Carter Mountain Orchard offers Virginia apples, pumpkins, and views

By Lynn R. Mitchell

Last night’s low temperature west of Staunton was 39 degrees so today seemed perfect to visit Carter Mountain outside Charlottesville. The mountaintop orchard offers not only apples, pumpkins, gourds, and country store goods but it also provides one of the most outstanding long-range views in central Virginia — east toward Richmond and west toward the Blue Ridge Mountains. Below is the city of Charlottesville and the University of Virginia. A cool breeze blew as SWAC Husband and my Richmond sister and I drove up the long, winding road for the latest chapter of our autumn adventures.

Pumpkins! Carter’s Mountain had plenty of these bright orange signs of fall available in all sizes from tiny decorative to pie size to jack-o-lantern size.