A paper sack of apples costs a few dollars at any grocery store in Idaho, but it never tastes like the one you twist off a branch yourself. October is the last real window for that feeling, when the leaves go gold and the late varieties finally ripen.
From the fruit belt around Emmett to the rim of the Snake River Canyon, a handful of family orchards still hand you a bucket and point you toward the rows. Here are eight worth the drive before the season closes.
1. Candy Apple Orchards In Emmett
Three apple varieties, one quiet lane, and a whole lot of fall. Candy Apple Orchards keeps things simple on purpose, growing Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, and Rome Beauties on a property off Harvest Lane in Gem County.
The season runs through September and October while the apples last, so an early October trip gives you the best shot at full trees. Most fruit hangs low enough to grab by hand…