Washington · Berries & small fruit

Cherry season in Washington

Typically early June to mid-August, with peak mid-June through late July.

Hatched chalk = early and late shoulders; solid = peak.

Tri-Cities and Mattawa start ahead of Wenatchee and Chelan; late varieties hang on into late August.

At a glance

Early

From early June — first pickings, lighter supply, best prices come later.

Peak

mid-June 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 11 weeks end to end, shoulders included.

U-pick cherries in Washington

Pick with stems attached and keep buckets shallow — stemless cherries weep and need eating within a day. The picking window tracks the band above: early trips get clean fields, peak (mid-June 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.


Chasing the season?

Cherry peak moves across the map. After this window, it lands next in:

The whole national sweep · everything in season in Washington

Frequently asked questions

When is cherry season in Washington?

In Washington, the cherry season typically runs early June to mid-August, with peak availability mid-June through late July. Exact weeks shift a little with each year's weather.

When should I go u-pick cherries in Washington?

Aim for peak: mid-June through late July. An early trip around early 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 cherry season last in Washington?

about 11 weeks end to end — early 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.