"This was the most severe loss we have ever experienced in the orchard," Gaver Farm wrote on its apple-picking page this season, explaining why there will be no pick-your-own apples in Mount Airy in 2026. The farm lost over 90% of its apple crop. It also canceled Early Bird picking and apple field trips for the year.
The damage came from one night. On April 21, 2026, temperatures in the Catoctin area dropped into the low 20s, according to Catoctin Mountain Orchard's season update. The orchard calls it a record-breaking freeze. The freeze did not hit every acre the same way. Six months later, elevation and what each farm sells explain most of what you'll find on an October drive through the county.
One Night in April, Sorted by Altitude
The freeze was so damaging because of the weeks before it. Catoctin Mountain Orchard says those weeks were unusually warm, which pushed trees into early bud just before the cold arrived. The Maryland Farm Bureau described the same pattern statewide. It wrote that "an unseasonably warm spring" had already moved specialty crops into advanced growing stages.
The statewide numbers were large. On May 28, 2026, Maryland Matters reported that Gov. Wes Moore had asked the USDA for a disaster declaration. His request cited preliminary Maryland Farm Service Agency figures showing losses of up to 94% of the apple crop and 99% of the peach crop. A Farm Bureau survey found an average estimated loss of 67.5% across surveyed specialty crops. Frederick was one of the counties named among more than 320 impacted acres. Those are statewide and survey-wide figures, not a Frederick County tally. Still, they match what local farms are posting.
At the farm level, ground height mattered most. Catoctin Mountain Orchard says its usual pick-your-own fields sit on lower ground, and the frost hit them. One block on the top part of the orchard was "high enough elevation that it did not get hit." Cold air settles low, so a few hundred feet of hillside made the difference between a crop and no crop.
What Each Farm Is Offering This October
Apples haven't disappeared from Frederick County this fall. What changed is where you can find them. Here is what each farm's own page shows as of early October 2026:
| Farm | Location | Apple picking in 2026 | What's still on offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gaver Farm | Mount Airy | Canceled; over 90% of the crop lost | Market apples, pumpkins, sunflowers, Fall Fun Fest |
| Catoctin Mountain Orchard | Thurmont, Route 15 at N. Franklinville Road | Limited picking on a high hillside; next date TBD | Market with apples, pumpkins, mums, pies, cider donuts |
| Pryor's Orchards | Thurmont | Page says no more pick-your-own this year | Several fresh apple varieties, cider by the gallon or half-gallon |
| Scenic View Orchards | Sabillasville | Picking not listed | Apples, pumpkins, fall squash, and a sparkling apple cider new for 2026 |
| Summers Farm | Frederick County | No apple status posted | Pumpkin picking and fall activities |
| Jumbo's Pumpkin Patch | Middletown | No apple status posted | Pumpkins and hayrides, open Sept. 19 to Nov. 1, 2026 |
Pryor's availability page doesn't carry a date, and Scenic View's updates use relative timestamps. Treat both as what those pages show today, and call ahead before a special trip.
The table shows that farms still have apples to sell, even where you can't pick them yourself. Gaver says it will have apples in its Farm Market. Pryor's lists apples and cider. Scenic View is selling a new cider at its Sabillasville Roadside Market, which a recent post showed open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. If your family's October tradition was filling a peck bag, this year it's a stop at a market counter.
The One Hillside Still Open for Picking in the Catoctins
Catoctin Mountain Orchard's high field is the closest thing to a normal apple-picking trip in the north county this year. The details have changed, though. The orchard lists Crimson Crisp, Fuji and Golden Delicious as the varieties available. Picking runs 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and the last wagon leaves at 2:30. As of October 7, the "Next picking day" on its page reads "TBD." The orchard is opening the field only on limited days.
The field itself is the bigger change. The orchard describes it as steeper ground with uneven terrain. It says plainly that the field is "NOT handicap or stroller friendly." The wagon ride to and from the field also takes longer. Families who usually bring a stroller or a grandparent through the lower rows will need a different plan.
Here's what the U-pick listing currently shows for costs:
- A $3 entrance fee per person, which includes the wagon ride. Children 3 and under are free.
