The Pacific Northwest grows the majority of the pears produced in the United States. The orchards of Oregon’s Hood River Valley and Washington’s Wenatchee basin sit in the rain shadow of the Cascades, where the warm days and cool nights of autumn produce pears with exceptional sweetness and texture. U-pick pear orchards are less common than apple orchards, but the ones that open to the public offer some of the best fruit you will find anywhere. Here is how to plan your trip.
When to go
Pear season in the Pacific Northwest runs from August through October, with peak picking in September and early October.
The season starts with summer varieties in early August. The main harvest — Bartlett, Bosc, and Anjou — runs from late August through September. Late varieties like Comice and Concorde stretch into October.
Pears are unusual among orchard fruit because they are picked when mature but not fully ripe. A pear picked rock-hard from the tree will ripen perfectly at room temperature over a few days. A pear left to soften on the tree turns mealy and brown at the core. This means the u-pick window is about picking mature fruit, not waiting for it to soften on the branch — a key difference from apples or peaches.
Call ahead. Pear harvest timing shifts with the season’s heat, and different varieties ripen in sequence. Farms post updates on their websites and social media. The Hood River Valley is the densest concentration of u-pick pear orchards in the region, and a single farm may offer three or four varieties over the course of the season.
What to bring
- Layers. September in the Columbia basin and Hood River can be warm in the afternoon and cold in the morning. Bring a jacket.
- Sturdy shoes. Orchards are grass and dirt, often uneven between the rows. Dewy autumn mornings make the ground slick.
- Sun hat and sunscreen. Pear trees offer some shade, but the sun is still strong in early autumn.
- Containers. Farms usually provide boxes or bags, but pears bruise easily. Shallow, padded containers are best. Do not pile pears more than two layers deep.
- A cooler for the drive home. Pears left in a warm car will ripen too fast and bruise.
- Water. Picking is a walk through an orchard, and autumn days can still be warm.
- Cash. Some orchards are cash-only, especially the smaller family operations.
Which varieties to look for
Pacific Northwest pear orchards grow several varieties that ripen in sequence. Knowing the order helps you time your visit.
Bartlett (also called Williams) is the classic pear. Bell-shaped, green turning yellow as it ripens, and sweetly aromatic. Bartlett is the earliest of the main varieties, ripening in late August. It is the canning and preserving pear — soft, juicy, and perfect for pears in syrup or pear butter. Bartletts do not store long; use them within a week of ripening.
Bosc is the russeted brown pear. Long, narrow, and cinnamon-colored. Bosc holds its shape when cooked, which makes it the variety for poaching, baking, and tarts. It ripens in September and stores better than Bartlett — up to a month in the refrigerator.
Anjou (both green and red) is the all-purpose winter pear. Egg-shaped, smooth-skinned, and sweet. Anjou ripens in late September and October and stores for months under refrigeration. If you want pears to eat fresh through the winter, Anjou is the one to pick and stock up on.
Comice is the dessert pear. Round, green with a red blush, and exceptionally sweet and juicy. Comice is the pear to pair with cheese — it is the classic partner for blue cheese. It ripens in October and is less common in u-pick, but worth seeking out.
Concorde is a newer variety with a long, slender neck. Green-gold, firm, and sweet with a hint of vanilla. Concorde does not brown when cut, which makes it a good choice for salads. It ripens late and stores well.
Seckel is a small, spicy heirloom pear. Olive-green with a red blush, and the smallest of the common pears. Seckels are sweet, firm, and excellent for pickling and preserves. Often available at farm stands rather than u-pick.
How to pick
Pears are picked when mature but hard. Look for fruit that is full-sized and has begun to change color slightly — a green pear that is losing its grassy brightness is ready. Do not wait for the pear to soften on the tree; it will go mealy.
Lift the pear upward and twist. A mature pear snaps cleanly from the branch at the stem. If you have to pull hard, the pear is not ready. Do not yank — you can break the fruiting spur, which reduces next year’s crop.
Handle pears gently. They bruise more easily than apples, and bruises may not show immediately but will brown as the fruit ripens. Cradle each pear in your hand and place it in the container rather than dropping it.
Pick with the stem attached. A pear without a stem stores poorly and decays faster at the stem end.
After the pick
Pears are the orchard fruit that rewards patience. To ripen them, leave them at room temperature in a bowl or on the counter, stem-side up. Check them daily. A pear is ripe when the flesh just beside the stem yields to gentle pressure. Once ripe, move pears to the refrigerator to slow further ripening — they will hold for 3-5 days.
To ripen pears faster, put them in a paper bag with a ripe banana or apple. The ethylene gas from the other fruit speeds the process.
For storage: Anjou and Comice keep for months under refrigeration. Store them unwrapped in the crisper drawer and ripen small batches as you need them. A refrigerator full of Anjou picked in October can last into January.
For canning and preserves: Bartletts are the variety. Peel, halve, and pack in light syrup, or cook down into pear butter with sugar, lemon, and spices. Pears also dehydrate well — slices dried in a food dehydrator make a chewy, sweet snack.
Find an orchard
Oregon and Washington have over 180 farms in our directory. Browse Oregon farms or Washington farms to find a u-pick pear orchard near you.