right on the Bergen County side of Route 17. It has long been a Bergen County institution for apple picking in the fall, with a full farm market, cider and baked goods, and family activities that stretch into October. The same family runs Haunted Orchards at night, when the farm becomes one of North Jersey's biggest Halloween attractions.

Just up Route 17 in Ridgewood, Ward's Farm Pumpkin Patch is a family-run operation that keeps things simple and affordable: pumpkins, kids activities, and a genuine working farm feel. It's a favorite for young families who want the experience without a long drive. Check their page before you go, because fall hours can change with the weather and the harvest.

A few minutes west in Wyckoff, Abma's Farm brings together a farm market, greenhouse, and barnyard petting zoo in one stop at 700 Lawlins Road. It is less of a big orchard and more of a full farm visit, which makes it an especially good choice with young kids.

Deep-Rooted Orchard Day Trips

If you want a true apples-in-the-trees experience, the favorites live across the New York border in the Black Dirt orchards of Warwick and Pine Island, about 45 to 60 slow country-road minutes from most of Bergen County. Ochs Orchard, Apple Ridge Orchards, Apple Dave's, and Pennings Orchard are all family operations on Route 94 that grow pick-your-pound fruit, pumpkins, mazes, and hayrides on a grand scale.

Warwick also has a grown-up side: Warwick Valley Winery & Orchard presses cider and makes its own hard apple cider and wines from the same orchards. Between the winery, a farm lunch, and a cinnamon donut pit stop, a single day in Warwick feels like a mini vacation. Check each farm's schedule for harvest windows and picking days, since the season opening and closing shifts a bit every year based on the weather.

More Farm Stops Worth Knowing

• Farms View Farmstand in Wayne sits at 945 Black Oak Ridge Road with fruit, pumpkins, and a bake shop. farmsview.com
• Secor Farms in Mahwah holds a farm market plus autumn events and seasonal festivals. secorfarms.com
• TwinBrook Farms in Franklin Lakes on Franklin Avenue offers a laid-back farm market in a quiet corner of town. twinbrookfarmsnj.com

Tips for a Smooth Picking Day

• Call or check online first. Picking days and fruit availability shift with the weather, so confirm before you drive.
• Go early on weekends. Country lots fill by mid-morning, and the fruit you like disappears first.
• Bring containers and cash. Most farms offer crates, but cash is still the most reliable payment on small stands.
• Make it a loop. Combine a morning pick with lunch in one of our favorite day-trip towns nearby.

The Takeaway

Apple picking near Bergen County is as close or as grand as you want it to be. The local farms get you the experience in under thirty minutes; the Warwick orchards give you a full holiday deep breath. Both belong on the fall calendar, and both are great ways to show a newcomer why this corner of New Jersey feels like home by October.