Leona Valley Day Trip Where to Pick Cherries. Set among the beautiful mountains of Northern Los Angeles County, just 10 miles west of Palmdale, California, is Leona Valley. Once celebrated for its abundance of cattle ranches, the area is best known today for its agriculture, particularly cherries and wine grapes.
With picturesque views of white cottony tree canopies against clear blue skies combined with the sweet smell of cherry blossoms, Leona Valley is a wonderful place to spend an afternoon or weekend, especially in late spring to early summer.
Leona Valley Cherry Picking Season
Picking season is May through mid-July, and Leona Valley is a great place to take the entire family for a relaxing and inexpensive day of cherry-picking. There are several varieties to choose from at more than a dozen orchards, from sweet red Bings to sweet yellow Rainier cherries.
The sweeter cherries are usually available from late May through June month, with sour cherries typically ready for picking in mid-July or until the trees are picked clean. If you don’t have a map, that’s okay as many signs are directing you to the different orchards. Check the websites or call the orchards listed on this page for picking season dates.
Most of the orchards in Leona Valley are organic and use minimal to no chemicals as part of the growing process, so it’s perfectly okay to taste from the tree you pick from.
It’s amazing to see how different flavor and sweetness varies, not only from orchard to orchard but from one tree to another. If you’re not inclined to enjoy the fruits of your own labor, many of the orchards sell bags of cherries for as little as $5, and there are plenty of produce stands along Hwy 138 to buy them.
Leona Valley Day Trip Where to Pick Cherries:
- Windy Ridge Cherry Orchard free admission and parking and a nice shady area for a family picnic. 9811 Leona Avenue Leona Valley, CA 93551 Phone number (661) 270-9106
- The Cherry House U-Pick cherries and pure local honey. Onsite Wedding and Event Coordinator.10600 Leona Ave, Leona Valley, CA 93551 (661) 622-4480
- Villa del Sol Sweet Cherry Farms 25 acre cherry farm with almost 4000 cherry trees. Picking season May through mid-June. 6989 Elizabeth Lake Rd, Leona Valley, CA 93551 (661) 270-1356
- Ambers U-Pick Cherry Farm The orchard has 450 trees. Kids loved picking easily from little (dwarf) trees. Open weekends. 9300 Leona Ave, Leona Valley, CA 93551. (661) 622-7123
- Copeland’s Cherry Ranch is the home of some of the best certified organic cherries in Southern California. 9611 Leona Ave. Leona Valley, CA 93551 661-270-1900
- Big John’s Cherries U-Pick Cherries in the season. Other products include Lavender and Honey. 9258 Leona Ave. Leona Valley, CA 93551 Phone 661 270-9565
- Cherry Hill Farm Rainier and Stella sweet cherries are grown at the ranch each year. 39300 Bouquet Canyon Road Leona Valley CA 93551 661-268-4404
After a day of picking at various orchards, you will surely work up an appetite, and there is no better place to experience some of the area’s best food and rustic past than at the historic Rock Inn in nearby Lake Hughes.
Nearby Leona Valley Points of Interest:
For nearly eighty years, the Rock Inn has served travelers in transit, in one form or another, be it for fuel, food, or even to bed-down for the night. It’s said to have also been a favored destination for golden-age Hollywood movie stars looking for a quiet retreat. Since those days, much has changed, and yet very little has.
Walking through the front door is like stepping back in time. One almost expects to see dozens of cowboys sitting around smoky poker tables as old-time piano music is heard in the background. Instead, the space is filled with locals, bikers, hikers, cyclists, and other outdoor enthusiasts who have stopped for a cold drink or something from the kitchen.
The Inn still offers overnight accommodations if you find that you’re not ready to leave before exploring nearby Lake Elizabeth.
The Ranch at Elizabeth Lake offers a genuine outdoor living experience for the entire family. Guests can enjoy many open-air activities, including = paddle boating, RC car and boating, basketball, ATV rental, and kite flying.
A full-service RV Park with a swimming pool, spa, tennis courts, and playgrounds, as well as an on-site restaurant, and rental cabins, all combine to make The Ranch a true camping oasis.
Getting To Leona Valley
Leona Valley is just 50 minutes north of Los Angeles. Take the 5 Freeway. Proceed north through the San Fernando Valley. Take the (14) Antelope Valley Fwy north and exit at Palmdale Blvd. Turn left (west) on Palmdale Blvd.
where and when do i go to pick sour cherry this year?
Vista Del Sol in Leona Valley will open tomorrow for cherry picking.
Are you open this weekend 5/28/17? Thanks.
Hello Catherine
Links for the various Leona Valley Cherry Farms are in the above article. Check the individual websites for operating hours and availability of cherries.
Thanks for visiting daytrippen.com
PHello,
Is cherry picking still available this Sunday for Mother’s Day? Are they sweet at this time of the year?
Thank you,
Darya
Hello Darya
Looks like most of the Leona Valley orchards will be opening late May or early June. Leona Valley makes a nice day trip but unfortunately, the Orchards will not be open on Mother’s Day.
What days in last week of June 2016 and July this place is open? What is the time of operation? Do we need reservation or any entrance fee? Does this place has a parking?
Hello
I checked the Leona Valley Orchards that have websites. All of them are reporting they have sold out for the 2016 season.
Thanks for visiting DayTrippen.com
Full Moon Cherry Orchard would like to thank all the customers that made our first year a great picking season !!!!! The compliments of how wonderful the cherries tasted made all the hard work worth it !!! Thank you all !!
Thanks for your comment and thanks for the tasty cherries.
Most if not all Leona ValleyCherry Orchards will be open this year. Some as early as 5/21/16
Check the links above or call Orchards for 2016 U-Pick Cherry schedule.
Looks like all the Cheery Farms (only five were able to open due to the drought) have closed for the 2015 season. Lets hope for rain so the 2016 cherry season will be a bumper crop.
After a great day of cherry picking head west to the quaint little town of Lake Hughes to continue your exciting day. 2 miles west of the town on Pine Canyon Road you will come upon Quail Run Ranch. What is so special about this ranch you may ask ? Well, they don’t raise cows, they raise OSTRICH !! That’s right, The worlds largest bird. And you can get up close and personal with these gentle giants. So come on out, take the tour and get totally amazed and amused by these wonderful creatures. You will not be disappointed ! 661-724-1592. 44420 n Shaffer Rd PO Box 380
Lake Hughes, CA 93532
Copeland’s Cherry Ranch
Subject: 2015 Cherry Season – Not Opening
Greeting Cherry Friends –
We have had some very unusual weather this year, and as a result, we will not open this May/June for cherry picking.
We apologize, but the our crop is too small this year to open. We understand that this is farming, and that we were fortunate to have such a bountiful crop last year.
The orchard overall is doing great and we have replanted where necessary. Next year, we hope to post a message with opening dates for the 2016 Cherry Season. We appreciate all of our wonderful cherry friends and look forward to seeing you then!!
David and Chari Copeland
Copeland’s Cherry Ranch
Certified Organic
661-270-1900
Hi my husband and our kids are looking for some places to take our kids on spring break and i want to know if you guys charge for it and how much per person. We want to take our kids out to pick some cherries.
Thanks
U-Pick cherries are usually available late May through the month. Each orchard sets a price. They usually charge by the bucket, not per person.
Links to various Leona Valley Orchards are in the article above.