Typically mid-June to mid-August, with peak
early July through late July.
In season now
now
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Hatched chalk = early and late shoulders; solid = peak.
Yakima and Wenatchee valleys grow the nation's second-biggest crop.
At a glance
Early
From mid-June —
first pickings, lighter supply, best prices come later.
Peak
early July through late July — full stalls,
full flavor. This is the stretch to plan around.
Late
Through mid-August — quantity for
preserving, and the stalls start dealing.
Season length
about 9 weeks end to end, shoulders included.
U-pick apricots in Washington
The season is only a few weeks — call ahead, and bring shallow trays so ripe fruit does not crush. The picking window tracks the band above: early
trips get clean fields, peak (early July through late July) is the sure bet,
late season is for quantity.
Farm-to-farm variation is real — up to two weeks either side of
the typical window. Plan the trip,
then call the farm before you drive.
Apricots
Look
Even golden-orange with no green left at the stem end; a rosy blush is a bonus.
Feel
Plump and slightly yielding along the seam — firm is fine, hard is unripe.
Smell
Strong honey-floral perfume; a scentless apricot was picked too green to ever sweeten.
Tip
Tree-ripe apricots practically drop into your hand — skip any that fight back.
Keeps
Keep on the counter until fragrant and soft, then refrigerate up to five days.
Chasing the season?
Apricot peak moves across the map.
After this window, it lands next in:
In Washington, the apricot season typically runs mid-June to mid-August, with peak availability early July through late July. Exact weeks shift a little with each year's weather.
When should I go u-pick apricots in Washington?
Aim for peak: early July through late July. An early trip around mid-June gets first choice of clean fields; a late one is for jam-and-freezer quantity. Any single farm can run up to two weeks either side of the chart — call before you drive.
How long does apricot season last in Washington?
about 9 weeks end to end — mid-June to mid-August. The early and late shoulders are real but lighter; the solid stretch of chalk on the band is the sure bet.