Sunrise Orchards

Our take

The short version

Sunrise Orchards runs one of the longest seasons of any orchard in this research batch — open daily from August 17 all the way through December 21, 2026, spanning two physical locations plus a year-round online store. That length and breadth suggest an operation built around consistent farm-market and bakery shopping rather than a single big picking event, and this record genuinely could not confirm whether apples here are available pick-your-own or sold only through the market.

An exceptionally long season

Few orchards in this research batch stay open past Halloween, let alone into winter. Sunrise Orchards’ explicit 2026 dates — daily, August 17 through December 21 — put it in a different category, more akin to a year-round farm market with a fall peak than a strictly seasonal u-pick operation. Hours shift accordingly: 9am to 5pm from August through October, then a shorter 9am to 4pm in November and December, with the farm closed on Thanksgiving specifically.

Twenty-five-plus varieties, none individually named

The site advertises more than 25 apple varieties, a genuinely large claim, but doesn’t name them individually in the content reviewed for this record. That’s worth noting alongside the site’s general framing around bakery and market shopping — the emphasis reads less like “come pick these specific six apples” and more like “come shop our selection,” which fits a market-first operation better than a classic u-pick farm.

Two locations and an online store

Beyond the main Gays Mills site, the record notes a second Hillcrest location at 16602 US Hwy 61 & Hwy 171, plus a year-round online store. That’s a broader retail footprint than most orchards in this research batch, and it reinforces the sense that Sunrise Orchards operates more like a regional farm-market brand than a single physical picking destination.

The u-pick question this record can’t answer

This is the central gap worth stating clearly: nothing in the content reviewed confirms whether Sunrise Orchards’ apples are available for visitors to pick themselves, as opposed to being sold pre-picked through the farm market and bakery. Given the site’s heavy emphasis on shopping and baked goods, it’s entirely possible this is a market-only operation for apples — but that’s a guess this research isn’t willing to make outright. If picking your own apples is the point of your trip, call 608-735-4645 to confirm before you go.

A specific perk: early senior shopping hours

One concrete, checkable detail from the record: senior shopping hours run 8-9am at the main location, ahead of the regular opening. That’s the kind of specific operational detail that’s easy to miss but genuinely useful if it applies to you or someone you’re traveling with.

What isn’t confirmed

Beyond the u-pick question, this record has no pricing information, no confirmed cider mill or cider donuts, and no individually named apple varieties despite the “25+” claim.

Getting there

The main Sunrise Orchards site is in Gays Mills, Crawford County, part of the same Highway 171 cluster above town as 1913 Kickapoo Orchard, also covered in this research batch. The lat/lng on file reflects Gays Mills’ city center rather than a geocoded street address, and it applies to the main location only — the separate Hillcrest address isn’t reflected in these coordinates.

Bottom line

Sunrise Orchards’ season length and market breadth are genuinely impressive, but this record leaves the single most basic question for a “pick your own apples” trip unanswered — whether picking is actually offered. Confirm that by phone before making Sunrise the centerpiece of a u-pick outing.