Apple Hill Farm is open year-round for visitors!
You MUST join a tour to see the animals. Advanced tickets are REQUIRED to join a tour and see the animals.
400 Apple Hill Road • Banner Elk, NC 28604
EMAIL: applehillfarmnc@gmail.com | PHONE: (828) 963-1662
What can I expect on my tour?
Apple Hill Farm is a place where animals talk and people listen—we always let the animals lead the way in interactions and never force them to participate. Your tour is a guided walking tour, and will last about 45 to 60 minutes.
We are a real working fiber farm! Your tour will be an educational tour where you learn about the animals who live and play at Apple Hill Farm. Your tour will focus on learning about how all of our animals have a job and purpose here at Apple Hill Farm. Many are rescues and have cool stories as well!
Most of our animals are very friendly, but we are not a petting zoo and we let the animals choose if they will come over to interact with the tour or not. Interactions with animals are not guaranteed—although the goats, donkeys, and cows almost never say no to meeting new friends!
When you arrive, you will be greeted by our 4 legged welcoming committee (and a tour guide!). On your tour, you will learn about all the critters that call Apple Hill Farm home. You will get to pet the donkeys, and feed the goats and cows.
The alpacas are a lot like cats in their personalities, and may or may not choose to say “Hello!”. Most of our animals are very friendly and social, but sometimes they want their personal space, too. Our horses, pigs, chickens, and working dogs do not enjoy making new friends, but they do make for pretty pictures.
Public Tour Pricing
Public Tours offered daily for the summer and fall season!
See our full seasonal hours below – we are open year round!
Open by appointment only Sunday, Monday & Tuesday.
- Adults (ages 11-54): $17
- Seniors (55+) & Military: $15
- Children (ages 4-10): $12
- Infants (ages 3 & under): $3
You MUST join a tour to see the animals. Advanced tickets are REQUIRED to join a tour and see the animals.
Hours by Season:
January to Memorial Day:
- Tours Wednesdays to Saturdays
- Store open 12 to 4 Wednesdays to Fridays and 10 to 4 Saturdays
Memorial Day to End of October:
- Tours 7 days a week
- Store open 10 to 4 daily
- Closed the third Saturday of October every year
November to January 1
- Tours Daily
- Store open 10 to 4 Daily
- Hours will vary around holidays
- Closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day
Hours subject to change
Special Tours
Important Tour Information
- Advanced tickets are required. We cannot accommodate drive-up tours at this time.
- At this time, we are limiting tours to groups of 12 people or less, including infants.
- The tour is generally 45 to 60 minutes in length and is a guided walking tour. The tour is all outdoors, so come dressed for the weather.
- The pathway is generally flat and gravelly, but there are a few hills. Most of the tour is around a flat loop, with one last hill up to see more animals and the cows. You are welcome to do as much or as little of the tour as you are able.
- Tours leave RAIN OR SHINE. We will cancel in the event of thunderstorms or similar dangerous weather conditions. We will not take a tour out until there has been no lightning within 10 miles of the farm for 30 minutes.
- The animals are out in their fields, so sometimes they prefer to stay grazing instead of saying ‘hello’ to our tours.
- Please leave your pets at home; our farm is a working farm and is not pet-friendly.
- Sorry, no picnicking. However, both the Valle Crucis Park and Banner Elk Park are just minutes away!
- We do not offer apple picking—we are a working alpaca and angora goat farm. We are happy to refer you to farms that do offer apples!
- Bring your camera, and have lots of fun!
Visit Our Farm Store
Open 10 am to 4 pm, on tour days.
How to Find Us
- From the 105/321 intersection (Wendy’s) in Boone, NC, follow NC105S towards Linville/Banner Elk.
- Go 4.8m to light at Broadstone Rd. Turn right, towards Valle Crucis.
- Go 2.9m to NC194S. Turn Left.
- Go 3.9m to Oliver Hill Rd. Turn right.
- Go 0.8m to Bladen Rd. Turn right.
- Go 0.2m to Apple Hill Road. Turn left.
- Go 0.3m to farm. Follow traffic signs.
- From NC184 & NC194 in Banner Elk, follow NC194N towards Valle Crucis.
- Go 3.7m to Oliver Hill Rd. Turn left.
- Go 0.8m to Bladen Rd. Turn right.
- Go 0.2m to Apple Hill Road. Turn left.
- Go 0.3m to farm. Follow traffic signs.
For information about visiting the Banner Elk area, visit: https://www.bannerelk.com/.
