Just a stone’s throw from Yuba City, California, Max’s Miracle Ranch is the place that makes you want to grab a flannel shirt and pretend you’re in a Norman Rockwell painting. This apple orchard and pumpkin patch is about 20 minutes from Yuba City and Chico, sitting pretty at 3476 Smith Avenue in Biggs, California. It’s not exactly on Yuba City’s doorstep, but it’s close enough that you won’t need to pack a suitcase for the trip.
A Train Ride Through Apple Paradise
One of the coolest things about Max’s Miracle Ranch is their vintage logging train. This isn’t your run-of-the-mill kiddie train at the mall. No, sir, this is a bona fide piece of history that chugs through apple orchards and pumpkin patches. It’s like stepping into a time machine, except instead of returning to the dinosaur age, you’re transported to a simpler time when people got excited about apples and big orange gourds.
The train ride is a hit with kids and adults alike. As you chug along, you’ll see row after row of apple trees, their branches heavy with fruit. It’s enough to make you want to jump off and start filling your pockets with apples. But don’t do that. They frown upon apple theft here, even if you claim you’re just “testing for quality control.”
Hay Rides and Harvest Fun
If trains aren’t your thing (though I can’t imagine why they wouldn’t be), Max’s Miracle Ranch also offers good old-fashioned hay rides. Climb aboard a wagon filled with hay and let a tractor pull you around the ranch. It’s like being royalty, if royalty sat on itchy straw and smelled vaguely of manure.
During the fall, the ranch transforms into a harvest festival wonderland. They’ve got pumpkins as far as the eye can see, and if your eyes can’t see very far, they’ve still got a lot of pumpkins. It’s the perfect place to find that just-right jack-o’-lantern canvas or the ideal pie pumpkin for your Thanksgiving dessert.
Apple Cider: Nature’s Nectar
No trip to an apple orchard is complete without sampling some fresh apple cider. At Max’s Miracle Ranch, they take their cider seriously. It’s not that watered-down stuff you find in the supermarket. This is the real deal, pressed on-site from apples that were probably still on the tree that morning.
Take a jug home with you and impress your friends with your sophisticated palate. Just don’t tell them you bought it pre-made. Let them think you pressed those apples with your bare hands like a cider-making superhero.
More Than Just Apples
While apples are the star of the show, Max’s Miracle Ranch isn’t a one-trick pony. They have a whole menagerie of farm animals for you to meet and greet. It’s like a petting zoo, but with less “petting” and more “looking at animals from a respectful distance because that goat looks like it might eat your shirt.”
Plenty of activities also keep the kids (or the kid in you) entertained. Jump houses for bouncing out all that sugar-fueled energy from the cider, pony rides for aspiring cowboys and cowgirls, and even a few food stands for when all that apple-picking works up an appetite.
A Family Affair
Max’s Miracle Ranch isn’t just a place to grab some apples and go. It’s a full-day experience perfect for families, couples, or anyone who’s ever wanted to pretend they’re a farmer for a day without having to wake up at 4 AM to milk cows.
The ranch is open seasonally, usually from late summer through fall. It’s where memories are made, photos are taken, and at least one person in your group will inevitably say, “I could totally live on a farm.” (Spoiler alert: They probably couldn’t.)
The Bottom Line
So, if you find yourself in or around Yuba City hankering for apples, cider, or just a day out in the country, point your car towards Biggs and head to Max’s Miracle Ranch. It’s a short drive to transport you to a world of apple-scented, pumpkin-filled, hay-riding fun.
Just remember to bring cash (because apparently, apple trees don’t grow credit card machines), wear comfortable shoes (because those orchards don’t traverse themselves), and leave your city-slicker attitude at home. At Max’s Miracle Ranch, everyone’s a farmer for a day, even if the closest you’ve ever come to agriculture is killing a cactus on your windowsill.
Whether you’re there for the apples, cider, and pumpkins or to see all the fuss, Max’s Miracle Ranch offers a slice of rural life that’s hard to find in our fast-paced, digital world. It’s a place where you can slow down, breathe in the crisp autumn air, and remember what it’s like to connect with the land—even if it’s just for an afternoon.
Sources: maxsmiracles.org, Max’s Miracle Ranch Facebook Page
Header Image Source: Photo by Alisa Matthews on Unsplash
