A large, ride-heavy fall-festival destination near Ames/Ankeny that advertises 34 apple varieties across a 20-acre u-pick orchard, but general admission is required to reach it, so this isn't a free walk-up picking stop.
General admission required to access u-pick and attractions; per-person price not posted
Center Grove Orchard sits at 32835 610th Avenue in Cambridge, Story County, and the record positions it as one of the larger agritourism destinations near the Ames/Ankeny area. The headline number here is 34 apple varieties, advertised across a 20-acre u-pick orchard — a notably large variety count compared to most orchards researched in this batch, several of which name only a handful of apples or none at all. Both u-pick and pre-picked apples are confirmed. Phone is 515-383-4354.
Beyond the orchard itself, the record confirms a genuinely large attraction lineup built around the fall season: a corn maze, a pumpkin patch, jumping pillows, a corn pool, a mini train, zip lines, pedal carts, and farm animals. A bakery on site sells cider and cider donuts, though no dedicated cider mill (for pressing juice on-premises) is confirmed. Days and hours of operation are not stated anywhere in the record.
The clearest planning detail here is that general admission is required to access the u-pick orchard and the surrounding attraction area — this isn’t a free walk-up picking farm like some of the smaller operations in this research batch. That’s an important distinction for anyone comparing orchards by cost: even before buying any apples, there’s an entry fee, though the record notes the per-person price itself isn’t posted. Given the scale of the attraction lineup — zip lines, a mini train, pedal carts — that admission fee is likely covering access to the broader festival grounds rather than the orchard specifically, which fits the pattern of larger agritourism destinations elsewhere in Iowa charging for the full experience rather than just picking.
Advertising 34 apple varieties is one of the higher counts among the orchards researched for this state, rivaled mainly by the detailed 18-variety list at Iowa Orchard in Granger. Unlike that record, though, Center Grove’s site doesn’t name the actual varieties — so while the headline number suggests genuine breadth (likely spanning early types like Ginger Gold through late types like GoldRush or Pink Lady), a visitor can’t confirm from this record alone what’s actually available on any given weekend. Calling ahead to ask what’s currently ripe would fill that gap better than assuming all 34 are pickable at once.
Hours and days of operation aren’t stated anywhere in the record, which is a bigger gap here than at most other orchards in this batch, since it means a visit can’t even be roughly timed around a daily or weekly schedule without a direct call. The admission price itself is also unconfirmed, and no season-start or season-end date narrows down when the 34 varieties are actually available for picking versus already picked over.
Center Grove Orchard’s scale — 34 advertised apple varieties, a 20-acre u-pick section, and a long list of rides and attractions — makes it a strong candidate for a full-day family outing near Ames or Ankeny, especially for groups who want more than just picking. But the admission requirement, unconfirmed hours, and unnamed variety list mean this record supports planning a call to 515-383-4354 before the trip, not a spontaneous drive-by visit.
Not stated in the record with specific dates. The site's footer showed a 2026 copyright but no explicit season open/close statement, so timing should be confirmed directly with the orchard.
you want a free, walk-in picking experience — general admission is required to access the u-pick orchard and attractions here.
The orchard's own site advertises 34 apple varieties across its 20-acre u-pick orchard, though specific variety names aren't listed in the record.
Yes — the record confirms general admission is required to access u-pick and attractions, though the per-person price isn't posted.
No cider mill is confirmed, but cider donuts are, sold through the on-site bakery.
A corn maze, pumpkin patch, jumping pillows, a corn pool, a mini train, zip lines, pedal carts, and farm animals, per the record.
Not stated in the record. No specific hours or days of operation were found.
2026 dates had not been published when we last checked. Check with the orchard before driving out.
Pricing was not published when we last checked. General admission required to access u-pick and attractions; per-person price not posted
Yes — it's a pick-your-own orchard, with pre-picked apples at the farm stand too.
32835 610th Avenue, Cambridge, IA 50046, in Story County. It is one of 4 orchards we track in Des Moines Metro.
We track 4 orchards in Des Moines Metro, 4 of which let you pick your own apples. The orchard has not published a starting price, so it cannot be compared on cost — call before you budget.
What sets it apart locally: it has a corn maze, a petting area, which most Des Moines Metro orchards on our list do not.
One caveat worth repeating: this orchard had not published its 2026 dates when we last checked, while 0 of the 4 orchards we track in Des Moines Metro had. Treat any date you see elsewhere as last year's until the orchard confirms it.
There are 2 other orchards we track in Story County. All Des Moines Metro orchards →
Map pin is set to the town centre. Navigate to the street address above, not the pin.
centergroveorchard.com
Checked September 2026.