Things to do
Mountain community attracts tourists with its apple orchards, shopping and entertainment
Oak Glen had a rough apple season in 2020.
In addition to the coronavirus pandemic and the state’s shifting restrictions on indoor shopping and dining, the mountain community in San Bernardino County had to contend with a pair of wildfires.
The Apple fire broke out in August, followed in September by the El Dorado fire, which burned west of the community.
“They made it extremely unattractive,” said Brandon Gallegos, co-owner of Oak Glen Steakhouse. “They devastated Oak Glen more than the COVID situation did.”
Despite a dry winter and a hot summer, growers are expecting a good crop this year, although warmer weather puts on pressure to harvest the fruit, according to Michael Hudson, whose family owns Snow-Line Orchard.
“Apples prefer cold, so when there’s a lot of heat they fall from the trees,” he said in a phone interview.
“Once it hits the ground, we leave it. We don’t try to harvest it.”
Apple season runs from Labor Day to Thanksgiving in Oak Glen. The busiest time is early October, according to Hudson.
Visitors patronize orchards, restaurants, shops, motels and campgrounds along about a 5-mile stretch of a winding mountain road. Visitors come up to commune with nature, shop, eat and drink.
Oak Glen is not incorporated. Some of the businesses list their addresses in Oak Glen, but some say they are in Yucaipa, the city down the hill.
Family fun
Pioneers began growing apples in Oak Glen in the 19th century.
The place is known for “U-pick” orchards. Many varieties of apples grow in Oak Glen and ripen at various times throughout the season. Orchards often post signs at their entrances saying what crops are available.
Growers typically set up tents, sheds or tables equipped with scales and cash registers, hand out bags and tell customers where to find ripe fruit.
They charge by the pound. Los Rios Rancho, one of Oak Glen’s larger operations, has posted $3.50 a pound for U-pick Macintosh apples, or $2 per pound for 10 pounds or more.
Other fruits, such as peaches and pears, grow in Oak Glen, and there are fields of raspberries and strawberries available for picking for about $8 per pint.
Picked apples also are available for people who aren’t into manual labor. At Los Rios Rancho, they start at $10 a bag.
Not all growers offer U-pick apples. Snow-Line Orchard has raspberry fields for picking but sells apple products out of a gift shop. It is known for its cider mill and hot apple cider mini doughnuts, which sell for $5 a dozen at a snack bar.
Snow-Line is one of the many places in Oak Glen that sells specialty food products. It stocks jars of pickled gooseberry preserves, fig jam and sweet pickled kumquats with its own labels.
“We’re a family place,” Hudson said. “We want to be a place where families can come up and enjoy themselves.”
Nevertheless, Snow-Line’s business includes 21-and-older beverages. It sells its own wine by the bottle and has a back room for wine, hard cider and tropical slushies.
Neighbors such as Wilshire Apple Shed also have tasting rooms, and Willowbrook Apple Farm holds weekend wine tastings around a campfire with s’mores.
Owner Ashley Driscoll said Willowbrook also offers guests the opportunity to press their own cider and has farm animal meet-and-greets, but wine and s’mores are the most popular offering.
“People bring their blankets and spread out in the orchard. It’s a wonderful way to end the day.”
Changes on the way
In addition to 2020’s wildfires, an early morning blaze at Los Rios Rancho in October destroyed a 1906 packing shed and other buildings. Los Rios is now selling apples, cider and souvenirs in a tent and grilling tri-tip outdoors at a fast food stand. It has launched a building project with the goal of opening a new structure in the style of the old bar in 2023, according to a sign posted on the side of the tent. Other changes are taking place. Apple Blossom Ranch has taken over property formerly owned by the Law family. Its enterprises include Mr. Law’s Apple Shed and a shop called Holy Honey. A motel and restaurant are in the works.
Oak Tree Mountain underwent a major renovation in 2020. It is a shopping and entertainment center anchored by Apple Annie’s Restaurant & Bakery, known for its Mile High Apple Pies, volcano-shaped desserts that actually stand closer to 6 inches tall and cost $28.
Other attractions at Oak Tree Mountain include ax throwing, a hot dog stand with a patio for live music, and a candy shop, plus peacocks roaming the grounds.
Affirmations such as “rise by the lifting of others” and “kindness is contagious” are posted throughout the property.
Oak Glen wants to deliver a happy, fun and loving experience, according to a card Apple Annie’s gives out to customers, but has been in “survival mode, navigating the nearly impossible hiring and supply-chain challenges created by the pandemic.”
Hudson shared the sentiment. “We’re still here and surviving like everybody else.”