From June through October, there is always a fruit in season. While the area is primarily known for pears and apples, peaches, plums, blueberries, cherries, and more can all be found in the region. Our favorite harvest time is in early fall when you can explore the Fruit Loop or sip your way through wine country, all while enjoying the season’s changing colors.
Famously known as the Fruit Loop, this rich agricultural experience takes visitors through a 35-mile tour of the upper Hood River Valley and offers opportunities to stop at 28 farms and fruit stands, wineries, breweries, cideries, and fields of flowers. This self-guided adventure is an excellent activity for friends and family to pick seasonal fruits. To experience the valley’s rich agricultural history, a few must-stops include generational farms like; The Gorge White House, Draper Girls Country Farm, and Mt. View Orchards.
The Gorge White House is a fourth-generation family-owned and operated farm established in 1908 and a landmark of the Hood River Valley. The 30-acre property invites all to experience artisanal farm fresh food at their food cart, taste the award-winning hard ciders and take part in the “U-pick” fruit and flower fields.
Located below towering Mt. Hood, Draper Girls Country Farm is a three-generation family farm established in 1962 by Roman and Ann Braun. The family began by growing apples, pears, cherries, peaches, and plums, then soon after, the family started the tradition of making cider on an old wood press. The tradition, and farm was passed on to Braun’s daughter, Theresa, where she founded the Draper Girls Cider Company. Visit the U-pick farm and fill a bucket with fresh produce!
Mt. View Orchards has provided Hood River with fresh produce for over 50 years. With hospitality and generosity to spare, the McAlexander family welcomes visitors from all over to “see and taste” the abundance. While there, be sure to enjoy the on-farm winery, cidery, and brewery.
Hood River Wine Country
As summer fades and autumn ignites the Pacific Northwest, the Columbia River Gorge AVA comes alive. Nestled within landscapes sculpted by the mighty Columbia River, this region isn’t just about the harvest but a union of tradition, terroir, and tantalizing tastes. Hood River provides an array of options to explore the captivating dance of land, fruit, and maker in one of the world’s most unique wine havens.
Nestled between two volcanos north and south, Stave and Stone serves wine with personality. After working the land for over 100 years, the orchard’s aged soil needed new crops, and in 2012 the first vines of Pinot Noir were planted. Today Stave and Stone crafts an assortment of white, red, and rosé wines.
Escape to Hood River’s own slice of the italian countryside at Marchesi Vineyards to experience the Italian atmosphere and varietals. Franco Marchesi, proprietor, and winemaker at Marchesi Vineyards, a native of Borgosesia, Piemonte, Italy, has had a passion for wine since he can remember. The latitude in Hood River mirrors his birthplace, Piemonte, and the soil is so similar that he made Hood River the home of his vineyards and winery. The tasting room is rich with winemaking history and elements of Italian decor, and if you’re lucky, you’ll run into Franco himself, sharing stories.
One of the area’s first wineries, Phelps Creek Winery offers an array of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling, and guided vineyard tours for wine lovers to experience the wine-making process. Visitors can sip at their new tasting room around the outdoor fire pits or lay a blanket in the vines while enjoying a charcuterie board picnic. Don’t miss Taco Tuesday or live jazz on Thursday evenings!