- Peck bags hold 11 to 12 pounds, with a limit of 4 people per bag. Half-bushel bags hold 20 to 22 pounds, with a limit of 6 people.
- Cash or card at the check-in trailer. Card transactions for u-pick apples carry a $3.99 fee, and so do withdrawals from the on-site ATM.
The freeze also cost the orchard its summer. Catoctin Mountain Orchard says there was no sour- or sweet-cherry picking in 2026 because of frost damage. The market is still open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with apples, pumpkins, mums, pies and cider donuts.
The Pumpkin Patches Are Running Full Seasons
The farms built around pumpkins are advertising full seasons. Gaver Farm says it has "a beautiful crop of sunflowers and pumpkins to pick this fall." Its Fall Fun Fest, with more than 65 attractions, farm animals, hayrides and food stands, opened September 4. Visit Frederick lists the festival running daily through November 1, 2026.
Jumbo's Pumpkin Patch lists its 2026 season as September 19 through November 1. Summers Farm's homepage advertises pumpkin picking and fall activities. One section says the festival kicked off September 13, while its detailed listing gives September 26 through November 1, so check the farm's calendar before you go.
That makes the first weekend of November the shared closing date for Gaver, Jumbo's and Summers Farm.
Gaver also sounds optimistic about next year. The farm says its apple trees took no damage from the freeze, it planted more trees this spring, and it expects "an excellent crop in 2027." The April freeze killed the blossoms, not the trees.
Route 15 Runs Into Two Festivals on October 10 and 11
The drive to the Thurmont and Sabillasville orchards follows the same roads as the county's biggest October weekend. The 62nd Catoctin Colorfest runs October 10 and 11, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Thurmont Community Park. Admission is free, and the show goes on rain or shine. The juried show has about 240 artisans, and the Frederick News-Post reports that a typical year draws at least 100,000 people. Colorfest, Inc. runs only the juried show in the park. Other vendors and activities around town are independent.
The traffic plan affects anyone headed to a Thurmont orchard that weekend. Frederick Road closes from the 806 exit through town to East Main Street from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. Only shuttle buses, emergency vehicles and pedestrians may use it. There is no vehicle access or parking at Community Park. Free shuttles run continuously from the designated stop-and-park lots from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. The remote lots charge a parking fee. Colorfest warns that illegal parking may be ticketed or towed. The Catoctin High School shuttle is the one identified with a wheelchair lift, and each designated lot sets aside parking for ADA placard holders.
Farther up the mountain, the Catoctin Banner's October calendar lists the 50th Annual Mountain Fest at Sabillasville Environmental School on the same two days. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. The festival has a car show on Saturday with a Sunday rain date, a tractor show all weekend, and Touch-A-Truck on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission is free. Scenic View's roadside market is in Sabillasville too, which puts a cider stop on the way to the tractors.
Where the Rest of the Month Leads
Cunningham Falls State Park sits between Thurmont and the mountain festivals. Its October hours are 8 a.m. to sunset. Off-peak day-use fees are $3 per vehicle for Maryland residents and $5 for nonresidents, according to Maryland DNR. The Lower Trail is a half-mile route ending at the falls. The three-quarter-mile Cliff Trail is rough and strenuous. The Scales & Tales aviary is listed as open weekends through October from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., subject to change. DNR prohibits swimming at the falls and hiking or climbing off-trail around them.
The month ends in Emmitsburg on Friday, October 31. Trick-or-treating runs from 5 to 6:45 p.m. Costume-parade tagging and line-up are at the town swimming pool parking lot from 6:45 to 7 p.m., and the parade starts at 7.
The Thurmont Lions Club is also taking orders for homemade applesauce at $8 a quart, with or without sugar and with or without cinnamon. The applesauce is sold frozen. Pickup is November 21 at Mountain Gate Restaurant, and orders go through 301-271-0558.
Our team at the Nancy Hulsman Group tracks small shifts like this across Frederick County: which farms open, which fields close, and which weekends fill up the roads. If you're new to the area or have family coming to stay this fall, Book a Consultation and we'll help you plan your first season here around what's actually open.
